Umbilical Cord - Delayed Separation Past 3 Weeks

Definition

• Cord is still attached after 3 weeks
• The navel is also called the belly button or umbilicus
• The piece of cord that stays on the baby is called the umbilical stump

Call or Return If

• Cord starts to look infected
• Fever occurs
• Cord is still on for more than 6 weeks
• Your baby starts to look sick or act abnormal
• You think your child needs to be seen

About This Topic

Normal Cord

• Normal cords don't need any special treatment.
• Just keep them dry (called natural drying).
• Reason: Cords need to dry up, before they will fall off.
• As they dry up, cords normally change color. They go from a shiny yellowish hue, to brown or gray.
• The cord will normally fall off between 1 and 3 weeks.

Normal Navel (Belly Button)

• After the cord has fallen off, the navel will gradually heal.
• It's normal for the center to look red at the point of separation.
• It's not normal if the redness spreads on to the belly.
• It's normal for the navel to ooze some secretions.
• Sometimes, the navel forms a scab. It heals up and falls off on its own.

After Care Advice