Umbilical cord
From ChildWiki.com
The umbilical cord is an abdominal organ shaped as a tube witch connects the placenta to the mother's body during pregnancy, conducting nutritional exchanges between the mother and the fetus.
[edit] How Does the Umbilical Cord Function
Before they are born, babies receive food and oxygen through the placenta, which is stuck to the interior wall of the uterus. The link between the placenta and the baby is made by the umbilical cord. After the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut. The procedure is painless for both mother and baby.
[edit] What Happens After Cutting the Cord
After 10 to 21 days, the rest of the cut cord will dry off and fall from the belly, leaving a small wound that will heal in a few days. The area has to be kept clean and dry. The diaper must be placed below the umbilical cord so that urine does not touch the area. When the left fragment falls off, the mother might find a small blood stain on the diaper, which is normal.
The baby must not be bathed before the cord falls off.
When it is too hot, the baby will only wear a diaper and a thin bouse to allow air to circulate and to allow the wound to heal faster.
Sometimes, after the umbilical cord falls off, small skin pieces still remain that fall by themselves eventually in most cases, but sometimes medical intervention is needed. These pieces do not have nerves, so if any treatment is needed, the baby will not feel any pain.
The doctor, or a nurse, will apply an antiseptic solution after cutting the cord. At home, the area must be cleaned with a soft cloth and a light alcoholic solution, several times a day.
Some medics recommend waiting until the cord dries off alone. Studies show that a cord that has not been treated in any way falls in 8 days, and if an alcoholic solution is applied healing takes 10 days.
Mothers are allowed to choose either method, but after speaking to the baby's doctor.
In some cases, an infection might appear that can show the following symptoms:
- The baby develops a fever or seems to be unwell
- The umbilical area gets red and swollen
- An infection is visible at the base of the cord
If this is the situation, the doctor will be able to recommend a treatment to heal the infection.
