After your baby is born, your midwife or doctor will clamp and then cut the
umbilical cord
. After it is cut, a small amount of the cord will remain attached to your baby's belly button – this will be about two to three centimetres long and is known as the ‘cord stump'.
What is the leftover umbilical cord called?
Your baby's umbilical cord was the all-important connection between your baby and the placenta, the organ responsible for nourishment. When your baby is born, this cord is clamped and cut, leaving a small remaining bit of cord at your newborn's abdomen. This is called
the umbilical stump
.
Topic Overview. After the umbilical cord is cut at birth,
a stump of tissue remains attached to your baby's
belly button (navel). The stump gradually dries and shrivels until it falls off, usually 1 to 2 weeks after birth. It is important that you keep the umbilical cord stump and surrounding skin clean and dry.
Your baby's umbilical cord stump dries out and eventually falls off — usually
within one to three weeks after birth
.
Why does umbilical cord smell so bad?
In most cases, the umbilical cord stump dries up and falls off the newborn within the first few weeks of life. But sometimes an infection can develop. This may cause the area around the cord to swell and become inflamed, red, or tender. There may be cloudy, discolored, or bad
–
smelling discharge from the cord.
Why do you bury a baby's umbilical cord?
“Umbilical cords were intended to be buried because this
“anchors the baby to the earth
” (Knoki-Wilson, 8/10/92). Baring the umbilical cord in the Earth establishes lifelong connection between the baby and the place.
What happens if you pull the umbilical cord?
If the cord stump is pulled off too soon,
it could start actively bleeding
, meaning every time you wipe away a drop of blood, another drop appears. If the cord stump continues to bleed, call your baby's provider immediately.
Do babies in the womb poop?
During the many months that your baby grows in the womb, they'll take in nutrients and expel wastes. But in most cases, this waste
is not in the form of feces
. When your baby poops for the first time, they emit a waste called meconium. This usually happens after birth — sometimes almost immediately after!
How is the umbilical cord removed from mother?
After birth, the doctor or midwife cuts your baby's cord from the placenta and
puts a clamp on the remaining stump to pinch it off
. After a couple of days, once the cord has dried, you can take the clamp off.
What happens to umbilical cord if not cut?
“It's not some kind of waste material the body produces separately.” When the umbilical cord is not cut,
it naturally seals off after about an hour after birth
. The umbilical cord and attached placenta will fully detach from the baby anywhere from two to 10 days after the birth.
Omphaloliths
. As dead skin cells and sebum — the oil secreted by your skin — accumulate in your bellybutton, they can form an omphalolith over time. Also known as a navel stone, they're made of the same materials that form blackheads. The surface of a navel stone will turn black from oxidation.
How long will it take for the belly button to heal? After the stump falls off there will be a small wound. It may take
between seven days and 10 days
for the area to heal completely . You may see a little blood spot on your baby's nappy.
An outie belly button is
a cosmetic issue and doesn't require surgery
. Granulomas need to be treated to avoid infection. Hernias usually disappear on their own and those that don't can be treated with a simple surgical procedure after the age of 4 or 5.
Fecal or menstrual leakage
An umbilical fistula, an abnormally developed passageway between the intestines and the umbilicus,
can cause fecal matter to leak from the navel
. It goes without saying, if poop is coming out of your belly button, you should seek medical attention.
Is it OK to smell umbilical cord?
While the stump is drying up and just after it falls off, you might notice some oozing around baby's belly button. This might be clear, sticky or brownish, and it might leave a mark on your baby's clothes or nappy. It
might also smell a little
. This is part of the healing process.
Areas of the body, including the armpits or feet, are more likely to become moist with sweat and smell. This is because bacteria break down the sweat and create a waste product that has a strong odor. If the belly button has trapped dead skin and sweat, it is
likely to smell sweaty
.
