The child in utero receives oxygen and necessary nutrients from the mother through the placenta and umbilical cord. And what to do with the navel after the birth? If the navel festering what to do?
After birth at the umbilical cord impose special plastic clip (terminal), and then cut it. A small piece of cord sticking out of the baby's tummy, called the umbilical residue. He gradually dries up and disappears, along with the terminal. This occurs between the 4th and the 10th day. After falling off the balance on the tummy crumbs remain wound that heals in 2-4 weeks. Scar formed on the site of the wound, we call the navel.
How to handle the umbilical wound
- Relatively care navel, too, there are many recommendations, often contradicting each other. According to the Protocol for the care of healthy newborns, approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, if the delivery room has been fully implemented mum contact (Or Pope) and newborn "skin-to-skin" for at least 2 hours umbilical residue need not further process antiseptics. After all, the baby got from their parents the necessary microflora, which plays an important role in protection against disease-causing bacteria.
- If such contact did not take place fully, then, to avoid contamination of nosocomial flora, umbilical residue was recommended to treat an antiseptic (e.g., chlorhexidine, tincture of calendula), 1 in a day.
- Umbilical wound there is no need to process anything in the absence of signs of infection. We just need to keep everything clean and dry, do not close any bandages, wear a diaper so that she could breathe the navel. If crumb soiled with urine or feces, thoroughly enough to wash it with warm water and dry.
How to handle a newborn navel / istockphoto.com
If the navel festering
If the umbilical residue began to publish an unpleasant smell and / or appeared allocation, process it twice daily with chlorhexidine or calendula tincture.
Sometimes it happens that in the separation of the residue or under a thick crust on the umbilical wound is allocated a little blood. Do not panic, just treated with hydrogen peroxide, gently remove the crust dry cotton swab. Do not be afraid, neither cord nor the wound does not have nerve endings, so the crumbs do not hurt.
If bleeding from the wound abundant, and you can not stop it by yourself, or the skin around the navel blush appeared purulent discharge, you must seek medical attention!
Myths about the navel and umbilical cord
- There is a common myth that if a midwife "wrong bind up the umbilical cord," the baby is ugly navel. This is not true.
- Form the navel - a hereditary feature. And the phrase "tie the umbilical cord," appeared in the days when instead of a plastic terminal pinched her silk thread. And the thread and clamp together with the withered umbilical remnant eventually fall away safely, which means midwives effect on the shape of the navel may not affect in any way!
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