Umbilical cord

[lisa1905]

How can I take care of the Umbilical cord? What kind of alcohol or medicine should I buy for it ? thanks ladies :)

[mrsjaimet]

I always used plain rubbing alcohol with my first and with my second her pediatrician recommended not using anything just to keep it dry and her fell off 5 days sooner than my first.

[Lesley27]

I was told to just keep the area clean and dry and my daughters fell off in a couple weeks(rubbed a dry q tip around it to clean it)... i think around here its not common any more to use alcohol, i think it was common before because they thought it dried up faster but i think thye found it doesnt makes a difference... i was pretty happy tho when it came off, bathing was so much better!

[Clysta]

It varies on the time it takes to fall off. It could be a week, it could be a month. My daughter was 3-4 weeks old when hers fell off. Talk to her ped and the hospital on advice for how to clean it. Some say just keep it dry and leave it be, others say use rubbing alcohol.

[PetiteWonder]

My hospital said not to use alcohol. We just kept it clean. She lost hers at day 5. So much better once its gone

[whatstheodds]

I always used plain alcohol sometimes the hospital will give u those lil individual wrapped alcohol pads. Or a cotton ball or q-tip is good.

[lisa1905]

thank you so much for reply , then more likly will come off in about a week ?

[agrell]

With my son we got a ziplock bag and put cotton balls in it and than filled the bag with rubbing alcohol and everytime we would change him we would grab one out and clean it...sure enough within a week and a half it was off :))

[lisa1905]

thank you so much for reply :)

[MsKitty84]

I think my folks just used plain old rubbing alcohol. According to babycenter, some docs still recommend this and others say just keep the area clean and it'll dry on its own.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_caring-for-your-newborns-umbilical-cord-stump_127.bc