Patient's question:
My baby is already 27 days old and is about to reach the full moon stage. However, the umbilical cord hasn't fallen off yet. I heard that under normal circumstances, it should fall off within 7 to 14 days. Is there something abnormal? The area around the umbilical cord has already started to form a scab. Yesterday, while feeding, I accidentally touched it, and some black fluid came out, but the umbilical cord hasn't fallen off yet. What is going on?Doctor's answer:
Umbilical cord. Every baby is different. My firstborn's umbilical cord took more than 20 days to fall off. My second child's umbilical cord fell off within a week. The umbilical stump needs to be disinfected every day. Even if the baby doesn't bathe, it still needs to be disinfected. If the baby's umbilical stump is dry, the baby may also feel pain and cry. It is essential to disinfect it. This is normal. As long as the umbilical stump is dry and there is no bleeding or pus, everything is fine. Parents must use povidone-iodine to disinfect the baby every day. Generally, the umbilical stump will naturally fall off within a month.