How long does the cord stump stay?

[kellsbells]

I was curious about how long it takes before the umbilical cord stump heals over and doesn't need special treatment any more?

[Tracey]

With Indah it had come off on day 2 & one nurse just dabbed it with salty water & said to keep doing so til it started to scab over, so I was OK with that, the next MW Went off her rocker & suggested I had pulled it off... I explained it just came off, I knew not to pull at it etc & she went banana's... But then I just continued wioth salty water & it healed, with DD#1 I think she was almost 2 wks old when hers came away all of it's own...

[{sarah}]

Alexzander's came off after about a week.

[Nelle]

Yeah I reckon River's fell after about 5-7 days. We just used a cotton ball with water, except for once when it started to look a little red after the cord fell off and I used a bit of diluted Betadine then.

(All the best with the birth!)

[Pandora]

Milos was about 7 days I think.
We just kept it clean with water & cotton.
After it fell off there was icky-ness for a few days, but my mchn said (she looked at it) to wipe it off with a cotton bud so we did and it was fine

[wardygirl]

Vivienne's was about a week, but Blake's was 15 days from memory. It was much longer!

[ShootingStar]

Jesse's came off after 3 days. No special treatment is needed, just to keep it clean with warm water. I just used cotton buds to dab around it when he was sleeping. If its hanging by a thread, you have to leave it and let it come off itself, dont pull it off.
Warning too, they can be a little smelly but was told thats normal.

[paradise lost]

DD's was 12 or 13 days. It was pretty stinky as she was in cloth nappies and though we were tucking them down, it was still too humid. I mentioned to the Health Visitor when i was transferred to her on day 10 and she said to try a hairdryer on cold held away but directed underneath where the wet stinky area was. This worked really well, it fell off a few days later, after 3 goes with the hairdryer and lots of "belly-out" time with her vest rolled up and sleepsuit unpopped round that area...

Hana

[BellyBelly]

I've noticed where the cord is left to pulsate before clamping, the stump falls off much quicker and there are less problems with them, I guess because there is less blood and moisture, so dries quicker - it's actually a clear stump - just the actual cord part.

[Fi]

Jenna's cord was cut straight away, and Hamish' was cut after it finished pulsing. They both fell off after about 4d, and they both bled a little with nappy changes and clothes rubbing for about 4-7d afterwards.
I was told just to keep it clean and dry. It went pretty red around the edges, but I really just ignored it and it went away all by itself

[2CheekyMonkeys]

it took DD just over 3 weeks to fall off. we were told to keep it dry so had to fold back the top of the disposable nappy to let it air.

[MrsBump]

I think it was about 7 days with DS. I didnt clean it with anything special and made sure i dried around it well after bathtime..