Do I need to remove the crust from the umbilical wound. When to sound the alarm? How to handle the navel after the clothespin falls off

The appearance of a baby is a great happiness and a very long-awaited event for every family. Especially this event is waiting for a young mother. Still, now it will be much easier to walk, you won’t have to get up every hour to go to the bathroom, and, most importantly, now you can hug your baby and feel how he pushes outside.

However, not everything is so simple, especially if this is the first baby in the family. A young mother simply cannot be ready for everything. It is quite logical that she has many questions about caring for a new family member, which scares her a lot, and some aspects are simply incomprehensible to her. We will not get ahead of ourselves and consider situations with the appearance of the first teeth, when the fontanel overgrows or ways to fight and localize terrible colic. Let's talk about what worries every mother after discharge from the hospital. What to do with the clothespin on the baby's navel, how soon it can be removed, how to remove it, whether it is necessary to remove it at all, and how to care for and process the navel.

What is the umbilical cord

We all know perfectly well that the umbilical cord is a kind of "lifeline" from mother to unborn baby. It is through her that the child receives useful substances and vitamins, through her she feeds all 9 months, which is in the womb. After birth, such a “road of life” is no longer needed by the child, that is, the need for the umbilical cord disappears. The mother passes blood through the umbilical cord to the child, which will now circulate through the small body, and after the pulsation stops, it is cut. Before cutting it off, the obstetrician pinches it with a special clothespin, and only then cuts it off. About 2 centimeters of the umbilical cord remains with the newborn, which disappears after complete healing. While the mother and child are in the maternity hospital, perinatal center or clinic, specially trained personnel take care of the umbilical cord of the baby, and after a happy discharge and return home, all responsibility for life little man and caring for him falls entirely on the fragile shoulders of the mother.

Since a newborn baby is a small creature and very, very fragile, it needs especially careful care. Any wound is an open gate for infection, because he still has no immunity at all, and the consequences can be very, very sad.

First of all, a newly-made mommy needs to remember a few very simple but important points:



Undoubtedly, every mother wants the best for her child, which is why it is worth seeking help only from a certified specialist, in our case, a pediatrician.

Clothespin on the navel of a newborn

Many mothers will not even see this clothespin, for the simple reason that even in the maternity hospital there is no need for it, and the baby is allowed to go home without it. This happens when a mother with a baby is in the hospital for more than 5-7 days. If everything is fine and the mother with a new family member was discharged earlier, then you need to learn how to properly handle the navel with a clothespin. Otherwise, an infection can get into the wound, and it will not end in anything good.

First of all, in the home first aid kit should appear (in case they are not there): hydrogen peroxide 3%, a solution of seventy percent alcohol, manganese, the most common brilliant green. In addition, a pipette, cotton pads and sticks, always sterile, napkins, both dry and wet, should certainly appear in the first-aid kit.

Also, try to get diapers with a notch for a navel punk or for a clothespin. For a baby, the contact of an unhealed navel with the fabric of panties or a diaper will be very painful.

Step by step

The processing of the navel with and without a clothespin has practically no differences. Let's take a closer look at what and how to do.

Firstly, upon arrival home, you do not need to first unfold the baby and process the navel. It is better to do this immediately before feeding, then the child will hardly feel any discomfort.

Video - how best to handle the navel of a newborn? Doctor Komarovsky's advice

Second, take your time and don't worry. Now the safety of the baby is completely in your hands. Remember that you are everything for the child: his support, protection, support, authority and the dearest and most beloved person, so you simply have to take care of him.

  • The first couple of days after discharge, hydrogen peroxide 3% should be used for treatment.
  • Using a pipette, apply a few drops of peroxide to the wound.
  • Carefully remove the clothespin and process the umbilical cord under it. Make sure that peroxide gets on every millimeter of skin.
  • Now treat the clothespin itself with peroxide, do it very carefully so that there are no bacteria left anywhere.
  • Wipe the clothespin with a cotton pad and treat with 70% alcohol. It will be additional guarantee to keep bacteria out of an open wound.
  • Peroxide will stop bloody issues and dry, which will significantly speed up the healing process.
  • Blot the rest of the peroxide with a cotton pad. No need to press, it will cause discomfort to the child.

  • Now moisten a cotton swab with the most common brilliant green and lubricate the wound, including the place where the clothespin will be, it is not worth painting half of the baby's tummy with an alcohol solution of brilliant green.
  • Put the clothespin back on.

Until the umbilical cord falls off, do not swaddle the baby tightly. Also, try to ensure that during bathing and washing, water does not get on the navel with a clothespin, otherwise the wound will heal much longer. Alcohol, brilliant green and peroxide dry the skin, speeding up this process, while water, on the contrary, tightens it. If you are worried that water will inadvertently get in, you can temporarily refuse to bathe and use wet wipes. Just wipe the baby thoroughly, make sure that all the folds are clean. For braver mothers who nevertheless decided to bathe, it would not be superfluous to purchase chamomile and bathe the child in chamomile broth, you can find out the exact dosage by reading the instructions on the pack.

Do not forget that immediately after discharge from the hospital, you should be visited by a nurse from the clinic. She will examine the baby and tell you for sure what condition the navel is in and how best to take care of it.

Care after the clothespin has fallen off

A few days later, subject to proper care, the clothespin should fall off. If this suddenly did not happen, in no case should you tear it off yourself! You can only make things worse. For all babies, the period of time after which the clothespin disappears is individual. Someone has 3 days, and someone has a month, so it’s not worth sounding the alarm ahead of time. If you're really worried, then bend over and sniff the clothespin. In the absence of an unpleasant odor, there is nothing to worry about. If there is a smell, then it is better to call a doctor, he will conduct an examination and explain the reason for its appearance, in addition, he will give valuable and useful advice for further care.


If everything is in perfect order and the clothespin has fallen off by itself, then a small umbilical wound remains on the navel, which also needs to be looked after until it heals. As a rule, it is about 11-29 days. Like a navel with a clothespin, the wound after the clothespin falls off should be washed twice a day. In the morning, before you feed, and in the evening, after you bathe.

You need to bathe in water with a decoction of chamomile, as mentioned above. If you do not like chamomile, then you can add a weak solution of manganese to the water.

Step by step, what and how to do:

  • Carefully spread the edges of the wound and drip peroxide there. It should foam - this is absolutely normal, even good.
  • Blot the remaining peroxide with a cotton pad or Q-tip. You don't have to press hard, it's too much. You can remove the crusts, if they fall off on their own, there is no need to tear anything off.
  • Moisten a cotton swab with green. Just as carefully, holding the wound open, lubricate abundantly with brilliant green.
  • Instead of brilliant green, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate, it dries stronger than brilliant green. During this treatment, make sure that the manganese solution does not get on the skin located around umbilical wound- this can lead to severe peeling.

Video - how to properly treat an umbilical wound

It is worth alerting if 14 or more days have passed, and the wound has not dried up, discharge continues, there is an unpleasant odor, pus, redness, and the skin around the navel is swollen. You should immediately consult a doctor, he will help relieve inflammation. And with proper further care, everything will heal very quickly.

A couple of words in conclusion

Being a mother is a great joy and no less great responsibility at the same time. Remember that the health of your little one depends primarily on you. Do not be afraid to ask and learn the smallest details from the doctor, because the fate of your crumbs depends on your vigilance.

After childbirth, one of the most relevant questions is how to handle the navel of a newborn and how to do it right? After discharge from the hospital, the treatment of the umbilical wound falls entirely on the shoulders of the parents. Treatment of the navel in a newborn at home is carried out regularly until the process of the appearance of any discharge and the formation of crusts completely stops. As a rule, this period is 2-3 weeks.

To date, the choice of preparations for the hygiene of the navel in a newborn is quite diverse and is not limited to the solution of greenery familiar to many generations. The pharmaceutical industry does not stand still.

After the birth of a child, the umbilical cord that connects him to his mother for a long 9 months is cut.

As a result of this procedure, only a small segment remains from the umbilical cord, the length of which is a couple of centimeters. In most maternity hospitals, a method is practiced in which a special clip (clothespin) is fixed on the umbilical residue. It is customary to treat the navel of a newborn with a clothespin using 2 drugs - hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate. For these purposes, a 3% peroxide solution and a 2-5% potassium permanganate solution are used. With hydrogen peroxide, everything is very simple - the desired solution can be bought at the pharmacy without any problems. But a solution of potassium permanganate, most likely, will have to be prepared independently. As a result of simple manipulations, a solution of a pleasant pale pink color will be obtained. Before use, it is better to strain it through cheesecloth to prevent the ingress of undissolved crystals.

Umbilical wound care with hydrogen peroxide solution

In order to treat the navel using this tool, it is better to use an ordinary pipette, which, without any extra effort, you can drop a peroxide solution directly onto the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe umbilical wound.

Next, wait a couple of minutes for the crust to soften. Then, using clean cotton swabs, pieces of the crust are removed. The skin dries up. At the end of the process, a solution of brilliant green is applied to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe umbilical wound.

It should be noted that recently pediatricians are increasingly urging parents to stop using brilliant green, because it greatly dries out the skin of a newborn and, in addition, can create a kind of film that interferes with the healing process of the baby's navel.

Using a chlorophyllipt solution

Often for holding hygiene procedures for the care of the baby's navel at home, a 1% alcohol solution of chlorophyllipt is used. In favor of this drug, you can increasingly hear positive reviews.

Chlorophyllipt is a preparation of natural (natural) origin, which is obtained from eucalyptus known for its healing qualities. It will perfectly cope not only with infections, but also will not cause discomfort for a child, will not dry out his delicate skin.

In addition, the drug leaves no traces (chlorophyllipt solution is transparent), which makes it easier to monitor the wound healing process.

It is very important that the baby's navel is kept clean, the processing procedures must be regular! Air baths contribute to the speedy healing of the navel in a newborn, but sealing the wound with adhesive tape, removing crusts without softening can lead to the onset of an inflammatory process.

In addition, it should be noted that the use of a diaper with an unhealed umbilical wound can lead to injury and, as a result, longer healing. However, the modern industry for the production of baby diapers does not stand still, and today on store shelves you can find models that have special cutouts for the navel. In addition, even when using a regular diaper, you can simply bend its edges in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe umbilical wound, thereby ensuring free access of oxygen to it.

Very important is the question of how to handle the navel in a newborn is not worth it in any case?

Of course, iodine cannot be used for processing! This remedy can burn the baby's delicate skin.

In what cases is it recommended to use Baneocin for the care of an umbilical wound?

First of all, it should be noted that Baneocin is an antibiotic, and its use is justified only in the event of an inflammatory process.

Baneocin is produced by a large Austrian concern. The company produces the drug in 2 types - in the form of an ointment and in the form of a powder. The active substances of Baneocin are neomycin and bacitracin, it is they who fight microorganisms that are dangerous to the health of the baby. The use of Baneocin will really help to cope with the inflammatory processes of the skin. Initially, the wound is treated with peroxide and dried, and then sprinkled with Baneocin powder or smeared with its analogue in the form of an ointment.

You should definitely seek help from a polyclinic employee (nurse, district pediatrician) in cases where:

  1. The healing process of the umbilical wound of the newborn was very long and lasts more than 3 weeks.
  2. There is severe bleeding of the wound, which does not stop even after treatment with a solution of hydrogen peroxide.
  3. The baby's navel and/or skin around it is red.
  4. Pus with a characteristic unpleasant odor is released from the umbilical wound.
  5. The navel of a newborn protrudes (in this case may be an umbilical hernia).

To stop the inflammatory process, it is necessary to use Baneocin at least 2 times a day, but if the navel continues to fester, then treatment with the drug can be increased up to 5 times.

The first days of a baby's life are an amazing and very responsible period for inexperienced parents. The first question they have is how to handle the navel of a newborn? It's not at all as scary as it seems. It is only necessary to choose the right solution, follow a certain technique of manipulation and take into account the regularity of the procedures.

The first time in the hospital, a special clamp is applied to the remainder of the umbilical cord

Care of the navel of the baby in the maternity hospital

Immediately after childbirth, the rules of hygienic care for the child come into force, one of the mandatory stages of which is the treatment of the navel. The length of the umbilical residue at this point does not exceed two centimeters. Processing the navel in the maternity hospital can be done in different ways.

  1. public method. A metal or plastic clip is applied to the umbilical residue, the bandage is not used in this case. Until the discharge of the newborn, the remainder is treated daily with hydrogen peroxide and a solution of potassium permanganate. After no more than five days, the excess skin falls off, leaving behind a small wound.
  2. On the second day after birth, the remainder of the umbilical cord is cut off with surgical scissors or a scalpel, followed by the application of a sterile pressure bandage. After two hours, it is weakened and removed after a day. The resulting wound is treated daily with hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate. Over time, the wound heals with the formation of a crust, which quickly disappears.

Depending on the type of treatment that the navel has undergone in the hospital, follow-up care is carried out at home.


After the crusts soften under the action of peroxide, you can carefully remove them with a cotton swab.

What is the best way to treat the umbilical wound of a newborn?

Among the most popular means used to treat the navel of a newborn, experts distinguish traditional preparations and novelties. They must be used correctly and for their intended purpose, otherwise a burn or sores may appear.

The traditional ones include:

  • 3% or alcoholic hydrogen peroxide solution. The first is instilled into the umbilical fossa, the second is moistened with a cotton swab, which is used to treat the umbilical ring.
  • 2-5% potassium permanganate solution. It is a drying and disinfecting drug. Before treating the navel with the resulting pink liquid, it is necessary to pass it through several layers of gauze, which will retain undissolved crystals.

Of the novelties, one can distinguish 1% chlorophyllipt solution. This is a unique preparation of natural origin based on extracts from eucalyptus. The drug actively fights streptococcal infection, acting gently and without causing pain.

Not so long ago, it was customary to treat the umbilical wound of a newborn with brilliant green. Today, experts recommend abandoning this option, because it causes the appearance of a thin film on the skin that prevents the navel from healing quickly.


Treatment of the umbilical wound can be carried out using various special tools.

How to properly handle the navel of a newborn at home?

Complete wound healing takes about three weeks. Within 1-1.5 weeks, parents should treat the navel after daily bathing of the newborn. The technique of manipulation will be explained by the nurses in the maternity hospital or the patronage nurse.

To properly treat the wound, it is necessary to prepare a 3% hydrogen peroxide, a solution of potassium permanganate or chlorophyllipt, cotton swabs and swabs, a pipette.

  1. Before treating the navel of a newborn, the baby must be bathed. Sometimes herbal decoctions are added to the bath, which also accelerates the healing of the umbilical wound.
  2. After bathing a newborn, a few drops of hydrogen peroxide are dripped onto his navel.
  3. You need to wait a few minutes, then the crust will soften.
  4. The skin area around the navel is carefully moved apart, softened pieces of the crust are removed with the help of cotton swabs or discs, the skin is dried.
  5. The navel is smeared with chlorophyllipt or potassium permanganate.

At first, the first stage will be accompanied by peroxide foaming, after a while this will pass. Such a reaction will indicate that the navel has healed.


If the umbilical wound has already healed, it makes no sense to continue the procedures for its treatment.

How many times a day and for how long should the navel of a newborn be treated?

In the normal course of the recovery process, a daily one-time care for the umbilical wound is sufficient. When droplets of blood appear, it is necessary to treat the skin more often - up to three times a day.

If after three weeks the wound has not healed, despite the fact that the care was carried out correctly and regularly, you should consult a doctor. With the appearance of swelling around the navel, purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor, redness of the skin and anxiety of the newborn, it is also necessary to urgently seek help from specialists.

Sometimes there is increased bleeding of the wound, most often it is associated with the discharge of a very large crust. In this case, you can use a special hemostatic sponge.

The main thing that inexperienced parents should remember is that they should not be shy about seeking help or advice from doctors. The first days of a baby's life are one of the most exciting periods, and it is necessary that only positive memories of this time remain.

The umbilical cord plays the role of intrauterine communication between the baby and mother. When a child is born, this connection is broken, as the organs of the newborn can already function independently. long part the navel is cut off, and the remaining small process is pinched with a clothespin until it dries and falls off. After that, the child will have a normal-looking navel. In order for the unnecessary part of the umbilical tube to dry out and fall off, parents should treat it with special solutions. How to treat the navel of a newborn? Consider a few valid options. Do I need to treat the navel in a newborn?

Pediatricians claim that due to the timely cauterization of the navel of a newborn, it is possible to prevent problems associated with the child's health. Complications arising in the process of healing the umbilical wound threaten with unpleasant consequences. Therefore, if parents notice poor regeneration of the tissues of the umbilical ring, and even more so the accumulation of pus in the navel area, then you should immediately consult a doctor.

The process of processing the navel of newborns lasts until the ichor ceases to stand out from the umbilical wound and the crust falls off. Improper care at home can lead to infection of the skin of a newborn, because poorly healing tissue can become a breeding ground for fungi and pathogenic bacteria. These microbes easily enter the fragile children's body. Therefore, it is extremely important for parents to know how to care for the navel of a newborn.

What is the best way to treat the navel of a newborn?

Many mothers are concerned about the question: how to smear the navel of a newborn? The range of products for the care of the umbilical wound is large and contains not only traditional drugs, but also new developments of pharmacists. The most common means are potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide and an alcohol solution. New products include chlorphyllipt solution. Any remedy should be used strictly for its intended purpose, otherwise wounds or burns may form on the skin of the newborn. They should be applied very carefully, using soft cotton pads and sticks.

How to treat the navel with baneocin?

One of the options for treating the navel in newborns will be disinfection with the antibiotic baneocin. It is produced by an Austrian pharmaceutical company in the consistency of powder and ointment. The substance contains bacitracin and neomycin, which effectively fight microorganisms living on the surfaces of umbilical wounds. This helps to heal, as well as relieve inflammation on the skin of the newborn.

To treat the umbilical wound, it is sprinkled with powder twice a day, after the baby's skin is wiped with 3% hydrogen peroxide and blotted with a cotton swab. If the umbilical wound is festering or an ichor is secreted from it, then treatment with baneocin is carried out 4-5 times per day. Parents don't have to worry harmful effects drug, it is harmless to the skin of a newborn during a weekly course of treatment.

Chlorophylliptom

This natural preparation contains extract from eucalyptus. Chlorophyllipt is effective in fighting infections, gently acts on the skin of a child, without provoking pain. His valuable quality it is believed that the solution does not dry out the baby's skin. How to treat the navel of a newborn with chlorophyllipt? A small part of 1% of the medicine is drawn into a pipette and dripped directly into the baby's umbilical fossa (this should be done after bathing). After that, the solution is rubbed over the skin with a cotton swab.

Potassium permanganate

How to treat the navel of a newborn with potassium permanganate? For the treatment of the umbilical ring, a 2-5% solution of potassium permanganate is used. The diluted solution of a saturated pink color must be filtered through gauze folded several times. So undissolved crystals will remain on the material and will not get on the sensitive skin of the newborn. The finished solution of potassium permanganate is stored for no longer than ten days.

hydrogen peroxide

A three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide is instilled into the umbilical cavity with a pipette. After that, the navel is carefully treated with a cotton swab dipped in an alcohol solution. Previously, mothers actively treated the skin of babies with brilliant green. However, modern experts do not advise using brilliant green, because it forms an unnecessary thin film on the skin of a newborn, which interferes with the rapid healing process of the wound.

Navel processing technique

The first disinfecting procedures for the baby are done in the maternity hospital, but they should continue to be done at home. Until the umbilical wound heals, it must be treated. It is advisable to do this twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. To treat the navel of a newborn, parents should have:

  • Cotton swabs and sticks.
  • Potassium permanganate (chlorophyllipt).
  • Hydrogen peroxide.
  • Pipette.
  • Boiled water at room temperature.

When all of the above is ready, it is worth starting processing. For this:

  1. Wash your hands with soap.
  2. Soak a cotton swab (or cotton pad) in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and apply to the umbilical wound. An alternative option would be to process the navel with a pipette: draw a little peroxide into it and drop a few drops of the solution into the hole.
  3. Rinse off excess peroxide with a cotton pad soaked in boiled water.
  4. Treat the wound of the newborn with potassium permanganate or chlorophyllipt (use a cotton swab). Lubricate only the navel, avoiding the area around it, as the solution may cause irritation and redness of the skin.
  5. You can put a diaper on your baby. Make sure that the place where the navel is located is open (for this it is worth tucking the belt).

Tip: The umbilical wound must be treated very carefully - do not press on or rub it. You should not try to remove all the crusts with a cotton swab in one day, this process should take place naturally. The navel needs to "breathe" so it heals faster, so do not stick it with a band-aid or cover it with diapers.

How many times a day and for how long should the navel be treated?

With normal healing of the umbilical wound, you can treat it 1 time per day. If droplets of ichor or pus appear on the navel, increase the number of procedures to 2-3 per day. The skin of the baby with proper care should recover in three weeks. If this does not happen, see a doctor. The reason for a visit to the pediatrician will be swelling around the wound, redness of the skin, restless behavior of the child. Parents sometimes observe increased bleeding in the navel area, often this is due to the detachment of a very large crust. Then apply a special hemostatic sponge.

Inexperienced parents should not hesitate to seek advice or help from a doctor. The first days of a baby's life are the most exciting period, the anxiety of fathers and mothers is fully justified. It is important to carefully monitor the condition of the umbilical wound and properly process it. Watch for secretions: if an ordinary ichor is released from the wound, do not worry, but when pus is released and the skin is inflamed, consult a doctor immediately. Such symptoms are dangerous because they may indicate the development of an umbilical fistula.

After discharge from the hospital, it is important for a young mother to know how to properly care for a newborn. Many women are lost and do not know what to do. The most common question they ask doctors is how to treat a newborn's navel.

The fact is that after the birth, to which the mother and child were connected, it turns out to be not needed, and it is cut, leaving a piece 2 centimeters long. A clamp is applied to prevent bleeding. After some time, usually 4-5 days, this umbilical cord dries up and falls off. But the wound will heal for several more weeks. Every mother should know how to handle it after the newborn's navel has fallen off.

Like any wound, this place will get wet, sometimes bleed. Crusts form on it, under which an infection can develop. Therefore, the daily treatment of the navel of a newborn is very important. If mom follows some rules, healing will be faster.

How much to process the navel of a newborn?

This is done 1-2 times. Usually in the morning during hygiene procedures and in the evening after bathing. This makes it easier to remove the crusts that soak in the water. If the wound bleeds, you can treat it again. But it is not recommended to do this very often. IN last years a new technique has appeared - do not touch the navel and let it heal on its own. But in this case, the mother needs to monitor the wound very carefully to prevent infection.

What is needed for processing?

For this process you will need:

  • cotton swabs or swabs;
  • pipette or syringe without a needle;
  • antiseptic.

Usually the navel is treated with brilliant green, but you can use a solution of chlorphilipt for this. It allows you to notice signs of inflammation in time, as it is colorless.

How to treat the navel of a newborn?

  1. Gently spread the skin with two fingers, opening the umbilical opening.
  2. Put some hydrogen peroxide in there. She will start to foam. Wait a bit for the crusts to soften.
  3. Carefully remove foam and soaked crusts with cotton swabs. Do not under any circumstances rip them off.
  4. Drop an antiseptic solution into the dried wound. Try not to get on the skin around the navel. Do not lubricate the baby's belly with brilliant green, otherwise you may not notice signs of incipient inflammation.

What rules must be followed so that the navel heals faster:

  • bathe the baby at this time only in boiled water, you can add a little solution of potassium permanganate or a decoction of herbs to it;
  • try to always keep the wound dry: change the baby's diapers on time and prevent urine from getting on the wound, and even better, give the child air baths more often;
  • all things that come into contact with the tummy of a newborn should be made of natural materials, cleanly washed and ironed;
  • you can not glue the navel with a band-aid;
  • try to keep the edge of the diaper from touching the wound, for this use special diapers with a hole for the navel or tuck the top edge.
In what cases should you see a doctor?