Dear Lisa
My two week old baby’s umbilical cord came off today. I noted some streaks of blood. Is this normal? Could it be infected?
“Worried about my baby's belly button ” in N.J.
Dear “Worried about my baby's belly button”,
A newborn baby’s umbilical cord usually falls off between 2 to 3 weeks of life. When it initially falls off it is normal to have a few streaks of blood. It would not be normal if there was continuous oozing of blood because blood should clot within a few minutes. If this was the case, then you would need to see your doctor right away.
The signs that a baby has “omphalitis” or an infection of the umbilical cord (belly button) include; foul smelling discharge, redness of the skin around umbilicus (belly button), fever, problems feeding or irritability. If your child has any of these symptoms it would be wise to bring him in to your health care provider for an evaluation.
Lisa Kelly, R.N., P.N.P., C.
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Advice for Parents Updated Daily
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