What should the nurse recommend to a new mother when teaching her about the care of the umbilical cord?

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-According to the Apgar scoring system, the newborn receives 2 points for heart rate, 0 for color, 1 for respiratory effort, 1 for muscle tone, and 1 for reflex irritability. An Apgar score of 3 is low. Scores of 5 and 6 are higher, but the newborn may still require stimulation and oxygen.
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What Should You Know About Your Baby's Umbilical Cord?

A clamp is placed on the umbilical cord before it is cut. The clamp can be removed when the cord has dried, usually before your baby leaves the hospital.

The cord begins to dry and shrink. The color changes from pale to dark brown and it may look like a scab. The cord falls off by itself in about two to three weeks.

Because the umbilical cord may be a place for infection to enter your baby's body, it is important to care for it properly.

Umbilical Cord Care

  • When the umbilical cord becomes wet with urine, gently clean the base of the umbilical cord with mild soap and warm water. Rinse the area and pat it dry.
  • Keep the belly button area dry. You may need to fold the top of the diaper down.
  • Change your baby’s diaper frequently, with every feeding. A wet diaper on the cord keeps the cord from drying and increases the risk of infection.
  • Do not bathe your baby in a tub or sink until the cord falls off. You may give your baby a sponge bath until then.
  • When the cord falls off, you might notice a small pink area in the bottom of the belly button. This is expected, and normal skin will grow over it.
  • Do not pull the cord off yourself, even if it is hanging on just by a thread.

Call Your Child's Doctor If:

Call your baby’s doctor for the following signs of an infection in the belly button:

  • Redness
  • Warmer than the skin around it
  • Tender to the touch
  • Drainage or bad odor

Last Updated 05/2022

Reviewed By Kelli Harding, RN

What should the nurse recommend to a new mother when teaching her about the care of the umbilical cord?

Cincinnati Children’s has primary care services at locations throughout Greater Cincinnati.

Which instructions would the nurse give to a new mother regarding umbilical cord care?

Select all that apply. Which instructions would the nurse give to a new mother regarding umbilical cord care? "Apply alcohol on the cord stump daily to keep it dry until it falls off."

What do you teach the parents regarding cord care?

Home care.
Keep the cord clean and dry..
Keep the cord exposed to air. ... .
Don't dress your baby in clothing that is tight across the cord..
Don't put your baby in bathwater until the cord has fallen off and the area where the cord was attached is dry and healing. ... .
Don't try to remove the cord..

How do you counsel a mother on caring for the umbilical cord of her new baby?

Expose the stump to air whenever possible; if it's warm, dress your baby in a nappy and T-shirt to improve air circulation around the stump. Fold the top of your baby's nappy down in the front so that it doesn't rub against her stump, and so that it's exposed to air and not urine.

How do you care for a newborn's umbilical cord?

Taking care of the stump.
Keep the stump dry. Parents were once instructed to swab the stump with rubbing alcohol after every diaper change. ... .
Stick with sponge baths. While there's no harm in getting the stump wet, sponge baths might make it easier to keep the stump dry..
Let the stump fall off on its own..