The period of healing of the navel in a newborn. The degree of healing of the umbilical wound in infants. The healing process of the navel

During pregnancy, the baby is in the womb and is connected to the mother by the umbilical cord.

Through it, the child receives the substances necessary for his growth and development.

Three blood vessels unite in the umbilical cord: a vein, through which blood flows, enriched with oxygen and nutrients, and two arteries, through which blood returns from the fetus back to the mother.

cutting the umbilical cord

When a baby is born into the world, the direct connection with the mother's body is interrupted. The newborn can now independently eat, breathe, remove processed products from the body. Now he is growing, changing and developing as an independent and unique personality.

The cut section of the umbilical cord in a child is tied up or clamped with a special plastic clip. After that, the doctor treats the navel with disinfectants, and in the future, this procedure is already done independently by the mother of the baby.

Approximately 5–15 days after birth, the remnant of the umbilical cord of the newborn, together with the clamp, turns into inanimate dry tissue and disappears, and an umbilical wound forms in this place. Previously, mothers were discharged from the maternity hospital only after this, but according to new WHO recommendations, now babies are sent home with a stump of the umbilical cord that has not yet fallen off.

Caring for the navel of a baby with a stump that has not fallen off

Immediately after discharge from the hospital, young parents have many questions: how to care for the umbilical wound, what needs to be done to heal it, and what cannot be done.

Try to get air into your baby's tummy - this will best remedy to dry the umbilical cord. Daily 5-6-minute air baths will be very useful. In no case should the diaper come into contact with the umbilical cord area - you can hold the diaper below the navel, bend the edge of the diaper or use special disposable diapers with a slot.

The stump should fall off naturally, no need to help her with this. Previously, pediatricians advised treating the navel with liquids containing alcohol in their composition, or brilliant green. But recent medical research in this area has shown that there is no need for such procedures. The drying process can be accelerated only by increasing the duration of direct exposure to air on the wound.

Caring for the navel after falling off the stump

After the umbilical cord falls off, the umbilical wound must be dried immediately. Leave the baby for a few minutes with an open tummy, as you are already accustomed to doing.

If the navel is clean and dry, then no special treatment is required after that. Avoid getting feces or urine on the umbilical cord, be sure to rinse with clean running water and dry with a soft towel. The umbilical wound should always be clean and dry.

When is special care needed?

There are cases when transparent bloody or yellowish crusts can form in the navel for several more days. In this case, your doctor may recommend that you carefully remove them from the wound so that a favorable environment for the reproduction of microbes is not created.

You can do this with hydrogen peroxide. Take a little liquid in a pipette and drop it on the formed crusts, and then blot with a piece of cotton wool or gauze. You can repeat the procedure several times until the crusts are easily separated and the wound is completely cleared.

With a gentle movement, using a cotton swab and hydrogen peroxide, remove them and treat the navel with green. Re-treatment with greenery, most likely, you will not need.

To bathe or not to bathe the baby?

Experts are of the opinion that as long as the remnants of the umbilical cord still remain in the newborn, it is better not to bathe him in a baby bath, since immersion in water will slow down the drying process of the umbilical cord.

During this period, it is quite possible to limit yourself to washing the arms, legs, chest and other individual parts of the baby's body with water or wiping them with a damp soft sponge. Go to full-fledged "water procedures" only after the final healing umbilical wound.

Causes of bleeding from the umbilical wound

There are some cases when the umbilical cord wound does not heal and bleeds. There may be several reasons for this:

• You could accidentally hit her with a diaper or diaper;
• This could happen if the baby cried for a long time and strained his tummy;
• If the umbilical cord is too thick, it will heal more slowly and bleed intermittently;
• The cause of umbilical bleeding may be too early laying out the baby on the tummy;
• If you treat the umbilical wound incorrectly and injure it.

What to do if the navel bleeds?

The first ambulance in this case will be the already familiar procedure for treating you with hydrogen peroxide, and then with green paint.

But there are points that you should definitely alert:

• If the wound does not stop bleeding within 5-7 minutes after treatment;
• If this does not happen to the baby for the first time;
• If you notice purulent discharge with or without an unpleasant odor;
• If there is swelling or redness around the umbilical wound;
• If the navel does not heal for a very long time (more than 1 month);
• If during the crying of the child the swelling protrudes and becomes larger;
• If around the umbilical region there is an increase in the body temperature of the baby;
• If an unpleasant smell comes from the navel or it continues to get wet for 2-3 weeks.

In all these cases, you will need a mandatory consultation with a specialist - a pediatrician.

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How and how much the navel heals in a newborn, how to care for a wound - these questions are asked by parents to pediatricians when a baby is born and discharged from the hospital. To get rid of fears, to avoid the risk of developing pathologies, you need to know about care and the reasons why it can take longer to heal.

What's Happening at the Nursing Home

At the birth of a child, the umbilical cord is cut off, and closer to the tummy is clamped with a clothespin. Even in the maternity hospital, the doctor acquaints the woman in labor with the rules for caring for the wound: he himself processes the wound, thereby arming the mother with the necessary information, showing and explaining how long the navel of the newborn will heal.

In the next 4-10 days, the tail with the clothespin should fall off at the place of pinching. Sometimes this takes more time. It remains an open wound, which requires further careful care.

After the umbilical cord falls off, the wound must be dried immediately. An ordinary air bath will help. If the belly button is clean and dry, no treatment is required.

If the clothespin dries up and heals, but does not fall off for more than 10 days, increase the number of air baths throughout the day, they will speed up the drying of the wound.

3 stages of healing

The umbilical cord is scarred in stages. To get acquainted with how the navel heals in a newborn and not to panic in vain will help knowledge about the stages of healing of the navel in a newborn:

Clothespin is sterile and made of safe material

1
During the first 5-10 days, the umbilical cord is a knot or tail, pinched with a clothespin. During this period, it dries up and falls off on its own.
2
The first 3 weeks the wound may bleed slightly, but this should not frighten the parents. An umbilical wound, like any other, takes time to heal.
3
During the period of life from 3 to 4 weeks, the umbilical cord of the baby is completely scarred.

Newborn care at home

When the clothespin falls off, newly-made mothers are interested: when does the umbilical wound heal? With proper hygiene, umbilical wound heals quickly - after 3-4 weeks not a trace will be left.

It is important to observe hygiene standards and ensure proper hygiene, since there is a risk of infection in the wound, and this will lead to complications during healing.

Wound treatment: what and how to treat

The following medications can help prevent infection:

1. Hydrogen peroxide. A 3% solution will get rid of the ichor and accelerate healing.
2. Chlorhexidine- antiseptic, odorless and colorless, safe to use.
3. Zelenka- an excellent disinfectant if used in small quantities. Using a large amount of the drug can cause a burn. In addition, if redness appears on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin treated with Zelenka, it will not be possible to see it due to the bright color of this drug.
4. Potassium permanganate. Solution of weak concentration - good remedy in the fight against infection and bacteria, but crystals should not be allowed to get on the delicate skin of the baby around the navel.

Air baths

The ability to “breathe” the umbilical cord will help it dry and tighten much faster., do not fester. The duration of the air baths directly determines how long the navel heals in a newborn.

Air baths after bathing are very important. It is also good to do them between yourself or a diaper change.

The diaper should not come into contact with the umbilical cord, rub, block air. To do this, you can use special diapers with a slit for the navel.

In the absence of such diapers, the notch can be cut out yourself or simply tuck the edge.

Which diapers are best for newborns, read this.

Liseycheva E.A., pediatrician, City Hospital No. 2, Samara

Sometimes the navel looks like a tall stump. Do not think that this is a pathology or that it was poorly tied up by obstetricians. This is a skin tubercle, so the child got it.

Over time, its appearance will improve, the resulting fat on the abdomen will allow it to smooth out and a beautiful dimple will form in this place.

How to determine the condition and why healing is delayed

You can understand that the umbilical cord has healed by the following signs:

• skin color does not differ from the skin;
• no purulent discharge;
• body temperature is normal.

There are cases when the navel in newborns heals badly:

• purulent discharge or an unpleasant odor is formed;
• does not stop bleeding;
• redness around the navel, swelling;
• body temperature rises;
• the umbilical cord gets wet for a long time.

This is an example of poor healing when it is worth contacting a pediatrician.
Problems with the umbilical wound occur quite often. The reasons for this can be not only improper care, but also:
1
Granuloma. The reason is fast growth tissues and capillaries. Therefore, the vessels get mixed up, as a result of which the navel of the newborn does not heal well, the wound bleeds. The pediatrician will cope with the problem by cauterizing with a pencil with a silver rod that can kill germs.
2
Hernia. Parents are able to detect it on their own, since the umbilical ring in this case increases in size and looks like a bump. No worries. First you need to consult with your doctor. Often this can be done with a massage. Read about the reasons for the weakness of the umbilical ring.

Infection. Parents should be alerted by redness around the wound. The following symptoms can also confirm that the infection has entered the wound:

• touching the tummy causes pain in the child;
• the wound gets wet all the time;
• the wound is festering and smells bad.

4
Very large umbilical cord. This needs more time to heal.

Reztsova E.M., pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, Kirov State Medical Academy, Kirov

Do not be afraid when yellow or red discharge appears, as well as crusts on the navel. During processing, you need to carefully remove those crusts that have already exfoliated.

But if the navel has not yet fallen off, it is strictly forbidden to tear it off on your own.

5
Skin injury. Due to excessive care, mothers themselves injure the new skin and do not allow it to heal. Don't try to do anything on your own. Consult a doctor, as you will need special drugs to fight bacteria, and in case of complications, even surgery is possible.

6
Weakened immunity. This situation is common, especially when a baby is born prematurely. In this case Special attention it is necessary to pay attention to strengthening the immune system, as well as to be more attentive to the issues of wound treatment.

Hello dear readers! You know, when talking with young mothers, I increasingly see their worries about their babies. No, this is a completely normal process. But here the excitement is based on comparing their own children with the children of acquaintances. And the first concern for young parents is the question: how long does the navel heal in newborns?

Dear parents, of course, there are generally accepted limits. But remember that everyone's body is unique. I will talk in this article about the stages of healing and deviations, which sometimes do not entail consequences.

So, after giving birth, the umbilical cord connecting you and the baby of 9 months is cut off. But not completely, about 2 centimeters remain. A clothespin is attached here. More often, the discharge occurs without it. Although, there are exceptions. In general, from birth to complete healing takes about 4 weeks.

The term may be less. Well, I won’t torment anymore, it heals in stages:

The first step is to cut the umbilical cord. The stump remains.

Drying and falling off of the remainder of the umbilical cord. This happens after about 3-7 days. Sometimes the deadline is delayed up to 10 days. I even heard that the rest fell off after 2 weeks! And it was not a deviation! Can you imagine? It also happens. Why? I'll tell you later.

After falling off, a wound remains. And at the third stage, its healing takes place. How long? If all is well, this period lasts 15 to 25 days.

But sometimes there are deviations from these norms in a big way. It is considered that if the next stage exceeds the deadline by 3 days, this is acceptable. But if more, rather, we are talking about a deviation.

Causes of slow healing of the navel

Why is there a delay? There are several reasons for this. And not everyone is talking bad. I have put together the whole list for you. Here he is:

Too thick umbilical cord. It's simple physiological feature baby. More common in large children. Although, you can't guess. Remember, she said at the beginning that she read about a clothespin that fell off already on the 14th day? It was just a thick umbilical cord. The doctor came for an examination, touched the stump, and it fell off. Well, accordingly, the wound itself healed longer than usual.

Infection. Here are the first harbingers, pus, redness. But only a doctor can determine the infectious onset.

Bad care. Perhaps there is no infection, but the procedures that help to dry and heal the wound are not performed properly.

Weak immunity. Because of this, by the way, an infection can also develop. So take care, dear parents!

In general, there are several signs by which you can determine whether this is a deviation or a norm. So let's check our scores.

When to go to the hospital

It will be easier for any parent to consult a doctor when there has simply been a departure from the temporary norm. If it takes a long time. And I myself adhere to this policy. Better to be safe. But there are a number of signs when you should not hesitate to take your legs in your hands and run to the hospital!

Redness of the umbilical region.

Heat and swelling near the umbilicus.

Increase in body temperature of the newborn.

A fetid odor from the umbilical cord.

I would say just non-drying.

When . Note that we are not talking about two drops when the clothespin began to fall off. It's not scary. I'm talking about the bleeding procedure. Maybe not too much, but often.

Tell me, do you have any signs of your little one? I hope no. Based on this, I can draw a conclusion. If there are no such signs, and healing exceeds the expected time, then there is nothing terrible. Again, ask your pediatrician. Let him better confirm that the baby is all right, and you can breathe easy!

How to identify a healed belly button?

The first thing that comes to mind is the advice of our wise pediatrician: determine by peroxide. Yes, we treated our daughter's navel with peroxide, although many now say that it provokes wetting. If processed once or twice a day, it is unlikely that the wound got wet from peroxide.

In general, we return to our sheep. When you drip peroxide on an unhealed navel, a hiss is observed. This means that there is a wound. When there is no hissing during this procedure, it means that the navel has healed. Processing is no longer needed.

Sometimes a healed and beautiful navel is covered with a crust. Parents are afraid to rip it off. Yes, it's useless. First, you can try to soak it with the same peroxide after bathing. If it doesn't go away, wait. The time has not come. But under no circumstances should you force it. After soaking under the crust, mothers find a healed and healthy navel of their baby.

Ideally, this is a small scar that does not stick out, does not shine, does not smell. Its color does not differ from the color of the skin of the tummy. And if you see a protrusion, rather, it is an umbilical hernia. Be sure to show the child to the surgeon. But most likely he will direct you home. These hernias go away by the age of three. Perhaps earlier. The peculiarity of the crumbs, because he often cries.

Prevention measures

Here's what you should not do is to neglect the advice of a pediatrician. Spend every day. Once or twice if there are no problems. With some deviations, the number of treatments increases, depending on the cause. Well, so that these deviations do not occur, follow these rules:

Bathe only in boiled water, bye . You can add a little potassium permanganate, but only very little. She dries a lot. And see that the crystals are completely dissolved. Instead of potassium permanganate, I added a series of times a week.

Make sure that when bathing, the navel does not get wet. Especially if there is a clamp. When clamping, in general, you can wipe the crumbs with napkins. Without bathing.

When treating with peroxide, after hissing, blot everything dry. Only then smear with brilliant green or other antiseptic.

Don't wrap your child. Make sure that the diaper does not press on the wound.

Spread more often the baby without clothes. In the air, healing processes occur faster.

Tell me, how many days does your baby's navel heal? Were there any unpleasant symptoms? How does the doctor comment on this? Or maybe you're on schedule? Or even earlier? Then share the secret of how this was achieved! Leave comments and subscribe to blog updates. It will be interesting! Bye!

How long the navel heals in a newborn depends primarily on proper care. The individual characteristics of the body play a role, but if the navel does not heal for a long time or becomes inflamed, this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. How to take care of the first and such a serious wound so that the baby successfully survives the healing?

A child is born - the umbilical cord is cut - and now he already has a navel, like all people. On the way to the last point, time passes (about 2 weeks), when the wound must be constantly treated, ventilated and protected from infection.

Within 9 months, the whole life of the child is based on the umbilical cord. 3 large blood vessels pass through it, providing the exchange of substances between the fetus and the mother's body. It is logical that when cutting the umbilical cord, a rather serious wound remains, for which proper care is needed to heal.

How to do everything as efficiently as possible and not harm the child? How and when does the navel heal in newborns? What can be done to make this process easier for the baby?

Immediately after the baby is born, the umbilical cord is squeezed with a special clamp. The tummy around her and the base of her are treated with an antiseptic, then the umbilical cord is cut off with sterile scissors at a distance of about 2 cm. For the next few days, a knot-tail remains in this place, which will eventually dry out and fall off.

At the very first time, the healing of the navel in newborns does not require special efforts : it is enough to treat it with hydrogen peroxide or a weak solution of potassium permanganate once a day.

Under the action of antiseptics, the tissues above the clamp noticeably dry out, the tail of the umbilical cord darkens and wrinkles. The rest of the umbilical cord lasts an average of 4 to 10 days, and then falls off on its own - this usually serves as the determining period for discharge from the hospital.

When the clamped piece of the umbilical cord falls off, an open wound remains under it, which is a cause for concern and a reason for careful care. The first lessons in the treatment of the navel are usually given by the doctor before discharge: the area must be disinfected and kept dry to prevent infection.

Terms and stages of healing

The first stage of healing takes place in the hospital. There are exceptions when the umbilical cord does not fall off for more than 7 days, then a woman in labor with a baby can be discharged home.

If there is no inflammation, this situation is normal: how long the navel heals depends on individual characteristics and immunity.

The second stage lasts approximately 7-10 days and takes place already at home. At this time, the wound at the site of the navel needs careful care - then it will heal quickly and will not cause discomfort to the baby.

In total, healing takes 2-3 weeks.

Newborn care at home

Care includes not only antiseptic treatment, but also special rules for bathing, wearing clothes and other aspects of life. little man. Let's highlight the main points of care and possible problems.

How to treat a wound

How long the navel heals in a newborn directly depends on the correct and regular treatment of the wound with disinfectant compounds. It is important to remove the ichor from the damaged area and protect it from infection. When discharged from the maternity hospital, the following drugs should be waiting for a mother with a baby in the first-aid kit:

1. Hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) is needed to remove the dried crust from the ichor and speed up the healing process.
2. Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic composition for the treatment of open wounds.
3. Zelenka (1% solution) - disinfects the wound well and promotes tightening. But it requires a moderate dosage, as it dries the skin, and in very in large numbers can cause burns. In addition, redness is not visible under a layer of brilliant green, if they appear. It is necessary to apply brilliant green dotted, only on the wound itself, not on the skin around the navel.
4. Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate, sold in the form of crystals, the solution must be prepared independently) is a strong bactericidal agent.
   Use carefully: apply only to the wound so as not to burn sensitive skin, the concentration of the substance should be the weakest.

You will also need cotton wool and cotton buds, a sterile pipette, medical alcohol, adhesive plaster.

How to treat an umbilical wound

The optimal frequency for the treatment procedure is 1-2 times a day: after the morning toilet and evening bathing. Wash your hands before starting.

• Take peroxide into a pipette and drop it on the wound. Wait a few seconds until the dried crust gets wet.
• Carefully remove the remaining crust with a clean cotton swab. If it does not give in, again drip peroxide and wait. It is important not to rub with force so as not to injure the sore spot.
• Blot the wound dry with a piece of cotton.
• new cotton swab moisten in brilliant green and apply to the future navel. To do this, push the skin around with two fingers.
• If possible, leave the child undressed for a while so that the tummy "breathes".
• In the first days, before dressing, stick a patch, when the wound heals, it is no longer needed.

Bathing

Today, this approach is not considered acceptable, and I fully support it. Complete water procedures important for hygiene, normal physical development and development of the immune system. Bathe for sure! Just be careful and attentive, pour.

Bathing is a mandatory hygiene procedure. How the navel heals in a newborn not least depends on immunity and the general condition of the skin - both of which are associated with bathing.

You can (optionally) boil water for a newborn, add a few crystals of potassium permanganate to the bath to protect against accidental infection. It is undesirable to wet the rest of the umbilical cord and a fresh wound - there are special waterproof plasters for everyday bathing. Or you can gently pour water on the tummy without immersing it in the bath completely.

Air baths

How long the navel heals in a newborn is directly related to the ability for the skin to “breathe”. Between bathing and dressing, it is advisable to leave the child undressed for a while to take air baths. So the umbilical wound will heal faster, and excess moisture will not accumulate in the folds of the skin. Naturally, this should be done in a fairly warm room.

How to properly handle diapers and clothes

When the umbilical wound heals, you need to minimize irritants and make sure that clothes and diapers do not injure delicate skin. You should choose sliders with a wide elastic band or without it at all - with a bib and fasteners on the shoulders so that they do not put pressure on the navel.

As for diapers, there should be a cutout in the place that covers the navel. There are special diapers for the smallest - the manufacturer prudently made such a cutout on them.

But analogues with a regular belt do not matter either - just try on which part of the belt will cover the navel, and cut out the extra section with scissors or tuck it. When changing a diaper and changing clothes, blot the navel with a cotton pad to remove moisture that may accumulate in it.

Reasons for excitement

It happens that the navel in a newborn does not heal well even with careful care. In this case, you need to consult a doctor urgent measures. Usually such problems are solved quite easily, but there are situations when difficulties with an umbilical wound indicate serious problems.

Infection

The reason for suspicion should be redness of the skin around the navel.

If you start the situation, then there will be suppuration, an unpleasant smell from the wound, pain from touch, fever.

With any of these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, describe how the care of the navel was, since most often it is the wrong care that leads to infection.

Granuloma

If blood periodically oozes from the wound, it may be a granuloma - a pathology of the vessels near the wound. The situation is provoked by the accelerated growth of capillaries and tissues in the navel. The granuloma is treated: after making a diagnosis, the doctor performs a cauterization procedure, and the wound heals normally.

Hernia

A dense navel strongly protruding outward, similar to a bump, indicates a hernia. In some cases, it appears during childbirth or in the first days after them as a result of the fact that the abdominal wall of the baby is in a weak tone. The treatment is massage. Also, a child with an umbilical hernia should be placed on the tummy more often, and crying should not be allowed to become hysterical, as tension in the abdominal muscles can aggravate the situation.

What to do if the wound oozes and gets wet

It happens that the navel becomes inflamed, the unhealed place begins to fester and get wet. Most often this happens due to lack of proper care: either with insufficient regular treatment with medicines, or due to the fact that the skin does not “breathe”.

If you notice in time that the navel is oozing, you can fix the problem simply by increasing the duration of the air baths for the baby.

When the site of the wound is not only moistened, but also reddened, and the discharge begins to resemble pus, you should consult a doctor. The situation can be both the result of water retention after bathing, and a manifestation of an infectious infection. What to do if the navel gets wet in a newborn, what problems can arise if measures are not taken in time - read the article on.

What is forbidden to do

It is impossible to pick off dry ichor from a still unhealed umbilical wound- this injures the tissues and makes healing longer and more painful. Excessive care can also slow down the process: you need to treat the navel 1-2 times a day - this is quite enough. It is not necessary to do washing more often, on the contrary, this will prevent the formation of new tissues at the site of the wound.

It is pointless and dangerous to try to change the shape of the navel by wrapping it with a bandage or bandage. If the navel sticks out, it will remain the same, but the above measures violate the natural ventilation of the wound and interfere with healing.

Conclusion

Proper care behind the umbilical wound in the first days and weeks of a baby's life is simple and does not require special skills. All that is needed is a responsible attitude, strict hygiene and regular medical treatment. Once or twice a day, the navel needs to be disinfected, in addition, it is very important that the skin “breathe”.

In the vast majority of cases, the wound heals without complications, but if they do occur, you should not panic and show the child to the doctor as soon as possible. Redness, constant moisture, suppuration, bleeding and hardness of the navel should be a cause for concern. In order to notice alarming symptoms in time, you need to carefully examine the newborn's tummy and not paint over a large area around the navel with green paint - only the place of the open wound.