During the long 40 weeks of pregnancy, you plan, dream and expect. Then, when the day finally comes to hold your baby for the first time, everything stops and there is only that moment. With this immense happiness comes responsibility. Questions about how to take care of the little one start to pile up, and all you want is to have everything for the baby and she is fine. One of the first is how to clean the baby's navel after leaving the maternity ward.

Proper navel cleaning is extremely important to speed up the healing process and prevent possible infections. This way you will be sure that your baby is protected and ready to start his life safely and healthily outside the womb.

The process of caring for the umbilical stump may seem intimidating, but with careful care and following the simple instructions that we give you in the following lines, this process will go smoothly.

Navel in babies

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord is a lifesaver for your baby. It brings her oxygen and food through the placenta until the day of birth. It serves as a vital channel through which the baby receives nutrients and oxygen necessary for growth and development. At the same time, waste materials are eliminated from the baby's body through the umbilical cord.

After birth, the baby begins to breathe independently and receives food outside the womb and does not need the umbilical cord anymore. In the first minutes after childbirth, it tightens, and after that, it cuts. A small part is left, more precisely, the umbilical stump. Over a period of one to three weeks, that part gradually dries up and falls off, leaving behind a small scar, known as the navel.

What happens when a baby's umbilical cord falls off?

When the umbilical stump falls off, the skin in that place is still very sensitive for a while. It will take a few days for her to heal completely. This is the period when parents should continue with careful and professional care. The most important thing is to keep the navel area clean and dry.

You will notice that the area where the umbilical stump fell off is slightly red or moist, but this is a normal phase of the healing process.

Sometimes you may notice spreading redness or swelling in that area, sometimes even pus and an unpleasant odor. It can be a sign of a potential infection, so you must urgently consult a pediatrician.

Until the navel is completely healed, avoid bathing the baby in the tub. You can use a sponge or a wet cloth to clean the rest of the baby's body, for example on the changing table , taking care not to wet the navel area.

Once you are sure that the skin in that area is completely dry and there are no signs of redness, irritation or moisture, you can start bathing normally in the tub.

And then it is important to pay attention to keeping the navel clean and dry after every bath.

How to properly clean a baby's belly button

How to clean the navel in babies?

In the first week after coming from the maternity hospital, all parents have the help of a visiting nurse. Carefully follow the steps of a professional and you won't make a mistake when you arrange your baby's navel yourself.

Daily hygiene is mandatory to prevent infection and for the umbilical stump to heal properly and quickly.

We give you guidelines on how to clean your baby's navel yourself:

  • Wash your hands so that they are completely clean, because there is a danger that bacteria can easily stick to an open wound. Spread the umbilical wound slightly with your thumb and forefinger to open the area for disinfection.
  • Prepare sterile gauze and lightly wipe the area around the navel with povidone iodine, avoiding pressing and rubbing.
  • Drip an antiseptic solution (povidone iodine or Octanisept) on the wound and gently clean it clockwise with another sterile gauze.
  • After cleaning wait for it to dry in natural air. The wound must be completely dry.
  • Cover the wound with clean gauze and wrap a bandage around the baby's waist to keep the sterile gauze in place. Some nurses cover the navel with special adhesive patches, but these can sometimes irritate the baby's delicate skin. If you put a patch over the gauze, choose hypoallergenic.
  • Put on the baby's diaper, but make sure it does not go over the navel. Keep it folded under the umbilical cord so that it does not get wet from urine. You can find diapers in pharmacies that have a special slit for the navel. It is important to avoid contact with urine.

Do not use alcohol zand disinfection of the umbilical cord wound. Although it was previously recommended to use alcohol to clean the navel, today's research has shown that drying the stump in the air without alcohol enables faster and more natural healing. Alcohol can dry out the skin too much. It can cause irritation and even delay the moment when the umbilical stump falls off naturally.

Instead, it is recommended to use boiled water or mild antiseptics on the advice of a pediatrician or visiting nurse.

When can a baby's navel be wet?

When the umbilical stump has completely fallen off and the skin in that area has healed, you can wet your baby's navel. In the first weeks after giving birth, it is important to keep this area impeccably dry and clean to prevent infection.

You can use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe the body, taking care to keep the navel dry. When you notice that the skin in the place where the umbilical stump was was dry, without redness and irritation, you can freely start with normal bathing in a tub.

How to properly bandage a baby's belly button

Only when you see that the navel has healed naturally and the skin around it looks healthy, enjoy carefree frolicking.

It is still important to monitor how the navel behaves after bathing. Try to always wipe the area thoroughly, ensuring it remains clean and dry.

How to properly wrap the navel in babies?

When you leave the maternity ward, the biggest fear of many parents is usually how to properly wrap the belly button of their baby. Although it seems complicated, with a little practice and detailed steps, you will easily get the hang of this routine. We give you guidance on how to wrap a baby's belly button so you can feel more confident in your most important role.

  1. 1. Preparation before swaddling
  • Flawlessly clean hands - Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap to prevent the transfer of bacteria to the baby's delicate skin.
  • Preparation of materials - Clean and warm water, sterile gauze, tissues, a mild antiseptic and a diaper, so that they are within reach.
  1. 2. Navel cleaning
  • Cleaning the area around the navel - Use sterile gauze soaked in povidone iodine or some other mild antiseptic to wipe the skin around the navel without rubbing too hard so as not to irritate it.
  • Cleaning the navel - Put a few drops of antiseptic into the navel itself and gently collect the liquid with another sterile gauze. Do not press or rub.
  • Drying - Before swaddling, leave the navel area to air dry naturally for a few minutes.
  1. Navel twisting
  • Placement of sterile gauze - Protect the navel with sterile and dry gauze so that it does not come into contact with moisture and dirt. You can wrap the gauze with a bandage or a hypoallergenic patch to keep it in place.
  • Placement of the diaper - It is important to place the diaper so that it does not touch the navel. It is best to choose those with a navel cutout that we mentioned in the previous chapter.
  1. Control of navel healing
  • Check the condition of the belly button regularly - Check daily whether the belly button is healing properly, whether there are signs of infection, redness, swelling or an unpleasant smell from the wound.
  • Changing the gauze - Use every diaper change to change the sterile gauze and re-sterilize the navel area. Keep it clean and dry at all times.

5. Care after shedding

  • Stop wrapping the belly button - When the umbilical stump falls off and the skin becomes dry and healed, it should no longer be wrapped. Now it's time to switch to normal care and bathe the child in a bathtub where he can comfortably frolic and enjoy himself.
  • Monitor the healing skin – It's a good idea to continue to monitor the young skin and the entire area until it's completely healed.

Taking care of the baby's skin and wrapping the navel in the first days after coming from the hospital always seems scary, but once you learn how to do it correctly and have the necessary materials, this process becomes routine.

It is enough to follow the rules clean and dry!

Swaddling is not only physical care, but also an important part of bonding with your baby. As she adjusts to the world outside the womb, you provide her with protection and a sense of security.

Everything you need to adequately care for the navel area, but also complete baby equipment< /a> can be found in the Online Pharmacy.