Contents:
- Medical Video: Caring For Your Newborn
- What causes baby's umbilical cord to be infected?
- Signs and symptoms of the baby's umbilical cord are infected
- What to do if the baby's cord is infected
- Tips for caring for the baby's umbilical cord to avoid infection
Medical Video: Caring For Your Newborn
It was so happy to be met with the baby after nine months of waiting. But you may panic and be confused when you see the baby's umbilical cord infected. What causes infection of the baby's umbilical cord, and how to overcome it? Check out the answer below.
What causes baby's umbilical cord to be infected?
Normally, the umbilical cord will dry out and detach itself from the baby's body. The baby's umbilical cord will generally be released after 1 week the baby is born, but there is also a new one released (puput) after 10-14 days.
Incorrect umbilical cord care and lack of hygiene during this time can cause infection by bacteria that land from the surrounding environment. The condition of the umbilical cord which is left to keep wet or moist from urine, baby saliva, or other fluids can also trigger infection. Because the moist environment is an ideal place for bacteria to breed. In addition, massaging the baby's stomach with oil can make the skin's defenses decrease so the risk of infection will increase.
In addition to the wrong treatments, there are several other factors that can increase the risk of infection in the baby's umbilical cord, such as:
- Spontaneous and unplanned labor
- Premature rupture of membranes
- Babies born with low body weight
- Mothers who experience chorioamnionitis (infection of the amniotic fluid) before giving birth.
Signs and symptoms of the baby's umbilical cord are infected
The infected umbilical cord usually looks reddish, swollen, feels hot, and secretes foul-smelling pus. Infection also usually causes pain.
In more severe cases, the infection can extend to the area of the skin around the umbilical cord. This can make the skin look hard, redden, and cause swelling of the stomach.
What to do if the baby's cord is infected
Clean the umbilical cord of the infected baby with over-the-counter antiseptic solutions, for example chlorhexidine or povidone iodine 2.5% (betadine). Dip sterile gauze in the solution and wipe it into the umbilical cord, do it eight times a day until there is no pus on the umbilical cord. After cleaning, the umbilical cord can be applied with antibiotic ointment 3-4 times a day.
After the baby's umbilical cord has healed, do the umbilical cord well and try to keep the umbilical cord in dry conditions.
But if the baby's umbilical cord has been infected, it's a good idea to immediately bring your child to the doctor to get more appropriate treatment.
Tips for caring for the baby's umbilical cord to avoid infection
Infection of the baby's umbilical cord can be prevented with appropriate treatment steps. How:
- Try to keep the cord dry at all times. Do not let the umbilical cord wet or damp, because this will trigger the growth of germs that can cause infection.
- The umbilical cord does not need to be cleaned with soap or other liquid and leave it open without closing it with gauze.
- When using baby diapers, try to keep the umbilical cord from being covered by diapers, so that the umbilical cord is not contaminated with urine or baby stool attached to the diaper.
- When bathing a baby, try also so that the umbilical cord is not wet.
- There is no need to use oil or powder on the baby's umbilical cord because it will only make it moist which increases the risk of infection.
