cord stump

[Bell2]

my ds's cord stump fell off this morning - well when I went to change his nappy it was gone! - the area is a bit sticky and bloody - it's not oozing blood but there is some there if you know what I mean. Is it okay? should I do anything? I think there maybe a tiny bit of cord left.
Anyone have any advice?
Thanks Jo x

[Hayls]

I THINK this is quite normal. IIRC, dd's stump came off gradually (in 2 bits I think). I think it'll dry up again and if there's any left it'll just drop off.HTH

[Bell2]

thanks Hayls - dd's came off cleanly and with no fuss but ds has to be more difficult - I'm paranoid about infections and the like.......

the midwife was coming today but cancelled due to the snow and now isn't coming until Tuesday!

Jo x

[starlover]

I think it is fine!
ds's was like that, the morning before it came off it had all this red/brown goo on it, and it smelled horrible!
I too thought it was infected or something but the midwife said not to worry, that it detaches itself by rotting (Mmmm nice!) which is why it was smelling!
Annnnyway, it came off that afternoon and the area was sticky and bloody for a day or 2 afterwards but is nice and clean now.
I made sure that I washed it gently with warm water each day to get rid of any nasty bits.
Apparently you can't hurt them because there are no nerve endings there...

[suzywong]

oh god anyone remember the lotus babies? I'll try and find a link

[Mud]

just leave it alone for the moment .. if its still a little bloody in a few days point it out to the HV / GP they might need to cauterise it (Painless don't worry)

[suzywong]

wonder what this smells like after 10 days

[misdee]

dd3 cord fell off this morning. its also sticky and yukky looking. have just wiped it over with some water and cotton wool. looks foul tho.

[suzywong]

I kept both cordstumps

[Mud]

oh yuk that is so ridiculous

"The placenta, too, dried and shrivelled due to our salt treatment, and developed a slightly meaty smell, which interested our cat!"

[misdee]

i keep the clamps but not the cord. it just looks like a scab really.

[Mud]

why on earth woudl you want to keep the cordstump sw?

[suzywong]

sentimental reasons, it dries like a piece of biltong

[Mud]

you feel sentimental to a piece of dried up flesh that has rotted off your babies bodies?

[thedame71]

I kept the dried stump too from DS1! Although recently he found the little tin I kept it in and it has mysteriously disappeared.

Its a bit gross to think that it probably lying around the house somewhere or sucked up the hoover!

Never mind, I don't feel quite as sentimental about it 5 years on as I did at the time!

[suzywong]

`I feel sentimental about the marvelous organic thing that delivered nurture to my babies while they were growing inside me and by extension the privelege of doing that for my children, since you ask Mud.

[Mud]

Well people sure do feel sentimental about unusual things

hey, whatever does it for you though

[suzywong]

so kind of you to sanction my quirky ways Mud

[Mud]

you're very welcome

[starlover]

hmm, i have ds's cord stump too...
it isn't just you suzy!

[Bell2]

Well another small bit of cord came away so there was obviously a bit still stuck - now it's bleeding a little when his nappies rub but I'm hoping things improve.
Any ideas what I should clean it with?
Jo

[suzywong]

how about a weak solution of salt and water on a cotton bud and put a bit of vaseline on the skin of his tummy rather than the stump so the nappies don't rub so much if that makes sense (not sure an airtight vaseline layer on the stump would help it dry out, but then what do I know I am weird )

[Lonelymum]

Just a bit of cotton wool dipped in boiled and cooled water Bell. It sounds fine to me BTW.

[snafu]

I have the cord clamp but not the stump.

That was my first introduction to the world of maternal guilt - I cried buckets when the dr told me the stump had got a tiny infection in it. LOL now but at the time I thought it might be fatal!

[Amanda3266]

Bell, don't worry - it sounds fine.(I used to be a midwife) It may bleed on and off for a few weeks (less and less as the time goes on)but will eventually dry up and he'll have a nice normal tummy button. As someone else said just clean round it with cooled boiled water -don't touch the inside - leave that to it's own devices. Shpw it to the midwife on Tuesday. Where are you by the way? I'm in Somerset and we've no snow AND it's lovely and sunny. My SIL in Kent is snowed in though.

[Bell2]

Thanks Amanda
I've given it a clean and I'll get the midwife to look on Tuesday.
We're in Surrey and have had snow - bad on Friday but it's all gone - for now anyway
Kent always gets bad snow - that where my FIL lives.