My baby stinks of rotting flesh

[Spuddybean]

Hi all, my 6 day old baby absolutely hums. His umbilicus really smells bad. The entire house smells of it and i am finding it hard to hold him close without gagging. Everyone comments and it is really upsetting me. No one elses baby in my baby group has it.

Is there anything i can do? The MW saw it yesterday and said it was fine but might be another 10 days before it drops off. She also commented that it was particularly pongy in relation to others :(

Hello, congratulations on the birth and sorry to hear about this problem.

I would suggest you go to the doctors and have this checked and get a thorough check of your baby to make sure there are no other symptoms of infection.

Can you get an appointment today? If not I suggest a walk in centre. I personally would want a doctor to check my baby over. Does your baby have any temperature at all?

That doesn't sound right

GP or walk in centre today

The umbilicus can get infected

def doesn't sound right op, do go to the gp if you can.

congratulations too x

If it is infected then it does need to be seen, yes, and the smell would suggest infection.

Dds umbilicus didn't come off right and had to be cauterised but at no time did it smell.

Definitely to the doctors today.

It should definitely not be smelling like that, even with an infection you should only really smell it when clothes are removed.
Go to your GP today.

OP, the stump does normally smell bad (like rotting fish), after all, it is rotting flesh!

DS had his stump for seven weeks, so I'm sure you can imagine the smell.

If you are worried, or if it's weeping, go to your GP.

I have never smelt one that makes teh whole house smell - yes it is a bit smelly up close perhaps but the whole house smelling?

agree with others, see the gp to rule out an infection. maybe even go to the maternity ward as baby is still so small.
it really should just dry out and fall off after a week or so.

Thanks all. I have called the MW who just says it's fine. Can't get thru to the HV. Called the docs and they said they don't deal with it

One of the drs is going to call me at lunch after morning surgery. It really is overpowering now. i'm sure it's not right.

could you call post-natal ward?

Are you bathing it with warm, salty water? If not then try that as a short term measure.

Hope it is sorted soon.

Spuddy - if you think it is not right, then see someone else. Are you in a small or large area, is there a walk in centre or A&E nearby? Our A&E has a 'minor injuries' clinic so you can see a doc there.

It's worth talking to the doctor especially if the MW keeps saying its fine without offering an explanation of why it might be this way.

It certainly sounds a bit weird, even if you all have super sensitive olfactory organs, that not the smell you want to associate with your newborn, 'milky breath', 'sleepy baby hair', those are the scents you want to remain in your memory when your LO is grown, not rotting flesh!

i will get a taxi to the hv this avo i think. i am a bit limited with travel as i don't drive and i can hardly walk due to birth injuries/double incontinence :(

better take the taxi to a&e now.
hope both of you are better soon!

Ach, poor you! I suggest that you wait for the GPs call, they might come out to you if you let them know you're finding it impossible hard to get out and about.

Hi, don't go to the HV, see a doctor, if the HV is concerned they will send you a docs anyway so that's two journeys. I'm sorry to hear of your birth injuries too. Where are you? Could a friend help you?

Don't waste time going to see HV she can't do anything.

Wait for GP to phone, when you speak to doctor tell them you're worried it is infected, they will always see a tiny baby.

The MW or HV can do nothing if it is infected, it is GP you need.

sadly we are new to the area and know no one. i will wash it with water and wait for the call at lunchtime.

poor thing. i was expecting the house to smell of milky sick and a bit of nappies but rotting flesh is foul. what with this, my stitches, incontinence, trying to bf i feel like we are sinking fast.

Oh Spuddy. No extra words of wisdom to add, but just wanted to send lots of sympathy. Your last post took me right back to those early post birth days. It does get better/easier/less painful honest!

Congratulations on your new arrival. Hope the GP can help.

you poor thing, you have a lot to deal with. Get your assertive trousers on, call the doctor's surgery and keep on at them. It is definitely worth asking if they can do a home visit given your situation (in fact maybe you can say you need looking at by a doctor too? that might make them more inclined to see you fast). Who is looking after you? Sounds like you need someone too - is your husband / partner off work at the moment?

Agree don't waste time with hv or mw. Do you have I minor illness and injuries walk in clinic attached to your hospital? If so go there.

Oh, it sounds hard. Do you have a partner, anyone to ask? Please don't be scared to ask new friends, when I had my ds one of the other mums was terribly ill and we didn't mind helping. Lay it on thick with the gp, hopefully they'll come to you.

I really want to help!

Hope your ok. Definitely wait and see what the GP has to say. Otherwise go to an A&E with a paediatric unit if you are really concerned. MW and HV are not always very helpful.