Umbilical cord come off - anyone know if this is normal??

[nightfeedssuck]

Hi all - can you tell me if it is normal for when the cord drops off (he is 2 weeks) that there be a sort of yellowy goo in it? (his belly button that is) what should i do? is cleaning it ok? or should i leave it?

This happened with DD2. It's perfectly normal, just keep the area as clean and try as possible. Clean it with cooled, boiled water and dab-dry it with a separate cotton pad. Mention it to your CMW or HV.

Dry not try!

Thank you. To clean it I would have to sort of insert a cotton bud into it (yuk) and i am worried I will hurt him. Also worried about putting him in a little bath in case it hurts him. HV coming tomorrow.

Don't go poking cotton buds into it!

It 'll be fine , but no cotton buds. Do you have any cotton wool pads, soak in cooled boiled water , dab then pat dry with another. Don't poke around though. HV may suggest a mild alcohol solution but will probably crust over now it is exposed to air.

No, no cotton buds matey! Just a gentle wipe (one direction only - if it needs another go, wet another cotton pad, etc. It's so as not to infect it/spread infection). I wouldn't bath him, not because it will hurt but because it needs to dry out. A soak won't allow that to happen :)

thank you all (putting cotton buds down and backing away). .

It looks cleaner and more like a belly button this morning already!