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Children's health

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Original poster

Does this umbilical cord look infected? Pic included

47 replies

Pantone363 · 11/04/2015 22:53

DD 4 days old. It smells quite a bit but not awful.

Haven't seen the midwife since she was born and she's not coming until Monday. This is DC4 but I've never seen one look this sore before?
Thanks

OP posts:

EugenesAxe · 12/04/2015 04:40

Phew! Just read the thread but glad all is well :)

EugenesAxe · 12/04/2015 04:42

Phew! Congratulations to you on your new baby - just read the thread but glad the important things are working out :)

EugenesAxe · 12/04/2015 04:43

Damn phone... I thought after my original attempt 'I never said congratulations!'; hence the disparity...

Original poster

Pantone363 · 12/04/2015 04:52

Another quick update! DD just spitting the oral AB out so nurse said to wait until the morning team comes on shift and someone else will try and get a cannula into her. Poor DD, can't help feeling she must wonder what the hell is going on. Hormones are running rampant

OP posts:

Incapinka · 12/04/2015 05:41

Just remember she won't remember any of this - it is far harder for you and DH. Hopefully everything will be that bit easier today. Congratulations and enjoy those newborn cuddles

pullthecracker · 12/04/2015 05:53

Glad you are getting sorted, you're im the right place. The swab results will be back on Monday night and will say what infection it is and confirm if she's on the right antibiotics. As someone else said, it's harder for you, for her, she has a painful situation and then it stops and she forgets about it. It won't really be pain she's protesting about, she will hate having her foot or hand held so she can't move, babies get so agitated with that. She will be fine, hope things get sorted today, if you aren't happy with anything, insist on seeing the consultant on call.

Original poster

Pantone363 · 12/04/2015 06:57

Thank you.

Feeling slightly crap though as the first doctor we saw asked what I've been cleaning the stump with. I've always thought you left it alone until it fell off but he said we should be disinfecting it? I've never heard that before

OP posts:

pullthecracker · 12/04/2015 07:11

Don't worry, I'm a midwife. We never advise people to disinfect it, just keep it clean and dry with water. Years ago, we used to use a powder on it, but found we were getting more infections so nothing is used now. You've not caused this, it's just something that's happened.

Sirzy · 12/04/2015 07:44

Poor thing, hope she improves soon. Make sure you are getting as much rest as you can too

Ilovenannyplum · 12/04/2015 10:10

Glad she's being looked after OP, hopefully she'll be on the mend soon.

Hope you're ok, I remember the raging hormones with my 10 day old baby and sat sobbing with him in a hospital room, 4 days must be even worse. Try and have a shower if you can,it'll make you feel better x

NeedANewDirection · 12/04/2015 14:00

Gosh what a scary time pantone, hope things have improved over the day. Getting cannulas into a baby seems so traumatic. When my DS was on IV ABs and antivirals with chicken pox, it took about 6 goes. But the nurse told me exactly what someone upthread said - they are objecting to being held down firmly rather than the actual cannula, and they do start to cry long before the tube goes anywhere near them.

Re the stump I was told with all of mine just to give it a splash when in the bath, nothing else. And since for various reasons DC2 wasn't bathed for 2 weeks, that didn't even happen. You haven't done anything wrong at all, I think more harm can be done by poking around in these things.
Hoping the drugs kick-in soon for her.

XLIX · 12/04/2015 15:08

Thinking about you and dd. So very sad when they are ill :( Try to look after yourself too..You are so very recently birthed her! I hope you are getting food and fluids.

TheFutureMrsB · 12/04/2015 15:18

It's nothing you've done so don't beat yourself up about it, my son was in SCBU and he got an infected cord stump/belly button, they just said to bathe it with water, no disinfectant, hope she's feeling better now, poor baby, and I hope your feeling ok too

Northernlurker · 12/04/2015 15:30

I agree with everybody else. You've done nothing wrong. These things just happen sometimes and you've done everything right - you didn't like the look of it and you asked for help from your peers. Good move
I am shocked no midwife had visited you at home though. That would be worth a letter I think when you get past all this. Do you feel ok physically? Presumably nobody's checked on your health since delivery either? Are you in the same hospital as the maternity unit? If so and you feel at all 'off' I would take a wander that way and ask somebody to take a look at you.

NeedANewDirection · 12/04/2015 15:42

I agree it doesn't sound like you gave been looked after very well by your midwifery team? For my 2 homebirths, I was visited on day 2 I think. To ensure everything was going down properly for me, and to do the various checks on the baby that have to be completed in first day or 2 (reflexes etc).
Have you not had any of this? If not I would get in touch with them.
Hope you are feeling ok

Nanny13 · 12/04/2015 16:47

How is she?

Original poster

Pantone363 · 12/04/2015 21:06

We're home

The morning team decided she could leave with oral AB as her blood results didn't show worryingly high infection levels.

So so glad to be home, was feeling gross with lochia, after pains, puke, leaky boobs and baby urine all over me! Mostly just relieved she didn't have to have another cannula!

Thanks again for all the relies.

Re midwife: that was my fault, is said to them I didn't need visits straight away as DD was number 4 and I was fine with feeding etcetc. She had been calling to check on me and see how things were going.

OP posts:

NeedANewDirection · 12/04/2015 22:35

Oh brilliant, glad all is well.
Hope you get some rest tonight and everything settles down. Recommend a long hot shower and a

stoopstoconker · 12/04/2015 22:39

hmm 5 day old baby (congrats by the way) with 3 siblings, rest is such a relative concept. wish you all well op.

Original poster

Pantone363 · 12/04/2015 23:14

I had the best bath of my life.

DD nappy free so get cord can dry. Which means by the time I had my bath I actually had milk, baby wee, baby poo, blood and good knows what else on me.

BEST BATH EVER

OP posts:

stoopstoconker · 12/04/2015 23:22

lovely!

thetroubleis · 14/04/2015 01:07

Glad you're home and ok x

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