Umbilical granuloma

[Firsttimemumtobee]

My 3 month old baby has an umbilical granuloma which isn't healing. Health visitor and Dr told me to clean with cool boiled water. It has discharge in every day, and in the last week has bled (a very small amount) twice. Had call from Dr's yesterday afternoon to confirm it is now infected, so he's been put on antibiotics. Any tips on how to get it to heal after infection has gone? Don't feel the cool boiled water is enough..

Salt. Ordinary table salt. Put it on for 20-30 mins, cover with gauze (when they’re sleeping is probably easiest) then clean with warm water. Try twice a day for a couple of days and hopefully it should clear it up. Worked for my DS anyway! Weird they didn’t tell you that in the first place, I thought it was standard NHS advice and warm water alone isn’t going to do anything. The next step I understand would be silver nitrate but I think that has to be done in the hospital- thankfully we didn’t get that far.

Also is 3 months a typo for 3 weeks? My experience was the midwife spotted it <2 weeks old before we were discharged to the HV, on their advice saw the GP the next day (they usually see newborns quickly), GP said to try salt and it was all resolved before DS was even 3 weeks old.

Yes we used salt for DS2 when he had one. He’s 5 now and you’d never know, his belly button is perfect.

@InTheRainOnATrain thank you, I've read this on NHS website, but no one has given me that advice (no professional person). Not a typo, this has been going on for 3 months! I spoke to midwife initially, then health visitor, Dr a few times and another health visitor. They've all said cool boiled water and it's not doing anything.. now it's infected 😫

@PippetyPoppetyPie thank you, will give it a go 😊

My son had a granuloma. Our GP treated it with silver nitrate a few times which worked

@anyginplease thanks, I've read about this too. I've got appointment to speak to nurse on Friday, if they're not going to suggest anything, I'll try salt, then go back if it doesn't work.

My little girl had this up to 8 weeks until finally a GP with sense gave me a printout for it. It said to leave salt in belly button for 20-30 mins twice a day. After doing it 4 times, so in 2 days it was completely healed!

That’s insane! My knowledge of them, from DS’ (I’m not a medical professional!) is that it’s not good to leave them untreated as they’ll get infected as you’ve unfortunately found, and when the treatment is as basic as salt from the kitchen cupboard there’s no excuse really is there? And he’s 3.5 now so it’s not exactly anything new. I’m sorry you’ve been let down and I hope you get it sorted soon.

I'd only use silver nitrate if salt hadn't worked. This looks like a reputable source.

One of my DC was treated with silver nitrate, quite early on. No salt was involved but this was about 20 years ago. Things may have changed.

Thank you all for your replies. I've seen the doctor today, as it had bled again. She's said to continue taking antibiotic for 7 days instead of the original 5. She didn't want to recommend salt as it's now infected!! And has put referral through to see paediatrician 😫 she said appointment could be in about one month..

Update in case anyone reads this.. after antibiotics, lump dried and shrivelled, and eventually fell off 👍