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Children's health

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Original poster

Infection in belly button - 2 weeks old

19 replies

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 14:50

DD2 will be 2 weeks tomorrow. Have had her belly button "checked" at midwife appointments and by the doctor at the hospital as I wasn't sure it was healing properly. Not once did they actually check properly and just assumed I was being paranoid (which I might still be!) but now it stinks - of fishy sort of smell. I guess this means it is infected?

How urgently do I need to get it seen to? I am pretty sure GP is closed this afternoon - but will obviously check. She isn't actually registered either but I am assuming they will still see her? We have been discharged from midwives and haven't yet been in contact with HV (waiting for them to phone).

Thanks in advance for any help.

OP posts:

BlueCowWondersAgain · 07/05/2009 14:52

you could phone the post-natal ward where you had dd - this is what we did and they were v reassuring.

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 14:55

eveen after being discharged from MW?

OP posts:

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 14:55

Oh and it is bleeding too

OP posts:

BabyBolat · 07/05/2009 14:57

Jenny can't hurt to call - sure they will help or an out of hours dr? Good luck xxxx

Juwesm · 07/05/2009 15:01

JP - a manky smell is normal - the left over stump basically rots away, so if there is still some stump left it may well be this. But agree, can't hurt to give them a call xxx

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 15:03

Really? I thought a smell was meaning infection? The cord fell off over a week ago and it hasn't dried up yet?

OP posts:

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 15:07

If it is all normal, I won't bother taking her. TBH I really don't want to go to the hospital or anything again, but will if needed.

OP posts:

SydneyB · 07/05/2009 15:08

Jenny - I had the same with DS and rang midwives in panic and they said they couldn't come until tomorrow and just to keep cleaning it. I think it is normal for it to smell and look manky. Don't clean 'inside' if you see what I mean though. Try not to panic .

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 15:10

Sydney - was it infected in the end?

OP posts:

belgo · 07/05/2009 15:13

smelly is not normal. This happened with my ds, ended up taking him to the paeds in hospital because it didn't clear up with just cleaning.

Please get him checked out. You may need to put a disinfectantn on it, or antibiotic cream like I had to for my ds. That cleared it up in the end.

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 15:30

belgo - is it ok to wait till tomorrow to see GP?

OP posts:

SydneyB · 07/05/2009 17:14

It wasn't, no. But Belgo is right, if you're worried you should go. Sorry if I sounded flippant.

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 17:45

I have tried to get through to the doctors with no luck. I did think they were closed on a thursday. I will ring them in the morning and get an appointment. They are usually pretty good anyway. I will keep an eye on it and keep it clean.

Any idea what to do with nappies? Are they meant to go over the top of in or under? Or doesn't it matter?

OP posts:

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 18:20

She has also projectile vomited all over DH (). This is the first time she has done this and it was a whole feed. She often brings up a little bit of milk after a feed, but this was very different. She was lying on him and it just went everywhere, looked like I had thrown a bottle of milk over him. She is breastfed if that makes a difference. Could this be related or just a coincidence?

OP posts:

belgo · 07/05/2009 18:39

Have you checked her temperature? Is she still doing plenty of wet and dirty nappies?

Is there a midwife or health visitor you can phone now? Two weeks is so tiny, it's always best to get them checked out for even the slightest little thing.

Original poster

JennyPenny22 · 07/05/2009 18:55

Haven't actually taken her temperature, but she doesn't feel hot. I will take it now though, although it is an ear one that does say it isn't that accurate for young babies as their ears are so tiny.

I don't know who I can phone TBH. I don't know the HV details as I have been under the MW so am waiting for the HV to get in contact about coming round. The MW is a bit complicated because of hospitals, they have all been quite unhelpful in the past TBH. Basically, the hospital I gave birth in, is in a different borough so they will not come out to me. But the hospital that did have to come to me for postnatal checks etc is miles away, as I am on the border of the bourghs which is the furthest I could get from the hospital without being in another bourgh iyswim? It all seems to be about funds and council tax money etc. So they always seem to argue about who should do what. But because the MW in the one from miles away has discharged me, I don't think they will come either?
I don't think it is bad enough to warrent ANOTHER trip to A&E? We went a couple of nights ago after being advised on here to do that as she was having breathing trouble (I have namechaged from soon2befamilyof4).

OP posts:

belgo · 08/05/2009 08:38

Hi, how is she today? Will you be taking her to the GP?

helms · 08/05/2009 12:05

Hope all is now well.

My little one had an infected belly button. Just to reassure you, if it is infected it can heal quickly with right treatment. We had to clean with cooled boiled water and use an anti-biotic cream.

I would get someone to look at it, if for no other reason than to put your mind at rest. If HV no good, then try drs or NHS direct. They can put you in touch with out of hours service.

Am not medically trained but was told that the thing to look for is redness spreading to surrounding skin. If that is happening, I think it needs looking at as soon as poss. That happened with us- nothing to panic about but you do need to get treatment.

Let us know what happens.

SydneyB · 09/05/2009 20:06

Hi Jenny - did you manage to see someone in the end? Hope all ok

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