Question
The baby is 20 days old, and the umbilical cord has not yet naturally fallen off. The surface of the umbilical cord remains dry and yellow, without showing blackening. The baby’s navel area is not red or swollen, nor does it have an odd smell. Alcohol is used daily for disinfection.
Answer
Hello! At 20 days old, if the baby’s umbilical cord stump has not yet fallen off, this is indeed a relatively rare situation. Generally, full-term newborns will have their umbilical cord stumps naturally fall off around 7 to 10 days after birth. If there is no discharge at present, it can be observed for a while longer. However, it is not recommended to use alcohol daily for disinfecting the baby. I personally suggest that you should take the child to the hospital for a thorough disinfection. Self-disinfection may not achieve thorough cleaning.