Question
My baby is 18 days old, and the umbilical cord has not yet fallen off. Is this normal? How should I handle it?
Answer
It is normal for a newborn’s umbilical cord to not have fallen off by the time they are a month old; it usually takes a few weeks to fall off naturally. During this period, keep the umbilical cord dry and use iodine solution for disinfection. Additionally, ensure that the baby’s diet is light and nutritionally balanced. If there is any skin breakdown on the umbilical cord, keep it dry and observe for a few days. I hope these suggestions are helpful to you, and wish your baby good health!