Question
How long does an infant’s umbilical cord typically detach after birth? Is it normal if it hasn’t fallen off by 18 days? An infant who is 18 days old still has not had the umbilical cord detach. Additionally, the child is experiencing diarrhea, and the stool test results are normal. The child has also lost weight.
Answer
An infant’s umbilical cord usually detaches naturally within a few days to a few weeks after birth once the blood vessels close off. However, if the baby frequently cries or there is a sustained increase in abdominal pressure, it may cause incomplete closure of the blood vessels or slight bleeding, which could leave blood stains on clothing. In such cases, you can use 75% ethanol (medical alcohol) to wipe the umbilical cord, cover it with a sterilized gauze, and wrap the umbilicus with a bandage. It usually heals within a few days without the need for hemostatic medicine, but the area should be kept clean to prevent infection. When caring for the umbilical cord, wash your hands first, then lift the cord and use a 75% alcohol-impregnated cotton swab to disinfect around the base of the cord root, once or twice a day to keep the root clean. At the same time, change diapers frequently to avoid urinary and fecal contamination of the umbilicus.