With the birth of your baby, the time comes for the umbilical cord to go. It is removed by cutting it. What remains of its trace is a petite piece which stays in the baby's belly. With the passing of time, that piece dries up and falls off and its previous area in the baby's belly button heals gradually.

But as a mother, you have to look after your child's health. So help the area to heal quickly. Most of the people tend to clean the umbilical cord stump by soaking cotton ball, cotton swab or gauze pad with alcohol and rubbing it in the area. Nowadays another process has cropped up...clean the area with clean water, this tip is as good as the previous one.

Some people being new mothers or fathers are simply afraid to hurt their child. Frightened, they dab the top without giving an overall cleansing. This may lead to infection. For a thorough cleaning, push the stump up a bit and then clean the base of the area. Clean it properly.

This cleaning should be done for 3 or 4 times everyday. Better, you make a timetable for it. Clean it every time you change your baby's diaper. That way you won't forget the cleaning. Follow this timetable until the cord falls off finally after a few days.

In old days, the parents were asked not to bathe their babies before the cord falls off. But now the doctors tell that you can submerge your baby in water provided that you don't put him in water for too long. You should pat the area dry when the baby comes out of the water.

The doctor may recommend giving the child a sponge bath; ensure the tips below are followed properly.

? The room must be warm and draft-free

? On a flat surface like the kitchen counter or changing table, lay a towel

? The sink or bowl should be filled with warm water

? Keep a new diaper, your kid's dress, powder and lotion near the sink or bowl

? Put your baby on the towel. Undress her. Cover the areas that are not required for cleaning with a tiny towel. Keep the diaper area covered.

? Every part of the baby's body should be washed and dried with a wet warm cloth.

Take the advices of a health professional if your doubt that the baby's umbilical cord is infected. How to know that the area is infected? The indications are:

? Bad smell

? Active bleeding

? Drainage from the cord area

? Redness in the area around the cord

The cord falls off generally in about 3 or 4 weeks after the baby's birth. But sometimes the period is a bit stressed. Never pull the cord off. Wait for the natural falling of it. After the cord falls off, a pink scar tissue is visible that heals within weeks.