question about newborn belly button

DS's umbilical cord stump fell off when he was 8 days old, but the inside wasn't healing so yesterday the Dr. used a silver nitrate stick and said that by sunday it should be all dried up and we could give him a real bath.

well today i notice that there is a lot more dried blood around it than usual - is that normal? i cleaned it with alcohol and it's definitely not oozing from anywhere that i can see.

Re: question about newborn belly button

Hmm...when DSs belly button stump fell off there was left over schmutz in there, but we just kept using alcohol and eventually it all came out.

I would say if you don't see it oozing there is nothing to worry about. But I don't exactly have experience with it.

Not much help, sorry!

Re: question about newborn belly button

My ped. used that silver nitrate also. DS had some kind of yellow goo in there. The nitrate turned it grey - but I thought it would kind of peel off in a few days. That was weeks ago, and it's still kind of in the folds of his tiny button. The grey is slowly wearing off, and I switched peds and she didn't make a comment about it.

We did wait about a week and 1/2 after the silver nitrate treatment before giving full baths. We just did sponge baths.

HTH

ETA - DS didn't have any extra blood - I would call about that.

Message edited 9/20/2008 8:58:04 PM.

Re: question about newborn belly button

anyone else?