What to do if your newborn’s belly button bleeds

  Under normal circumstances, the umbilical cord will dry and fall off naturally about 7-10 days after birth, but some babies may fall off later. In most cases, it is fine as long as it is properly disinfected and kept dry.  After the bath, it is best to use soft gauze or cotton swabs to absorb the water from the belly button area to keep the area dry. Then use a cotton swab with alcohol to gently wipe the navel, starting from the root (or concave) of the umbilical cord outward to the skin, and check if the umbilicus is dry during each diaper change, and if the umbilicus is moist, disinfect the wipe to keep it dry. Some children are soaked in diapers, and a hot and wet navel can easily hide dirt and inflammation. It should also be treated actively.  A small number of children have bleeding belly buttons due to inflammation, that is, infection, and can also see a slightly sticky discharge, which also requires timely disinfection, antibiotics if necessary, and active medical attention to avoid sepsis. If the child is suffering from neonatal hemorrhage, it is more important to actively seek medical attention to find the cause of the bleeding and to check the coagulation function.  In short, most bleeding from the navel is a minor problem, but it should be taken seriously.