The umbilical cord is the structure that connects the fetus and the placenta. It is the bridge between the mother and the child. It mainly provides the fetus with the nutrients it needs and eliminates the fetus' metabolic waste. I believe everyone knows that whether it is caesarean section or natural birth , the umbilical cord needs to be cut, and then the baby's belly button will be generated. Does it hurt the baby or the mother when cutting the umbilical cord? This is a topic of concern to many people. You may want to find out the answer below.
Does cutting the umbilical cord hurt the baby or the mother?
The umbilical cord is the bridge that connects the mother and the baby. We can compare the placenta to a lotus pod. The side with the lotus is connected to the mother, and conversely the other side is connected to the baby. It will play a role before it is cut. It has the function of transmitting oxygen and nutrients. When the umbilical cord is cut, it becomes a belly button.
The baby will not feel pain when the umbilical cord is cut. Although there are veins and arteries on the umbilical cord, a layer of membrane that protects the blood vessels, there are no pain-sensing nerves, so the baby does not feel pain. Likewise, the mother does not feel pain, so there is no need to overdo it. worry.
How to care for the umbilical cord stump after cutting?
After cutting the umbilical cord, a stump will be formed. If not taken care of, infection will occur.
. Insist on disinfection
During the hospitalization, the medical staff will teach the mother how to disinfect the belly button. The correct method is to clean your hands first, slowly lift the stump, and disinfect it into the navel fossa. This can avoid the breeding of bacteria and speed up the shedding of the navel.
. Keep the area dry
The stump of the umbilical cord should be covered with gauze before it falls off. Water may breed bacteria and affect the health of the baby, so the umbilical cord stump and surroundings should be kept dry. Use a waterproof navel patch every time you bathe your baby. After bathing, you should dry it in time and observe whether there is any residual moisture. Under normal circumstances, the umbilical cord will dry out and fall off in about 1 to 2 weeks. If it still does not fall off, it needs to be inspected and disinfected. Once redness, swelling, exudation, and suppuration appear, you need to seek medical attention immediately.
. Let the root of the umbilical cord fall off on its own.
If the root of the baby's umbilical cord still has not fallen off, parents cannot tear it off by themselves, otherwise it will cause bleeding in the umbilical cord, causing unexpected harm.
Should we be more vigilant when abnormal symptoms appear in the umbilical cord?
. Bulging belly button
Under normal circumstances, the belly button appears sunken after falling off. If the baby's belly button bulges, especially when crying, it should be highly suspected of umbilical hernia , that is, there is a crack in the abdominal wall muscles. When the baby cries, the intra-abdominal pressure increases, causing the intra-abdominal tissue to bulge. Generally, umbilical hernia will heal on its own when the baby is one to one and a half years old. During this period, the belly button cannot be pressed hard; if it does not get better, it will need to be sutured surgically.
. There are scabs
The root of the baby's umbilical cord has not completely fallen off. Granuloma or red scabs remain at the root, and even light yellow fluid leaks out. In all likelihood, it is umbilical cord granuloma, which usually gets better in about a week. .
. Redness and swelling at the bottom of the umbilical cord
I found that the bottom of the baby's umbilical cord was red and swollen. The baby would cry incessantly at the slightest touch, so that yellow secretions flowed out from the navel area and emitted an unpleasant smell, indicating that the baby had been affected by the disease. In case of infection, you need to choose a regular hospital for treatment immediately to avoid serious harm.
4. The umbilical cord has not fallen off.
The baby has been born for 3 weeks and the umbilical cord still has not fallen off. You need to seek medical examination immediately to find out what is the reason.
A message from a doctor
As a new mother, you should focus on the health of your baby's umbilical cord and maintain local hygiene and dryness; when changing your baby's diapers or diapers, do not cover the navel area to prevent urine or feces from infecting the umbilical cord stump. If urine or feces accidentally comes into contact with the umbilical cord stump, you need to use a cotton swab dipped in a small amount of water to scrub, and then disinfect the local area.It is worth reminding that you must not use alcohol to disinfect the area, otherwise it will irritate the delicate skin and increase the chance of infection.
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