Umbilical Cord

The umbilical cord will dry out, turn black and fall off by one month of age. The base of the cord should be cleaned several times a day with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol. Continue the cleaning for 2 to 5 days after the cord has fallen off. There is no pain associated with cleaning, since there are no nerve endings in the cord. You may see a small amount of blood just before cord separation. This is normal. If there is excessive drainage, redness, excessive bleeding, or an extremely foul odor at the site of the cord, then call the office for a visit.