# Stinky umbilical cord?



## huminbird (Mar 5, 2008)

My son is 8 days old and the umbilical cord site stinks! Is this normal? It looks about to fall off, just a bit of green flesh still attaches it. Its gross smelling.


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## mothernurture2 (Aug 27, 2005)

try goldenseal tincture a few times a day. it may be about to fall off!


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## yasinsmama (Mar 9, 2008)

My son's fell off at 2 weeks I think. Before it did, I kissed his belly one day and freaked out because it smelled foul!!! I thought it was infected or something. Yuck!! Then it still looked gross after it fell off for a couple of days.


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## neverdoingitagain (Mar 30, 2005)

Normal. Disgusting, but normal. You can try rubbing alcohol to clean it off(don't do it often though, kills the bacteria that breaks down the cord) I never had any luck with it myself. You can alos try just plain soap and water, just make sure you dry it well. All in all, make sure its very dry. It'll probably drop off soon


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## yasinsmama (Mar 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *neverdoingitagain* 
Normal. Disgusting, but normal. You can try rubbing alcohol to clean it off(don't do it often though, kills the bacteria that breaks down the cord) I never had any luck with it myself. You can alos try just plain soap and water, just make sure you dry it well. All in all, make sure its very dry. It'll probably drop off soon









Really? The hospital and pediatrician told me to clean it a few times a day with alcohol so it WOULD fall off..??


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## The Harpy (Apr 1, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yaseensmommy* 
Really? The hospital and pediatrician told me to clean it a few times a day with alcohol so it WOULD fall off..??

I was also told w/ both my children to clean it a few times a day w/ alcohol so that it would stay clean and it dries it out more so that it falls off nicely.


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## neverdoingitagain (Mar 30, 2005)

I'm sure there is a link running around here on this subject. Btw, one lady on here did that and the cord stayed on for 2 months.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=840349

there was another one, not too long before, but I can't find it for some reason


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## asunlitrose (Apr 19, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yaseensmommy* 
Really? The hospital and pediatrician told me to clean it a few times a day with alcohol so it WOULD fall off..??

It's actually been shown in recent research that cords that are left alone fall off earlier than ones that are cleaned with alcohol.

"In a randomized, controlled trial comparing cleaning the cord with alcohol at each diaper change and allowing the cord to dry naturally without treatment, researchers found neither group developed a cord infection. In addition, the cord came off a day earlier in the group in which the cord was allowed to dry naturally."

Source: DONA Postpartum Doula Training Handout, Adapted from _Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide_, Simkin, Whaley, Keppler, 2001, Meadowbrook Press.


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## sophi4ka (Jun 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yaseensmommy* 
My son's fell off at 2 weeks I think. Before it did, I kissed his belly one day and freaked out because it smelled foul!!! I thought it was infected or something. Yuck!! Then it still looked gross after it fell off for a couple of days.

We had exactly the same story







We even called the doctor to ask if it is an infection cause it looks so yucky yellow and stinky. Apparently it is normal


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## jaxinsmom (Jul 24, 2006)

I remember with my dd calling my mw about the stench, and she said "does it smell like rotting flesh?"
Ummm. yeah.
"totally normal"
*barf*
I guess as long as it's not oozing your fine









I left it alone and it fell off by 2 weeks.


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## QueenOfThePride (May 26, 2005)

Normal. But you can safely reduce the smell by dipping a Q-tip in witch hazel and cleaning it out in there. Then take a dry Q-tip and dry it out in there really good. You don't want to leave it wet.


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## neverdoingitagain (Mar 30, 2005)

Found the other thread!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=812953
lots of good info in there


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## janasmama (Feb 8, 2005)

goldenseal works like magic. You can use the powder form of it also as one pp mentioned a tincture. I think the powder works well because it absorbs moisture. The stuff is like gold.

you can read about it here

http://www.litegreenliving.com/cord-care-goldenseal


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## huminbird (Mar 5, 2008)

Well, it did finally fall off. I just wish someone would have told me before it got all stinky so I wouldn't have worried.







:

I am finding that there is allot to learn in the first weeks.


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## neverdoingitagain (Mar 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *huminbird* 
Well, it did finally fall off. I just wish someone would have told me before it got all stinky so I wouldn't have worried.







:

I am finding that there is allot to learn in the first weeks.

















and it never really ends.


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