Can I use vegetable oil to rub the umbilical cord of a newborn baby if it is inflamed? Can I use vegetable oil to rub the umbilical cord?

Can I use vegetable oil to wipe the umbilical cord of a newborn baby when it is inflamed? Can I use vegetable oil to wipe the umbilical cord? The tradition of the older generation of caring for the umbilical cord of a newborn baby is to wipe the belly button with vegetable oil. Is this really okay? Here I will introduce to you the correct way to care for the umbilical cord of a newborn baby.

Can I use vegetable oil to clean the umbilical cord?

It is recommended to perform umbilical cord care every day before the newborn's umbilical cord falls off. It is not recommended to use vegetable oil, but alcohol or iodine can be used.

Poor care of the newborn's belly button may even endanger his life

For delicate newborns, the umbilicus is a special portal for the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms.

Wang Xiaojie, head nurse of the neonatal department of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, said that if the umbilical cord is not handled properly, it can easily cause local infection and bleeding. Bacterial reproduction can cause umbilical suppuration. In severe cases, it can lead to neonatal sepsis and may even endanger the life of the newborn.

Can I use vegetable oil to rub the umbilical cord of a newborn baby?

What to do if the umbilicus becomes suppurative

When the skin around the baby's belly button becomes red and swollen, and you can feel a slight heat on the skin surface when you touch it with your hand, and purulent secretions with a foul odor appear in the navel, and the baby also has symptoms of anorexia, vomiting, and fever, it means that the baby's navel may have become festering.

What to do

You should take your baby to the hospital immediately.

The bacteria that cause omphalitis are mostly Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococci or Escherichia coli. They are all deadly bacteria to newborns and must be treated with antibiotics. At this time, local disinfection alone is far from enough. If the treatment is not timely, it may cause sepsis or peritonitis, which will be very dangerous.

Umbilical cord care for newborns

Under normal circumstances, the time when the umbilical cord of most newborns falls off will vary depending on the baby's condition, and it usually falls off 1 to 2 weeks after birth. If you follow the three principles of umbilical cord care, you can easily take care of your baby.

First, keep it dry. The baby's umbilical cord should be kept dry before it falls off. Especially if the base of the umbilical cord is accidentally wet during bathing, it should be wiped clean with a clean cotton swab before performing umbilical cord care.

Second, avoid friction. The size of the diaper should be appropriate, and the waist of the diaper should not be placed just at the base of the umbilical cord, otherwise it will easily rub against the base of the umbilical cord when the baby moves, causing skin breakage, redness, and even bleeding.

Third, avoid heat and stuffiness. Do not apply creams, lotions or oils to the base of the umbilical cord, as this may cause the umbilical cord to dry out easily or even lead to infection.

Five details of umbilical cord care:

There are some specific details that must be paid attention to when caring for a newborn's umbilical cord.

First, mothers must wash their hands when caring for the umbilical cord area to prevent bacteria on their hands from infecting the baby's navel.

Second, when bathing your baby, do not let the umbilical cord get wet before it falls off. If you take your baby swimming during the newborn stage, be sure to wear waterproof stickers.

Third, the umbilical cord and the skin around it should be kept dry and clean, especially the diaper should not cover the navel to avoid contaminating the navel wound with urine or feces.

Fourth, never use gentian violet. Some babies' belly buttons do not fall off for a long time, or pus forms after falling off. Some elderly people use gentian violet to wipe the baby's umbilical cord in order to dry it. This method was often used in the past, but it is not recommended in medicine now because the drying effect of gentian violet is limited to the surface, while the drying effect of iodine tincture dries from the inside out.

Fifth, wipe twice a day with an iodine cotton swab, once in the morning and once in the evening. When wiping, lift the small string at the ligation site of the umbilical cord with one hand, and use the iodine-soaked cotton swab to fully wipe the place where the umbilical cord connects to the flesh with the other hand. Wrap it with sterile gauze. Change the dressing regularly in the future. If the cotton swab is dirty, it should be replaced in time. Do not use a dirty cotton swab to wipe repeatedly, as this will cause infection and inflammation.

If purulent secretions appear in the navel fossa after the umbilical cord falls off, and redness and swelling appear around the navel, it means omphalitis has occurred and you should go to the hospital for treatment in time to avoid the spread of the infection.