Can the navel of a newborn baby be disinfected with iodine? It is best to dilute it

The navel of a newborn baby needs careful care. So, can the navel of a newborn baby be disinfected with iodine?

Can I use iodine to disinfect the navel of a newborn baby?

Iodine can be used to disinfect the navel of a newborn baby.

You can use iodine or 75% alcohol to disinfect your baby's navel. If you use iodine, it is best to dilute it to a concentration of three to one. After dilution, you can use a cotton swab dipped in disinfectant to circle the bottom of the navel. But be careful to disinfect from the inside out and be gentle.

Notice:

Generally, hospitals recommend using alcohol for disinfection. However, if the baby's navel is infected and there is pus, do not use medication without authorization. Go to the pediatric department in time and let the doctor diagnose and treat you to avoid delaying the disease.

How to tell if a newborn's belly button is good?

After the umbilical cord falls off, the navel is dry and has no exudation, no signs of redness or infection, the navel does not bulge, and the baby's navel does not smell bad. If the baby's navel is like this, then it means that the baby's navel has grown well.

Note: If the baby has secretions in the umbilical cord, it is best for the mother to wipe the baby with alcohol once or twice a day. After two or three days, it will get better. A dry umbilical cord can accelerate the healing of the navel. If the exudate is yellow mucus with a foul odor, it means that the umbilical cord is infected and needs to be treated promptly.

How to care for the newborn's belly button

1. Clean your belly button

When bathing the baby every day, you should also clean the baby's belly button. Some mothers are afraid that the baby's belly button wound has not healed and dare not clean it. This is wrong.

After cleaning, wipe the navel with a cotton swab dipped in 95% alcohol, starting from the base of the umbilical cord (or the depression) and wiping outwards until the skin stops. Check whether the navel is dry every time you change the diaper. If the navel is wet, repeat the above steps (wipe again with 95% alcohol).

2. Prevent urine from contaminating your navel

First, the diaper should not be too long to avoid contamination of the wound after being wetted by urine. Second, it is best to choose a diaper that can leave space for the navel. In order to prevent urine from contaminating the navel, take isolation measures. Third, observe the baby's bowel movements in time and change diapers frequently.

3. Keep dry

Keeping the area around the umbilical cord dry and clean is the top priority to help the baby heal. Once the umbilical cord is wet, it is easy to cause bacterial infection and even omphalitis. Therefore, keeping it dry is the first principle of care.

4. Let your belly button ventilate

While keeping it dry, you should also pay attention to the ventilation of the navel, and do not cover it too thickly to prevent moisture from forming; if you find that the navel is wet, you should immediately use cotton cloth to gently dry it. You should also choose soft and breathable clothes to reduce local friction.

What to do if the newborn has umbilical suppuration

If 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, and there is purulent secretion in the navel with a foul odor, and the baby also has symptoms of anorexia, vomiting, and fever, it means that the baby's navel may have suppurated. You should take the 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.