Articles
What a newborn really looks like
Content
Your newborn's eyes
Your newborn's head
A newborn's soft spots
Your newborn's umbilical cord
Your newborn's skin
Your newborn's birthmarks
Your newborn's breasts and genitals
Your first look at your newborn
Your newborn's eyes
Your newborn's head
A newborn's soft spots
Your newborn's umbilical cord
Your newborn's skin
Your newborn's birthmarks
Your newborn's breasts and genitals
Your first look at your newborn
Your newborn's umbilical cord
The umbilical cord attaches the baby to the placenta during pregnancy. After the baby is born, a healthcare professional will clamp the cord close to the baby's body.
The stump of a newborn's umbilical cord is usually a yellow-green color at birth.
The clamped bit of umbilical cord will dry out over a few weeks after birth. It will change in color to brown and then to black. It typically falls off around 1 to 3 weeks after birth.
In the meantime, caregivers should keep the stump clean and dry. Fold your baby's diaper under the stump so that air can help dry out the base. Stick to sponge baths while the area is healing. There's no need to swab the stump with rubbing alcohol.
