Skin and body · first 3 weeks
Umbilical cord stump care
Checked against current guidance on October 8, 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The 10-second answer
- Keep it clean and dry. Use plain water if it gets dirty, then pat dry. No alcohol needed.12347
- Fold the top of the diaper below the stump so it gets air.14
- It usually falls off by itself in 5-15 days. Never pull it.34
- Redness spreading onto the tummy or swelling: get medical advice now. Pus or a bad smell: call your doctor today.134
General information from published guidance, not a diagnosis or medical advice for your baby. If you are worried, call your doctor, midwife or local health line, whatever this page says. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
What's normal right now
Choose by birthday
- How it looks
- Yellow-green and shiny, then drier and darker
- What to do
- Keep it dry and open to the air. Sponge bath if your doctor suggests it.
- How it looks
- Dry, brown or black, shriveled
- What to do
- Let it fall off by itself, even if it hangs by a thread.
A few drops of blood or a little sticky ooze when it comes off is normal.134
Is this normal?
Common signs, and what the guidance says to do
Usually normal
A few drops of blood are common when the stump comes off. Press gently with clean gauze for a few minutes.14
Usually normal
Common as it separates. Clean with water and pat dry.4
Guidance: get medical advice now
This can be an infection, which can spread fast in newborns. Get medical advice now.134
Guidance: get medical advice now
Possible infection. Get medical advice now, especially with fever or a sleepy baby.349
Guidance: call your doctor today
Possible infection. Call your doctor today. If there's also redness spreading onto the skin, get medical advice now.134
Guidance: get medical advice now
Get medical help now.4
Save the day it fell off as a milestone in Ella. Open Ella
If your baby stops breathing, turns blue or grey, is floppy or cannot be woken, call your local emergency number now.
The details
Dry cord care is enough
Research shows that where hygiene is good, keeping the cord clean and dry works as well as alcohol or other antiseptics, and it may fall off sooner. In some countries, especially where newborn infections are more common or where substances are traditionally put on the cord, a health worker may recommend an antiseptic such as chlorhexidine. Follow local advice.
Daily routine
Bathing before it falls off
Many doctors suggest sponge baths until the stump falls off. If you do give a tub bath, keep it short and pat the stump dry afterwards. Our bath guide walks you through it.
Questions parents ask
When does the umbilical cord fall off?
Usually between 5 and 15 days after birth. Some take up to 3 weeks. If it is still attached after 3 weeks, mention it to your doctor.134
Should I clean the umbilical cord with alcohol?
Not usually. Keeping it clean and dry with plain water is the current advice in most countries. Follow your midwife's advice if they recommend an antiseptic.1245
