Navel bleeding can occur in newborns or a few weeks afterward. This can happen if the baby's umbilical cord care is not done properly. Wounds or bleeding in the umbilical cord need to be prevented and treated immediately, so as not to become infected.
After the baby is born, the umbilical cord will be cut until a small amount is left which is known as the umbilical stump. The umbilical stump will generally fall off on its own within 10-14 days, after previously drying and shrinking.
Sometimes a baby's belly button bleeds when the umbilical stump is about to fall off. You can treat this condition by cleaning the area around the umbilical stump and gently pressing the remaining umbilical cord to hold the blood out.
What to do so that the baby's navel doesn't bleed
The treatment so that the baby's belly button does not bleed is to keep the remaining umbilical cord dry and clean. This umbilical cord treatment can be done in the following ways:
- Let the umbilical stump fall off on its own and don't pull it.
- Keep the area around the belly button clean. If it gets dirty, clean it with clean water and avoid using alcohol. Although alcohol acts as a disinfectant, some doctors think it can cause irritation and delay wound healing.
- After cleaning, dry the area around the navel by means of a fan or gently patting with a clean dry cloth.
- When putting on a diaper, make sure the front of the diaper doesn't touch or press on the rest of the umbilical cord.
- Wear clothes that are loose and can absorb sweat.
- Change the baby's diaper regularly to prevent urine or baby feces from hitting the umbilical stump.
- If the umbilical cord bleeds a little, gently press the cord with sterile gauze or a clean cloth for 10 minutes. This light bleeding will usually stop on its own.
- Do not give herbs or herbal medicine dressings because they can irritate the umbilical cord. In addition, these objects also tend to be dirty so that they can cause infection in the umbilical cord.
To prevent the baby's belly button from bleeding, you should not bathe the baby in the bath. Bathing a baby in a bathtub can actually make the umbilical cord wet and never dry. To keep your little one clean, just wash his body using foam (sponge) are soft.
Infection in the Bloody Navel
A bleeding baby's navel can also be caused by an infection that poses a risk to the baby's safety. Mothers need to immediately take their little ones to the doctor if the belly button is bleeding with the following symptoms:
- The skin of the navel becomes red and swollen.
- The belly button area feels warmer than the skin around the abdomen.
- Babies seem to be in pain every time their stomach is touched.
- A cloudy discharge like pus from the navel that sometimes smells bad.
- Fever.
Even though your little one doesn't feel the symptoms above, you still need to take him to the pediatrician immediately if the umbilical cord doesn't come off after 3 weeks. This could be a sign of an infection or an immune system disorder, resulting in a disruption in the umbilical cord.