Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

We don't use anything to "clean" the cord...We give tub baths with the cord still on...don't swab umbilical lines (except, of course, when placed)...and our babies have lovely cords!

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

Originally Posted by sofiam

HI!
I my unit we use alcool 70º once a day, after the bath, but i´ve been reading some contradiction literature... Some says to dont apply anything, others to apply iodopovidone, clorhexidine, ...
Wthats your experience on this?
And when they have umbilical catethers with briges,do you apply anything?

We used to use iodine but then were told a few years ago that due to absorption bad for prem thyroids.

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

The roting process of a cord is slowed by pickling them with antiseptics and alcohol. Recently following up newborns in the community I have had to treat some very large umbilical granuloma with silver nitrate. I think there is a correlation with use of plastic coated disposable nappies and warm humid weather we are currently having. i would be tempted to go back to treating moist cords with alcohol to prevent granuloma.

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

We use alcohol once a day, unless it gets wet or soiled. Sponge baths. We dont' treat cords with lines except the intial betadine.

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

Occasionally we'll find a granuloma under the little stump that's left after the baby has had lines. By the time the baby is two or three weeks old, alcohol is not going to help at all. That's when we have to get an order for silver nitrate sticks, tx by the doc.

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

Nothing on them here either.

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

hi to all, does anyone know of any studies supporting the no treatment to cords? We still do tripledye q day and alcohol with diapers and it talkes forever for them to fall off! Nevermind the complaints we get from parents about the "blue stuff" all over the babies bellies....and sometimes in other places!

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

All we do on our cords here is give them a quick swish with water at each nappy change. We tell the parents to keep the top of disposable nappies folded down so the cord is exposed to air, and suggest they use a Q-tip to wipe around the base of the stump. We tub-bath from the word go. Our bubs are generally problem-free (cord-wise, anyway); I haven't seen any infections in cords yet.

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

The AWHONN recommendation is for NO antiseptic treatment at all; it actually shortens cord drop off time and does not increase rate of infection/omphalitis in developed countries. The evidence has been there since 2001, but because of our attending's concerns, we just changed practice this year.....sounds like some other people need to come into the present day of evidence -based nursing care too!

I still can't find any evidence about whether anything should be done for "cord care" if there is a UAC/UVC in place....any thoughts?

Re: How to treat umbilical cord?

I dont remember seeing a cord problem in the three years I have worked at my current facility. We don't put anything on them and we do tub baths every three days. We don't treat them with anything when they have lines in either.