How long for umbilical stump to fall off?

Specialties Pediatric

Published

I have read in all of my nursing books 7-10 days. I got on the internet and see up to 8weeks. I ask because my boyfriend's brother's 7 week old baby still has her cord. I am good friends with his wife and she told me about the doctor mentioning the possibility of an immunodeficency associated with delay cord separation, though she didn't know what the name of it and asked me to do some research (Leukocyte Adhesion Defect type 1).

I did some research and I REALLY don't think this LAD is the case. I have also read on quite a few websites that it can take up to 45 days for the cord to fall off! I think it was pretty crappy of the doctor to mention this to her without assessing more thoroughly.

Anyway, just wondering what other nurses say about the amount of time it can take for the cord to fall off...

Thanks!!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

I'm not sure if this falls under the heading of medical advice... I've seen premature babies with stumps for a long time, but I don't remember it being that many weeks.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

I'm not sure what the true recommended time is but when my son was born he still had his umbilical stump after 7 days. When I took him to the pediatrician he told be to lift the stump and move it around while applying a good amount of alcohol. Because I wasn't saturating it enough and deep enough it wasn't drying out and then falling off. After I did as he told me, it fell off within a couple of days.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Newer recommendations say that you don't put anything at all on the stump and it will dry up even faster than with alcohol swabbing. Just watch it for sx of infection.

That said, I have never heard of a cord staying on that long.

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My two week old still has his cord. I was meticulous about applying alcohol with every bath and diaper change with my other three but I've been lax with this one, I only put alcohol on it after bath time. It looks kind of gross but there is no odor or any other ssx infection.

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

Congrats on the baby Motorcyle. :balloons::Present1:

Swtooth EMT-P, RN

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