THE UMBILICAL CORD CARE
·
Wear sterile hand gloves before attending to the cord
to avoid infection
·
Remove the gloves you wear to clean the baby and wear
a new pair of sterile hand gloves as you attend to the cord
·
Use sterile surgical blade or scissors or a clean
unused razor blade to cut the cord
·
Cut the umbilical cord close to the body of the
newborn baby. Only 2-3 centimeters should be left attached to the body
·
Keep the cord dry to prevent infection
·
Allow air to touch the cord
·
The baby’s nappy (diaper) should not cover the navel
so that the cord does not get wet with urine. This is to avoid infection
·
If there are dust and flies the cord should be covered
lightly with sterile gauze
·
Give mother tetanus toxoid immunization during
pregnancy to prevent tetanus infection of the cord.
·
Do not apply concoctions which are likely to be
infected to the cord.
·
Methylated spirit can be used to clean the cord if the
cord came into contact with an infected material.
·
Double clamp every umbilical stump
·
Omphalitis (umbilical cord infection) is deadly. Avoid
it by taking above named steps in handling the umbilical cord.
