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Home / Health Insurance / Articles / Parenting / Baby Development Tips / Give Your Baby Sponge Baths Only Until The Umbilical Stump Heals

Give Your Baby Sponge Baths Only Until The Umbilical Stump Heals

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

At this age, your child requires meticulous and careful attention to all aspects of her well-being and keeping her in an optimal condition is a significant part of it, for it is the skin that is the main temperature regulating system.

Contents

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    1. At this age, your child’s skin will be very thin and permeable to the loss of heat and incipient loss of fluids, which maybe small in quantity, but is a significant proportion when it is taken in context of your baby’s small size. Hence it is very important that great care is taken of your baby’s skin and its condition be kept optimal to ensure that your baby’s body temperature is preserved.

    2. At the time of birth, the umbilical cord, which serves as a link to the placenta and the baby, is cut and it will over the course of the next few days, dry up and fall off. Whilst the stump of the umbilical cord is on the baby, it is imperative that complete asepsis be observed when handling the stump. There are some old beliefs about the care of the umbilical stump, such as applying cow dung to the stump and many others. These must not be done, as they will dramatically increase your child’s susceptibility to life-threatening infections.

    3. Hence, the best way to take care of your child’s skin and umbilical stump is to cover the latter with sterile gauze whilst sponging your child, until the stump falls off naturally. This happens when the blood vessels that were present in the cord are naturally closed up and obliterated by the process of healing.

    Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.

     

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