The umbilical cord is the source of life as well as a means of communication for the baby growing in his/her mother’s womb. Yet, it is not just the source of nutrition during pregnancy for the baby in his/her mother’s womb, but also a bond of oath between him/her and the mother.

Umbilical cord is a special cordon that protects our baby from the outside world until he/she grows up, and bonds the baby with the mother. This incredible initial bond between the baby and the mother enters a different dimension when the baby is born.

The newborn gets separated from the mother’s cord. No longer fed by the umbilical cord, the newborn enters a new phase by meeting with his/her mother’s milk.

With this second stage, the umbilical cord, when cut from the newborn, is removed from the mother’s body. This is when the newborn’s belly button is most fragile, and its due care is needed. Both mother and father may have confusion about how to take proper care of the belly button of the newborn.

In order to protect your baby from germs, you need to take care of the umbilical cord until it drops. Instead of using an external substance when cleaning the belly button, you should keep the belly clean and dry, and should not touch your baby's belly without soaping your hands first.

In some infants the umbilical cord may drop late. It is normal for the belly button to have a slight bloody discharge and a small lump that remains after the cord drops in about 10 days. Within a week these are expected to pass completely. If the cord has not dropped at the end of 20 days or if it bleeds constantly after it has dropped, you should definitely consult your doctor.