What the stump is and what happens to it

The HSE describes the mechanics precisely. After birth, the cord is clamped about 3 cm to 4 cm (1.5 to 2 inches) from the belly button, with a plastic clip further up, and cut between the clips — leaving a stump of 2 cm to 3 cm (1 to 1.5 inches). There are no nerve endings in the cord, so "this procedure is not painful for you or your baby."

Then it dries out. Raising Children Network describes the sequence: "During the first few days after birth, the stump gets darker, shrivels and eventually falls off with the clamp."

How long it takes

The published ranges differ slightly, which is worth knowing so you do not panic at day 10:

HSE: "Your baby's umbilical cord stump will fall off by itself about 5 to 15 days after birth."
Raising Children Network: it falls off with the clamp, "sometimes this takes 1-2 weeks."
AAP: "The umbilical cord stump should dry and fall off by the time your baby is 3 weeks old. If it is still there beyond that time, a doctor's visit is needed."

So: anywhere from about five days to three weeks is within normal. Past three weeks, get it looked at. Raising Children Network sets its threshold slightly earlier — see your GP or child and family health nurse if the stump has not fallen off after more than two weeks.

What is normal while it heals

Raising Children Network is the most reassuring source here, because it names the things that look wrong but are not. While the stump is drying up and just after it falls off, "you might notice some oozing around your baby's belly button. This might be clear, sticky or brownish, and it might leave a mark on your baby's clothes or nappy. It might also smell a little bit. This is part of the healing process."

The AAP adds: "You may notice a few drops of blood on the diaper around the time the stump falls off; this is normal." Active bleeding is not — that is a same-day call.

How to care for it

The consensus across the HSE, the AAP and Raising Children Network is remarkably consistent, and much less involved than most parents expect.

Wash your hands before and after touching the cord (HSE).
Clean with water only. Raising Children Network: "Use water and a clean, soft washcloth or cotton ball to clean the stump. It's OK to use a mild baby cleanser." The HSE suggests cotton wool and cooled boiled water around the base if needed.
Do not use antiseptic, alcohol wipes or creams. Raising Children Network says this outright; the AAP says "There is no need to use alcohol on the umbilical cord stump; just keep it clean."
Keep it dry. Pat the area gently dry after cleaning.
Fold the nappy down and away from the stump so it can air-dry and does not get soaked in urine (HSE, AAP, Raising Children Network all say this).
Inspect at every nappy change for redness around the base (HSE).
Never pull it off, even if it looks ready. Raising Children Network: "Never try to pull the stump off yourself."

On bathing: the NHS's advice on washing a newborn is that "you only need to wash around your baby's umbilical cord if it's dirty with pee or poo." The AAP's separate guidance is to give sponge baths only until the stump has come off, and then move to a proper bath once the area has healed. That is covered in more detail on our bathing page.

When to call

Contact your midwife, health visitor, public health nurse or GP if:

There is any redness or discolouration of the skin around the belly button — the HSE flags this as a possible sign of infection.
There is bleeding or discharge from the belly button.
The AAP's three specific signs of umbilical cord infection (omphalitis) are present: foul-smelling yellowish discharge from the cord, red skin around the base of the cord, or crying when you touch the cord or the skin next to it. The AAP notes cord infections are uncommon but do need medical treatment.
The stump has not come off by three weeks (AAP), or by two weeks (Raising Children Network).
You are still seeing sticky liquid several days after the stump has fallen off, or the area gets hot, red, discoloured or swollen.

Seek urgent care — your out-of-hours service or emergency department — if:

The cord is actively bleeding. The AAP says to call your baby's doctor immediately.
Your baby is lethargic or otherwise unwell alongside any of the above.
Your baby has a fever. Raising Children Network says to take them to a hospital emergency department. In a baby under 3 months, NICE's own threshold is a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or higher, which puts them in the high-risk group for serious illness.

Two lumps that turn up afterwards

Umbilical granuloma

After the stump has fallen off, some babies develop a small pink, red or discoloured lump in the belly button area, which may ooze a small amount of yellow or clear fluid. The AAP describes it as "a small reddened or brownish mass of scar tissue" and says it will usually go away in about a week; if it does not, a paediatrician may dry it or chemically cauterise the tissue. Raising Children Network advises keeping the area clean and dry and having a clinician look at it.

Umbilical hernia

If your baby develops a bulge near the belly button, more noticeable when they cry or strain, that may be an umbilical hernia — a small gap in the abdominal wall that lets tissue push out when pressure rises. The AAP says it "is not a serious condition; it usually heals by itself in the first 12 to 18 months." Raising Children Network says it often goes away between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Surgery is only considered if it has not closed by then.

One clear instruction from the AAP: "Don't put tape or a coin on the navel. It will not help the hernia, and it may cause a skin rash." This is a persistent piece of folk advice and it does nothing useful.

What to let go of

You do not need surgical spirit, antiseptic powder, cord powder or a special cord-care product. You do not need to clean it on a schedule. You do not need to check it obsessively — once a nappy change is enough. A stump that is drying out looks alarming to almost every new parent, and looking alarming is exactly what it is supposed to do.

Umbilical Cord Care and When It Falls Off