Help! Bleeding bellybutton

ivybug

My 2wk old lost her ambilical cord at 1.5wks old.  The ped cleaned out her belly button noting the dried blood and afterwards, I noticed it had bled a little (red blood on her onesie).  I cleaned it out really well removing all the blood.  Now, 3 days later it is almost completely full of dried blood again!  Should I call the nurses line?  Is this normal?

I also couldn't see any indication it was closing up - when cleaning it, the opening just kept going....

MediaBride

I would call the pedi just to be safe, but I think you should just leave it alone.  The dried blood might look gross, but some of it is probably acting like a scab so everytime you clean it (esp more vigorously), you are disrupting the healing process. 

I'm not sure if you can do Neosporin on a newborn, but I would def call and see what the pedi rec's to help it heal.  GL!: )

WhiteOrchid.

DD2's did this. She lost the stump at 2 weeks old, and I noticed dried blood on her onesie. She actually had red blood at one point on her belly button. I just left it alone. I didn't clean or touch it and it closed up. My ped said it's normal unless it's oozing a color- yellow or green pus. I know how scary it is, though, so a call to the nurse line would probably put you at ease.

Littlejen22

I would use alcohol until you can get to see the doctor and they will probably use silver nitrate on it...that's what they did for my DS.  Is it *** at all?  It might be infected.