Belly Buttons

[Demongirlie]

Does anyone know how a baby's umbilical cord gets tied into a belly button ??? Do they use a special piece of equipment to do it ????

[kick3m0n]

it doesn't get tied, it gets cut and clipped.

[Demongirlie]

if its get cut and clipped, then why does it look the way it does, like a little knot.

[B00]

kick3m0n is correct it does get cut and clipped. As for the knot, I presume it may have something to do with the stomach muscles pulling it in?

[Clanad]

Well, it does get "cut and clipped", but after a short period of time, the clipped (meaning held by a clamp device made for the procedure) umbilical cord drops off.  The remaining "belly button" can be an "outy" or an "inny" depending on how the cord detached itself.  After delivery, it's not cut next to the belly, but is clamped in two places and then cut in bewteen the clamps, approximately 3 or 4 inches in length and the remaining clamp is left in place.  In the olden days, babies wore umbilical protectors.  this was a simple cotton cloth with ties on it that went around the baby and tied to keep from inadvertently pulling the umbilical off until it dried sufficiently to drop off... All you wanted to know, I'm sure, about umbilicals...

[kick3m0n]

I'm laughing....I can't actually believe you thought they tied it.  How cute is that?  nice idea, but utterly impossible.  Our wee guy's dropped off after a couple of weeks.

[OBonio]

I have to admit that I thought they were stitched up hence the hot-cross bun look..... I blame my parents....

[Demongirlie]

I'm still not convinced, but thanks for all your answers. It looks like a little knot. So why do dogs and cats not have belly buttons, but a little round bump on their belly ?

[spinchimp]

Kick3m0n - tieing used to be normal practice and still is in some parts of the world. See:

http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/MSM_ 98_4/MSM_98_4_chapter2.en.html

[B00]

Demongirlie- how can you still not be convinced? the majority of us are speaking from the experience of having babies! and believe you me, there's nothing more yucky than finding the dropped off cord bit in your babies nappy!

[Demongirlie]

I remember seeing my brothers cord drop off, but I still dont quite understand how the knot effect is achieved. Surely if the cord is twisted and clipped, how do they stop the clip from untwirling ???? I asked my parents if they actually saw the midwife twisting any of their kids umbilical cords, and they said no. So until someone can prove they've actually seen it or I one day give birth myself I remain sceptical.

[Clanad]

Last attempt: You are in: Children's Health  
   Umbilical Cord Care  
   
   Umbilical Cord Treatment  
 
During the first hour after delivery, usually following the baby's first bath, the umbilical stump (as it is now called) is treated with an antibiotic applied directly onto it, to decrease the chance for infection.


Twenty-four hours after delivery, the clamp can be safely removed from the stump. It is a good idea to make sure the clamp is removed at the hospital, before the baby goes home. The clamp can get stuck during the home diaper changes and can pull on and injure the stump.


Once you�re home with the baby, little is required to care for the stump. Depending on the type of initial treatment the baby�s cord received, you may need to wipe the stump and the surrounding skin area with rubbing alcohol 2-3 times a day until the stump falls off. While wiping, you may notice a little bit of yellowish ooze or even a drop of blood. This is normal and is not a cause for concern.

Contd. 

[Clanad]

Contd.

Keeping the area dry is important. This is why you are not supposed to bathe the baby until later.


Another way to help with cord care is to keep the diaper rolled out and down (so the inside of the diaper is showing), which allows the stump to be exposed to the air keeping it dry. Furthermore, the rolled diaper will not trap the stump inside the diaper. If you roll the diaper in and down, it will place the plastic outer side of the diaper against the stomach, making it uncomfortable for the baby.


Within the first 2 weeks, the cord usually falls off. When this happens, you may notice a small, pinkish area in the bottom of the belly button, which does not look like the rest of the skin. This is expected, and normal skin will grow over it. Once this happens, it is safe to give your baby a bath.
 (Source: www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/9922-4.asp)

 

[janesmythe22]

You might find this link useful (warning-the image is not for everyone, so don't go there if your only experience with newborns is based on some nice postcards).

Mind you, the cord (as all other tissue with blood vessels) must be first clamped and then cut, otherwise you may get some jolly nasty bleeding.

With the first breath after birth, newborn functional anatomy changes suddenly (ie from foetal/fetal to newborn). The umbilical vein and the ductus venosus closes off within two to five days after birth, leaving behind the ligamentum teres and the ligamentum venosus of the liver respectively.

In other words, blood doesn't 'feed' the stump anymore, hence it falls off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbilical_cord

[Otrere]

The skin must sort've knit itself together like when you break your leg, your bones do - and you don't see hospitals tying your bones in knots!!!

[goldfish100]

Hi,

I guess the knotted look is due to the scar tissue from the healing process. This is just a guess though!