Your newborn's first days: cord care, bathing and safe sleep

The first days at home with your baby are wonderful and full of questions. A few simple rules for cord care, bathing and safe sleep can help these days feel calmer.

Umbilical cord care

The remaining stump of the umbilical cord dries out, shrivels and falls off on its own over time; it's expected to fall off by the time your baby is 3 weeks old. In the meantime:

• Keep the cord clean and dry; don't put alcohol on it.
• Fold the top of the diaper below the cord so it doesn't get wet with urine.
• If the cord gets dirty, clean it with a clean cotton ball dipped in warm water, then pat it dry gently.
• A few drops of blood on the diaper when the cord falls off are normal.

See your doctor if the skin around the cord turns red, there's a yellowish, foul-smelling discharge, or your baby cries when you touch the cord or the skin around it. If the cord keeps bleeding, contact your doctor right away; if it hasn't fallen off after 3 weeks, have it checked.

Bathing

You don't need to bathe your baby every day. Wiping their face, neck, hands and bottom with cotton balls dipped in warm water is enough; use a fresh one for each eye and wipe outward from the nose. If you give a bath, put in cold water first, then hot, mix well and test the water with your wrist or elbow. Never leave your baby alone in the bath, even for a second. After the bath, dry the skin folds carefully. When changing diapers, clean the bottom and genital area with clean cotton balls dipped in warm water and dry carefully, including the folds, before putting on a fresh diaper. Ask your midwife or doctor which cleanser you can use.

Safe sleep

To lower the risk of sudden infant death, experts recommend:

• Put your baby to sleep on their back for every sleep, day and night.
• Use a flat, firm mattress and place your baby with their feet touching the foot of the crib.
• Keep pillows, quilts, bumpers, toys and anything else that could cover their face or head out of the crib.
• For at least the first 6 months, have your baby sleep in your room but in their own bed.
• Don't let your baby sleep on inclined surfaces; if they fall asleep in the car seat, move them to their flat bed as soon as you can.
• Don't let your baby overheat; keep the room at 22–24°C, or 24–26°C for babies born prematurely.
• Don't fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.
• Don't smoke, and don't let anyone smoke around your baby.
• Swaddling doesn't lower the risk of sudden infant death; stop swaddling once you notice your baby trying to roll over.

Sharing a bed is risky, and even more so if you or your partner smoke, have had alcohol or a medicine that makes you drowsy, or if your baby was born before 37 weeks or weighed less than 2.5 kg. Breastfeeding also lowers the risk.

“On their back, in their own bed, in your room: that's safe sleep in a nutshell.”

When should you get help?

Signs of illness can become serious quickly in newborns. Call your local emergency number or go to the emergency room right away if your baby: is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C or higher or below 36°C; is breathing very fast or with effort, grunting, or sucking in their belly with each breath; has blue, gray or very pale skin, lips or tongue; is hard to wake; has a rash that doesn't fade when you press on it; has a seizure; or hasn't had a wet diaper in 12 hours.

If your baby doesn't want to feed, is floppy or unusually sleepy, or their skin or the whites of their eyes are turning yellow, contact your doctor the same day. If you feel something is wrong, don't hesitate to ask for help, even at night.