Pedemy · For parents
Umbilical cord observation record
Note how the stump looks each day, when it falls off, and any redness, drainage or bleeding to describe to the doctor.
Use these notes with your child’s clinician. This tool does not diagnose illness, prescribe treatment or confirm that home care is safe.
Call 911 now
Call 911 or your local emergency number if your baby is very hard to wake, limp, struggling to breathe, or turning blue or gray.
Get medical care now
Get care now for a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, poor feeding, a floppy or unusually sleepy baby, or bleeding that will not stop. Call the same day for redness or swelling around the cord, smelly yellow drainage, or pain when it is touched.
Your entries stay in this open page and disappear when it is reloaded or closed. Print a copy if needed. Avoid names and identifying details.
Care reminders
- The cord stump needs very little care: keep it clean and dry and let it fall off on its own. Knowing the few signs of infection or bleeding tells you when to call.
- Keep the stump dry and open to the air, fold the diaper below it, and let it fall off by itself.
- Redness spreading from the cord, smelly drainage, active bleeding, fever or poor feeding need a doctor without delay.