What to do if newborn umbilical cord is bleeding?

Slight bleeding from the umbilical cord stump is generally not serious and usually resolves within the first few weeks after birth. In rare cases, newborn belly button bleeding can indicate the baby has an infection at the site of the umbilical cord stump.

It's normal to spot a few drops of blood on your baby's diaper after his stump falls off, but you should monitor any additional umbilical cord bleeding closely. Contact your baby's doctor if a small amount of bleeding lasts for more than three days.14

During the healing process, it's typical to see a little blood near the stump. Much like a scab, the cord stump might bleed a little when it falls off. However, contact your baby's health care provider if the umbilical area oozes pus, the surrounding skin becomes red and swollen, or the area develops a pink moist bump.These could be signs of an umbilical cord infection. Prompt treatment is needed to stop the infection from spreading.

Also, talk to your baby's health care provider if the stump still hasn't separated after three weeks. This might be a sign of an underlying problem, such as an infection or immune system disorder.