The clamp can be removed when the cord is completely dry. The cord falls off by itself in about two to three weeks. Because the umbilical cord may be a place for infection to enter the baby's body, it is important to care for it properly.
The umbilical cord is the baby's lifeline to the mother during pregnancy. However, it is no longer needed once the baby is born. Within a few minutes after birth, the cord is clamped and cut close to the navel. The clamp helps stop bleeding from the three blood vessels in the umbilical cord--two arteries and one vein. A medication is sometimes applied to the cord as part of a baby's first care. This may be a purple dye or another type of antiseptic. However, this practice has been replaced by dry cord care in most U.S. hospitals.
By the time the baby goes home from the hospital, the cord is beginning to dry and wither. The clamp can be removed when the cord is completely dry. The cord falls off by itself in about two to three weeks. Because the umbilical cord may be a place for infection to enter the baby's body, it is important to care for it properly.
How long does umbilical cord clamp stay on?
