Umbilicus Frustratus...

Camden's belly button/umbilical cord stump has been giving me fits. Probably because I have been so anxious to try out his new bathtub... He went for his 2 week checkup on Friday (he has gained 10oz and 1/2 an inch) and his pediatrician told me his cord would likely stay attached for several more weeks. She said he had a flat cord, meaning it was attached straight and flat across his belly button and that no air was getting to it which helps it dry out and eventually fall off. It had been oozing and bleeding a tiny bit here and there but nothing bad. Back when all my other kids were born you put alcohol on the cord to speed the drying up and falling off of the cord. Apparently that is no longer standard, you just keep the diaper folded down and continue sponge bathing so it doesn't get wet. I was told by the doctor that if it hadn't fallen off by the time he's one month old that I should bring him in and they would use a silver nitrate stick to burn it off. Lovely. Well, apparently all of her picking, poking and prodding sped the "healing process" right on up... That night around 10 or so he got fussy- BAD. He would scream as if he was in pain but only sporadically. I thought it was gas and that we were in for a long night. And, boy were we. He cried like he was hurting all night long and he would draw his legs up, much like when they have gas pains. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what was hurting him. I changed him by nightlight a few times and saw teeny spots of pus on his onesie but no more than I had previously. He didn't fall into a deep sleep until around 7 am and that was only after I swaddled him up like a burrito. At 11 Chloe came in and woke me up and as I was getting ready for my day I had her unwrap him so he would wake up to eat. That is when she asked me in a panic if I had seen his belly button.... what I saw freaked me out beyond belief. I had never seen so much blood and pus on a newborn baby in my life. Plus, his belly button was hard, hot, and swollen. So, in a panic I called Erin and had her rush over- since she's down the street, and, she too was in shock and had never seen anything like it either. I immediately called the nurse's line at my pediatrician's office and they advised me to clean it as often as possible with alcohol and they had me draw a line around the redness on his tummy. If the redness went past the line I drew he would have to go to the ER. Thankfully by the next morning the swelling, redness and leftover stump were gone! Whew, I was so afraid it was infected and that he was gonna need antibiotics at such a young age not to mention being in the ER with all the other sickies. Man, kids sure do keep you on your toes...

Camden's swollen belly button (yes my ink line was way off)


his onesie soaked in blood, pus and laundry detergent