Umbilical Cord Care

The tradition of using rubbing alcohol on an infants cord stump to help it heal and dry up is a hard mindset to change. Though I don't know of any damage being done with using that method of cord care, there may be better alternatives to consider: (NOTE: Please do your own personal research before using any of these alternatives, as these are only suggestions.)

Calendula
I have had good experiences with using Calendula tincture for my infant's cord stump. I dip a Q-Tip into the Calendula bottle and rub the soaked cotton around the base of the stump and around the baby's surrounding skin area.  I first found out about this herb for cord care from my midwife when I had my second son. His cord fell off in 5 days. I used it again, recently, for my third son and his cord fell off in just 2 days.

Honey
When I first heard of this idea, I was a bit skeptical. However, the women who have tried it just once, swear by it. And sure enough, when I flipped through my trusty "Wise Woman Herbal For The Childbearing Year" by Susun Weed, it was included in her section of Umbilical Care. She states, "Honey is a safe, sterile dressing and astringent agent for all wounds and burns, and it is a "natural" for umbilical care." There are several other ideas in her book, too. I highly recommend picking up a copy for any pregnant or new mom. To learn a bit more about honey as a natural antibiotic, click on this link.

Leave it alone
"New" studies are now showing how an umbilical cord stump, being left alone, can heal quite nicely on it's own. Imagine that. The combination of sunlight and air can be great for preventing infection and keeping the umbilicus dry. Then simply keep watch for any sign of infection and only treat when necessary. Read about a clinical trial indicating these finding.

You can find more alternatives here at the Gentlebirth.org website.