What should I do if my baby’s belly button is a little thick? How to prevent navel suppuration in newborns?

Babies are very fragile and may suffer from various diseases if you are not careful, so they need careful care from their parents. For example, if there is pus in the baby's belly button, parents need to relieve the symptoms by cleaning the navel, applying external medications, puncturing and draining the pus, or making an incision and drainage. In addition, some measures can be taken to prevent umbilical cord suppuration in newborns. Let me introduce the specific method to you below!

1. Clean the navel

You can use one of the following: 75% alcohol, normal saline, 3% boric acid solution, 1:1000 Sanisol solution, chloramphenicol eye drops, etc. Dip a sterilized cotton swab or cotton ball in the above solution, and gently wipe the affected area to remove purulent secretions. Recommendation: If the umbilical cord stump has not fallen off, it can be cleaned together, 1-2 times a day.

2. Topical medications

According to the doctor's advice, after cleaning the navel, apply one of the following topically: 40% zinc oxide oil or chloramphenicol zinc oxide oil, umbilical cord powder (containing ethacridine, also known as levonor, zinc oxide), Bactroban ointment, erythromycin eye ointment, etc. Once a day. Note: Try not to use gentian violet or mercurochrome to avoid affecting the observation of lesions due to staining. Iodine is generally not used to avoid burning the skin around the navel.

3. Topical medication

To reduce redness and swelling of the affected area or promote suppuration, you can use Xiliaoduo, Ichthyol Ointment, Ruyi Jinhuang Powder (traditional Chinese medicine) for external application or external application. It is suitable for patients with omphalitis and abdominal wall infection. Note: Be careful not to apply the topical medication for too long, generally not more than 6 hours.

4. Puncture and drainage or incision and drainage

Anyone who has an abscess should actively drain the pus. If the amount of pus is large or the pus is thick, incision and drainage are required, and dressings should be changed regularly (replace the drainage strip, keep the drainage unobstructed, and promote healing of the abscess cavity). Recommendation: Drainage of liver abscesses and falciform ligament abscesses requires hospitalization.

5. How to prevent newborn navel suppuration

1. Before and after the umbilical stump falls off, change diapers frequently and keep the umbilical cord clean and dry. Apply 75% medical alcohol to the umbilical stump and the surrounding area 2-3 times a day. If a scab is formed, you should lift up the scab when applying alcohol and apply it from the inside to the outside to truly achieve the disinfection effect.

2. Also, be careful not to use colored drugs such as gentian violet and mercurochrome, because the color of the drugs can affect the observation of the navel; also do not use powdered drugs such as pine pollen and talcum powder, because the stimulation of powdered foreign bodies can cause chronic inflammation of the navel and form granulomas, which are difficult to heal.

3. If you find symptoms of omphalitis such as redness, swelling, or purulent secretions in the navel, you should go to the hospital for treatment immediately.