what to do about umbilical cord after birth   

A child gets nutrients and oxygen through the umbilical cord when the baby is in the womb. After birth, the umbilical cord is not needed and hence it is tied (clamped and snipped) leaving behind a short tail like a rod. This too dries and falls off on its own. Until then take a little extra care: 1. Keep the cord dry; you can use the powder that your paediatrician has suggested. 2. If you are not comfortable in keeping it dry while bathing, you can go for sponging for the first few weeks until it falls off. 3. Do not try to pull it off; let it dry and fall off on its own. Sometimes it may bleed when the cord falls off that is normal so do not worry about it.