Cool-weather babies vs Warm-weather babies, and the cord stump

[laurac5]

Crazy theory, probably, but I've been wondering if we mamas who have babies in the colder parts of the year have a harder time keeping the cord stump uncovered because we need to keep the baby warm.  Of course the air is dryer in the winter, so maybe the summer mamas have trouble, too.  But having had two cool-weather babies whose cord stumps took forever to come off, I had to ask... do other winter mamas have the same experience?

If you felt like you had good clothes for dressing your winter baby for both warmth and a dry stump, please share ideas!  I'm trying to figure out how we're going to do things this time...

[MichelleZB]

Nope! Northern Ontario baby, always heavily wrapped, cord fell off in 8 days, which I think is pretty normal.

[skycheattraffic]

Southern Ontario baby here but born in March and stump was off in about a week. Maybe gestational age is relevant? She was a week late.

[smiles2012]

Spring Baby in south Texas...about 80s outside and took almost three weeks!!

Good point about gestational age...due date was somewhat of a guess but weight, feet and scores indicated 39-40 weeks, so who knows why she wanted that stump so long
Edited by smiles2012 - 8/8/12 at 6:31pm

[laurac5]

Dd was 15 days late and that stump stayed on for weeks!  Can't remember exactly, but I think she was almost a month before the last of it was off.  January ds was on time and still took a couple weeks to come off.

DH has a theory that it's related to whatever caused the amniotic sac to be so strong both times... dd's were artificially ruptured after 24 hours of labor, and ds was born in the caul.

I don't get it... seems like there must be a scientific reason for why it would come off sooner with some babies than others!  Could it be an innie vs. outie thing?  Surely that's been studied...

[skycheattraffic]

Ok there goes my theory lol. And to add to the confusion, we had a quick stump but a strong amniotic sac that was ruptured artificially shortly before I started pushing.
We only sponge bathed her until the stump did fall off so it didn't get too wet and let her air out before getting dressed again. The air is super dry here in winter with central heating... Maybe that helped.

[LionessMom]

all of my baby's cords fell off on day 7 and was healed up a day or so later. DS1 was 2 weeks late born in late June, DD1 was 1 week early born in mid April, DD2 was 2 weeks early born in early oct, DS2 was 1 week late born in early July. all of them had a bag that didnt break until crowning except DD2 whose broke before labor started. 

[Adaline'sMama]

I voted 1-2 weeks. Both of my babies were born in the winter and we heat with wood, so the air is super dry. We do keep them naked most of the time though, we just burn a hot fire. I had to keep the area covered in oil to keep it from getting too dry. Both babies' cords fell off at 10 days.

[Nicole730]

all of mine were in less than a week.  i have had a March, April, and July baby.  to help you with your theories..2 have innies and 1 has an outie.  my water broke as a first sign of labor with all three.  their gestations were 40w1d, 40w5d, and 41w1d.  so nothing really similar!.  my theory is how they heal in general.  my older two rarely bleed and when they have needed a bandaid they heal very quickly.  maybe that is just kids in general though.