cord care/goldenseal

for anyone who still has a cord stump to deal with, i must recommend goldenseal powder, or even better, cord care. i was dealing with a nasty inflamed cord stump last week (the one disadvantage to diaperaps is they are too unyielding to tuck under the cord) and got some diaper pins and left the covers off, which has made for a lot of laundry. i opened a goldenseal capsule and started using that, which had the most of the stump off in two days. then there was this weird little bit left. i was afraid it would stay and my fine new son would have the most horrible bellybutton in the world. the mw assured me that would come off too. it has taken a while. my friend gave me her leftover cord care powder, which is grape as well as goldenseal, and this bit has shrivelled in just two hours since applying it once. very cool!