DS is 2 weeks old. His umbilical cord stump fell off on Monday (the doc cauterized the stump last week because it was bleeding a little bit but said it was no big deal). When I change his diaper, there is still dried blood around his belly button. I don't mess with it too much but clean the area around it with a wet washcloth to get the blood off. It doesn't appear to be infected anywhere and I can't see where it's bleeding from, there's just a little bit of "new" dried blood whenever I cange him. Is this normal?

Yes, I believe so. I remember taking my son into the doctor because his still looked bloody after the stump fell off. I called the nurse and told her about it and she said he should be seen. So I took him all the way into the doctor only to have the doctor say, "that's normal, just keep cleaning it".

Thanks! Ironically, the pediatrician called me this morning after my post to follow up on DS's bad diaper rash (it finally cleared up after the last prescription ointment), so I asked him as well. He said it's normal and that I should watch for oozing or signs of infection, which I haven't seen or I would have taken him in. He also said to check it again tomorrow morning and if it's still bleeding, I can bring him in and they'll cauterize (sp?) it to make it heal faster. I don't remember my girls' bleeding afterwards.

Yep my DS's bleed a little after his fell off. I just cleaned the dried blood off with a wet Q-tip at evry diaper change. It only bleed for maybe 4 days after it fell off.

my last two had to be cauterized as well.

Also just to let you know with diaper rash. It is a good thing to use the vasaline on them even when they dont have a rash. It helps prevent it as well.

Be careful, my dd had it that early and wound up having eczema and still does. My others didnt have diaper rashes till they started teething so it was odd that she did. Just a thought to think of, make sure you only use dove on baby and not baby shampoo or soaps, dont use any Dreft or Ivory Snow on clothes at all. Use only Free stuff like ALL free or TIDE free. It is free if dyes and perfumes. Tide is also free and sensitive i think its called. I found out the hard way that those products are all harsh to get out the gross stuff in the clothing but is still harsh to their skin.

good luck dear

mamaof4 - thanks for the advice. I'll have to check the detergent I use. I don't use Dreft, although I did use the free sample of it a couple times. I'm pretty sure the diaper rash was from the antibiotics DS had in the hospital, but I agree it's not normal for them to get it that early. DD2 had eczema early on but it seems to have gone away. I'm still using the ointment on DS, but I'll try the vaseline once the ointment is gone. Thanks for the tip!