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Step-by-Step: Caring for Your Newborn's Umbilical Cord

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Lay your newborn on their back in a small plastic bath. Use a clean, warm washcloth to bathe them. Don't let your baby's umbilical cord go underwater while cleaning them. When putting a clean diaper on your newborn, fold down the top of the front so it does not cover their umbilical cord. Fasten the diaper tabs on top of the fold to hold it in place.

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