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Should we save our baby's umbilical cord stump?


My sister thinks I should keep my baby's umbilical cord stump for our scrapbook, but I'm not sure. Saving the stump seems a little gross to me. My sister says that my daughter will want to see it someday. What should I do?

Posted: 12/29/2003 by a BabyCenter Member

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I personally decided to keep my daughters stump for the simple fact that my mother kept mine, my sisters, and would've kept our brothers if it hadn't gotten lost in his clothes. She didn't realize it was gone. It's a special thing to me for the simple fact my daughter looks not one bit like me & it was what connected me and her from the time she was conceived. I feel that if you keep it preserved right then it will be fine. No mold or anything. I made sure my daughters was completely dried up and taped it in her baby book; like my mother did mine. I never seen the point in keeping them until I ave birth to my daughter. Then you see that that little stump is what gave your child life.
posted 08/31/2007 by SouthrnMama022107
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56 out of 60 found this helpful

My parents kept my umbilical cord stump. Cloth was sewn around it and it's not visible but it's in there. My mother told me that it was traditional in her culture to keep the cord as a symbol of good luck. I'm 33 years old expecting my first born and I know my mom still has my cord in her dresser drawer. When I read that some may think it's disgusting, I don't necessarily agree. It's just a fact that cultures and traditions are different among people.
posted 10/06/2006 by a BabyCenter Member
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35 out of 36 found this helpful

I personally kept my first borns hers is just fine in a zip lock bag no mold no nothing just her stump and with my seconds daughter I am keeping it as well I find it very refreshing to have the last thing that connected my girls to me!
posted 09/10/2007 by a BabyCenter Member
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21 out of 23 found this helpful

There are a lot of incredibly immature answers here. "Ew, no way!" and "If we were meant to keep it, it wouldn't fall off," and "Why not keep their scabs, too?" Obviously, scabs are different than the cord that sustained your child in utero, and the need for an umbilical cord ends at birth so it's going to fall off (we don't have tails either, let's saw off our tail bones and throw those away). Seriously... keep it if you want. Wrap it in plastic or something if you're worried about "mold" (which only grows where there's moisture, so if the cord stump is dried all the way, that's not anything to have to worry about). Some people refuse to enlighten themselves on other possibilities and would rather resort to saying, "ew!" rather than actually formulating an educated opinion. Listening to them is akin to losing several IQ points. Do what feels right. If you think it's gross, then don't save it. Most children won't ask about it, anyway.
posted 09/04/2007 by Vaughn Kauffen
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30 out of 44 found this helpful

I kept my daughters stump. I put the stump in a zip lock back and put it in her baby box. That little black stump represents the connection that me and my daughter had for 9 months. Its a miracle and there is nothing wrong with wanting to preserve that memory.
posted 10/02/2007 by krismaut80
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15 out of 17 found this helpful

I think it is natural to keep it as a keepsake, but I can also see why others would be uncomfortable. As an alternative, keep the clip that they remove from it before you leave the hospital.
posted 07/02/2008 by afxuser
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12 out of 12 found this helpful

Do what YOU want, From YOUR OWN HEART. We took video and lots of pics of birth and first few weeks and that works well for us. (If our son wants to see his cord he can see it as it was seconds after birth as we remember it origionally). As for those of you whom hide behind the shroud of other cultures to validate your point, if you want eat your babys placenta eat it, to each their own. We do not live in those cultures though. With respect to the hispanic and the native american cultures (who lived here first in the Americas)I personally love their cord rituals. And as for people needing to keep something physical atachment here's another thought you live within your child as much as your child lives within you. One last thought "raise your child with love, patience, and understanding that IS the most important thing". Opting to keep the Cord, Placenta, or any other part of your child is irrevelent next to being a good parent. Scott Fort Bragg Ca.
posted 08/30/2007 by Scott
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18 out of 26 found this helpful

My ex saved our daughters stump, wrapped in a piece of foil in his wallet for I don't know how long. I thought it was the grossest thing to do ever. You would think that it would start to smell after a while; it is a dried up dead piece of skin, after all. I like the idea of burying it under a tree or a flower better, that way it can nourish the earth and your child can look at the plant later, not a nasty little dried skin raisin.
posted 05/29/2007 by crista1025
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28 out of 47 found this helpful

I wasn't sure whether to save my daughters or not. On one hand I thought it was gross. On the other it made me sad to throw it out. I ended up throwing it out. My mother didn't save mine and I never, not even once wondered about it until after my daughter was born. Then I asked just to see what she thought about saving stumps. I don't think she'd ever want to see it. And I'm happy with the decision I made.
posted 09/09/2007 by xXkatalinaXx
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11 out of 13 found this helpful

I could never bring myself to throw out my childrens stumps. No matter how crumbled and dust like they became in thier little baggies. I have decided to bury them in our yard when we plant a tree this spring.
posted 04/03/2007 by Dee0201
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11 out of 14 found this helpful

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