Why hasn't my son's umbilical cord fallen off?

Q: My son will be 5 weeks soon. His umbilical cord has not fallen off. The doctor told us to clean the area 5-6 times daily with alcohol swab. We are very worried because if the cord does not fall by next week, it would require surgical removal. What we should do so that the cord falls off quickly?

A:Sometimes umbilical cords take longer to fall off. This is not a panic situation. Even if it does take a little while longer, it certainly does not require surgical removal. I would advise you to just wait and watch. Yes, you must keep the area clean.