Alcohol or traditional methods versus natural drying for newborn's cord care

This is a quasi-experimental study that aimed to compare the use of alcohol and traditional methods for newborn's cord care with a no-treatment approach, natural drying. The study also aimed to identify the factors associated with the occurrence of cord infection and time of cord separation. A convenient sample of 70 women with vaginal delivery, full-term and healthy babies was selected from postpartum departments of two university hospitals in Alexandria and Minia. A specially designed interview schedule was developed and utilized to collect data. Swabs were taken from the newborns' umbilical stumps on zero and 3rd day of birth to detect bacterial colonization. Follow-up was carried-out at home to assess methods used for cord care, babies' hygiene, cord infection and time of cord separation. The study revealed that traditional methods of cord care were used by women with higher mean age (30.8 +/- 7.8 years), from Minia (100%) or rural areas (71.4%), while alcohol and natural drying were used by women with lower mean age (27.7 +/- 4.8 and 24.8 +/- 6.5 years) respectively, from Alexandria (76% and 100%) respectively or urban areas (56% and 64.7%) respectively. Alcohol was used for male babies (76%), while traditional methods and natural drying were used for female babies (71.4% & 64.7%) respectively. Incidence of cord infection was significantly lower among natural drying group (35.3%), and no signs of systemic infection were observed among them. Rate of increase of bacterial colonization (from 0-3rd day of birth) was significantly higher in alcohol group (44%). It was relatively similar with presence or absence of cord infection (33.3 & 32.1) respectively. Mean time of cord separation was longer among alcohol group (6.4 +/- 2.4 days), as compared with natural drying group (4.7 +/- 1.9 days) and traditional methods group (3.4 +/- 0.7 days). Bathing baby while cord was attached was carried-out by all women of alcohol and natural drying groups, compared to only 28.6% of traditional methods group. Breast-feeding was significantly related to less incidence of cord infection (P= 0.008) and shorter time of cord separation (P= 0.002). Incidence of cord infection was significantly related to using cloth diaper (P= 0.015), using dry method for skin care (X(2) 2= 7.2917), giving tub bath (X(1)2 = 4.1788) and delaying the bath to the 7th day of birth (P= 0.050). Time of cord separation was significantly shorter with closed cord dressing (X(2)2= 20.4028), in Minia, during spring, among male babies (X(2)2= 15.0352), and in rural areas (X(2)2 = 9.7608). It was significantly longer with bathing the baby while cord was attached (X(2)2 = 27.9354), giving 2-3 baths/week or delaying the bath to the 7th day of birth (P= 0.049) and with using cloth diaper (P= 0.0467). So, moving from an intervention to a non- intervention, particularly in a healthy population should be applied to the healthy naturalistic approach to care advocated in nursing. Also, only through continuing efforts done to examine our assumptions about historic health care routines, will we be able to demonstrate evidence-based practice and to advance nursing care.