A newborn baby's umbilical cord stump is essentially a tiny wound, and improper care can easily lead to infection. many new parents, when caring for the umbilical cord before it falls off, often resort to using regular household alcohol or water to wipe it. however, these methods not only lack sufficient sterilization power but can also cause redness, swelling, or even inflammation due to irritation. clinical data indicates that approximately 37% of neonatal umbilical cord infections..