Table 1.

Examples of cord care practices at delivery and through progression of cord stump healing and separation

Type of practice	Specific Examples and citations
General hygiene related to delivery	Hand washing before or after assisting with delivery (11, 20, 21) Choice or availability of clean surface delivery (straw, soil, plastic sheet, other) (22, 23)
Timing and method for tying (clamping of the cord)	Immediate tying (clamping)/cutting vs. delayed; in many traditional cultures cord is cut only after placenta delivered and/or pulsations cease (3, 19, 24) Material for tying the cord (cotton thread, grass, reeds (25), vs. no clamping at all (9))
Cutting the cord: instrument and length	Instrument used to cut the cord (sharp, blunt, sterile vs. non-sterile) (3, 25, 26) Cauterization (Mexico) (3) Length of cord left after cutting; very short (Uganda), vs. very long (Ecuador) (19)
Use and disposal of the cord, significance of separation	Preservation, burial (3, 27) Naming ceremony coincides with separation (Kenya) (3) Medicinal uses (Mexico)
Topical applications to the cord	Use of topical antiseptics (2, 4, 28–30) Traditional substances (cow dung, rat faeces, mustard oil, ash, mud, ghee, breast milk) (2, 4, 6, 11, 19, 30–33)
Bathing of the infant and other skin care	Delayed bathing vs. immediate bathing (11, 34) Repeated bathing of the infant vs. no bathing (11) Mustard oil massage (6, 13, 35) Skin-to-skin contact (11)
Wrapping/dressing/bin ding of the cord stump	Leave loosely covered or wrapped tightly; “belly binding” (3) wrapping tightly in sheep skin (32), tight bundling with cow dung (36)