This is when an area of muscle around the base of your baby’s umbilicus or tummy button is weak or there’s a gap in the muscle, allowing part of the abdomen to bulge through, causing a hernia. The hernia contains several abdominal layers including fatty tissue, the membrane covering the abdominal contents and, if large enough, part of the large intestine itself.
Umbilical hernias are most likely to appear in the first three weeks of life as your baby’s belly button heals up after the birth. They are twice as common in boys as in girls. The hernia will appear larger when your baby cries, laughs, strains or coughs, although none of these things causes any damage.
Is it serious?
No, most umbilical hernias correct themselves by two to three years old but occasionally surgery is needed after this age to strengthen the area around the tummy button and hold in the bulge. Most doctors prefer to wait and see if the hernia gets larger after the first year or resolves itself. Generally, doctors will only recommend surgery if the hernia hasn’t gone away by three years old or progressively worsens in the first few years.
How is it treated?
If needed, surgery to correct an umbilical hernia is usually done as day surgery, allowing your child to come home after he has recovered from the general anaesthetic. A cut is made into the skin of the tummy button and stitches are inserted to pull the muscle together. These stitches dissolve in a week or so and the only possible complication is a wound infection that isn’t serious and can be treated with antibiotics.
What you can do
- Keep an eye on any bulge around your baby’s umbilical cord stump (newborns) or tummy button (older babies and toddlers) and ask your GP or health visitor to have a look at it if you’re worried
- If your child still has a noticeable umbilical hernia after his or her second birthday, ask your GP about referral to a consultant paediatrician
