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Glam Journal

How do I know if my babys belly button is innie or outie

Author

Matthew Perez

Updated on April 18, 2026

The first distinction is usually if the belly button is an innie or outie. Innie belly buttons are like a little dent in your stomach. Outie belly buttons look like a little knot is sticking out.

How do you know if your baby has an outie belly button?

If your baby has a bulge around the bellybutton, they may have an umbilical hernia. Before the umbilical cord falls off, you may notice that the area seems to stick out a little more when the baby cries. Or maybe, once the cord is gone, you see that their navel sticks out (an “outie,” as it’s commonly called).

When should I be concerned about my baby's belly button?

If you spot pus, bleeding, swelling, or discoloration, call your doctor right away. When the belly button has totally healed, the stump will easily fall off on its own. Some parents save the stump as a nostalgic reminder of the baby’s connection to mom.

Do all babies have innie belly buttons?

The majority of belly buttons are innies. This doesn’t mean that having an outie is a cause for concern, though. Almost immediately after birth, a baby’s umbilical cord is clamped and cut, leaving an umbilical stump.

What does an outie belly button look like?

Innie belly buttons are like a little dent in your stomach. Outie belly buttons look like a little knot is sticking out.

Will my baby have an outie?

Maybe not. About 20 percent of all newborns have an “outie,” also called an umbilical hernia. This is a bulge caused by the umbilical cord as it enters the baby’s abdomen. After birth, as the umbilical cord heals and falls off, the opening to the abdomen usually closes spontaneously.

What does it look like when a baby's belly button falls off?

When the umbilical cord is cut at birth, a bit remains still attached to his navel — and it’ll go through a metamorphosis during your baby’s early days. Indeed, the color and look of the stump changes from yellowish-green to black and crusty as it dries up and then falls off.

How can I get my baby's belly button to go down?

The shape of your baby’s belly button, by the way, has nothing to do with how the cord was cut or anything else you or your doctor did. It’s simply a result of how your baby’s umbilical cord met her belly, and there’s nothing you can or should do to change it.

What causes outie belly buttons?

Most people end up with innies, but some people have outies. Outies usually occur when more of the umbilical cord is left when it’s cut, leading to more skin left over once it dries out. In some rare cases, outies are caused by a condition known as an umbilical hernia.

What should umbilical stump look like?

At first, the stump might look shiny and yellow. But as it dries out, it may turn brown or gray or even purplish or blue. It’ll shrivel and turn black before it falls off on its own. Usually, it comes off between 10 and 14 days after your baby is born, but can take as long as 21 days.

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Can you get rid of a umbilical hernia without surgery?

In many children, umbilical hernias can often be resolved with simple exercises instead of surgery. For adults, however, surgery is often required, and gentle exercise helps during recovery. Umbilical hernias in adults are generally caused by high amounts of pressure in the abdomen.

When can I remove the umbilical cord clamp?

The clamp can be removed when the cord is completely dry. The cord falls off by itself in about two to three weeks. Because the umbilical cord may be a place for infection to enter the baby’s body, it is important to care for it properly.

Why does my toddler's belly button stick out?

An umbilical hernia happens when intestine, fat, or fluid pushes through a weak spot or hole in your baby’s stomach muscles. This causes a bulge near or in the belly button, or navel. It may look like your child’s belly button is swollen. Many children have an umbilical hernia at birth.

How can I make my baby's belly button heal faster?

You can help your baby’s umbilical cord stump fall off and heal faster by keeping it dry. Keep your baby’s diaper folded below the umbilical cord stump. If folding does not work well, before you put the diaper on your baby, cut out a small area near the top of the diaper to keep the cord open to air.

How can I help my baby's umbilical cord fall off?

  1. Keep the stump dry. Parents were once instructed to swab the stump with rubbing alcohol after every diaper change. …
  2. Stick with sponge baths. While there’s no harm in getting the stump wet, sponge baths might make it easier to keep the stump dry.
  3. Let the stump fall off on its own.

Is 5 days too early for umbilical cord to fall off?

You can expect the cord to fall off between 5 and 15 days after your baby is born. Around 2 weeks is the average amount of time, but sometimes the cord may fall off a little earlier or later. This is perfectly normal.

Can you remove an outie belly button?

Belly button surgery, or umbilicoplasty, is a procedure in which those that were born with excessive skin in their belly button (an outie) have the excess skin removed. This procedure can also be performed to fix hernias and put the skin in and around the belly button in the proper place.

Can you tape down an umbilical hernia?

Although some people claim a hernia can be fixed by taping a coin down over the bulge, don’t try this. Placing tape or an object over the bulge doesn’t help and germs may accumulate under the tape, causing infection. For children, surgery is typically reserved for umbilical hernias that: Are painful.

How do you examine the umbilical cord?

The umbilical cord should be assessed for length, insertion, number of vessels, thromboses, knots and the presence of Wharton’s jelly. The color, luster and odor of the fetal membranes should be evaluated, and the membranes should be examined for the presence of large (velamentous) vessels.

When does a baby hernia go away?

There is a good chance that your child’s umbilical hernia will close on its own. Most of the time, a hernia that starts before 6 months of age will go away by 1 year of age. Your child may need surgery if the hernia is very large or if a hernia of any size has not gone away by age 5.

What does a belly button hernia look like?

An umbilical hernia looks like a lump in the navel. It might become more obvious when the infant is laughing, crying, going to the toilet, or coughing. When the child is lying down or relaxed, the lump may shrink. It is not usually painful in children and infants.

What can be mistaken for a hernia?

(SLS). Hernias can go misdiagnosed in women, and can instead be thought to be ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, or other abdominal issues, according to the SLS. Women’s hernias can be small and internal. They might not be a bulge that can be felt in an exam or be visible outside the body, according to the SLS.

What happens if the umbilical cord is not clamped?

When the umbilical cord is not clamped and cut right after the baby is born, the baby gets more of their own blood back into their body. Getting extra blood may lower the chance of your baby having low iron levels at 4 to 6 months of life and may help your baby’s health in other ways.

Should you delay cutting the cord?

Research suggests delayed cord clamping is safe and beneficial for you and your baby. Both the WHO and ACOG recommend delayed clamping. Your doctor or midwife may clamp and cut the cord immediately after delivery unless you ask for delayed clamping.

How do I know if my baby has a hernia?

  1. Lump in the groin near the thigh.
  2. Persistent crying in babies.
  3. A lump that is bigger when the child is standing or straining (such as crying or coughing) and disappears when the child is lying down or relaxed.
  4. Pain and tenderness.

How long does it take for a baby's belly button to go in?

The part of the umbilical cord that’s still attached to your baby is the umbilical stump. Often the clamp is still attached to the stump. During the first few days after birth, the stump gets darker, shrivels and eventually falls off to become your baby’s belly button. Sometimes this takes a week or two.

What clothes should baby wear before umbilical cord falls off?

In warm weather, have your baby wear just a diaper and loose T-shirt to let air circulate and speed the drying process. Avoid dressing your baby in bodysuit-style undershirts until the cord has fallen off. Clean gently. Give sponge baths instead of tub baths, being sure to keep the cord dry.