Umbilical hernia?

[tana'smama]

My ds was born six weeks premature and had to have a couple of lines run into his belly button when he was in the NICU. He's been home for 4 weeks now and I'm noticing that when he cries his belly button sticks out. It's really weird looking in that it looks glassy too---sort of transparent.

My dh thinks it's a hernia and has put a quarter in a band-aid to hold it back in. Do any of you know if this will correct the problem or is surgery the only fix?

Thanks!!

[MandyB]

Hmmm...not sure I have any advice for you. My neice was born with a herniated belly button and it was about a 1 1/2 inch radius around. Over time, I'm not sure that it got smaller, but she got bigger and it wasn't AS noticable. When she was about 4 she complained that it bothered her (it was painful at times for her, inside her belly) so my parents (her guardians) decided to have it removed surgically. It wasn't something that was going to go away on it's own, but it was also very large. She had it removed and still has a pretty large belly button, but it's much more comfortable for her and doesn't stick out or anything making it difficult to button her pants, etc. She's now ten years old and I think they did the surgery when she was about six years old If I remember correctly.

[bajamergrrl]

My 2 wo DS has an umbilical hernia. Our HCP said they usually go away on their own.

[pauletoy]

My ds is 5 and his has not gone away. It has never caused any problems.

[sbrinton]

Our youngest, Zephan, had an umbillical hernia. The pediatrician said this was fairly common with preemies. It went away on it's own between 4-6 months and now he has a normal belly button. I don't think it's something to worry about in the begining, however it may mean there is a higher risk for other types of hernias in the groin area. Our doctor said that if it didn't go away (by 9 months, I think) she would suggest having surgery to fix it.

[ColoradoHELLP]

Our daughter had an umbilical hernia as well. It was so large that a quarter could fit inside it. She was seen by a ped surgeon and he said it would go away with time - and it has! She is 8 months old now, and she still has an "outie". Her outie is just skin and there isn't a trace of the hole that was once there.

BTW - the surgeon said NOT to tape anything over the hernia. He said that children that consistently have coins taped over hernias typically scar. In addition, taping does not help the hernia to close faster.

[tbavrbab]

Originally Posted by tana'smama

My ds was born six weeks premature and had to have a couple of lines run into his belly button when he was in the NICU. He's been home for 4 weeks now and I'm noticing that when he cries his belly button sticks out. It's really weird looking in that it looks glassy too---sort of transparent.

My dh thinks it's a hernia and has put a quarter in a band-aid to hold it back in. Do any of you know if this will correct the problem or is surgery the only fix?

Thanks!!

My daughter had this (never had any umbilical lines), except it started like that, but then was just popped WAY WAY out all the time. Her's was a good half an inch or so out from her belly. Freaky looking, but didn't hurt her a bit.

The doctors all said that she was fine, and that putting a quarter over it does nothing for the child, it just seems to help the parents feel like they are doing something (or not freak over looking at what looks awful!).

Adara hasn't had surgery and won't need surgery. However, her belly button still looks odd even though her hernia is healed. It sticks out a little more than one would expect and flops down a tiny bit.

Her hernia involved almost nothing more than the space of her actual umbilicus, so it didn't extend around the area.

An oddly shaped outie is her only carry over from this issue.

[buckysprplmonkey]

My DS was 12 weeks early and he had an umbilical hernia. Our pediatrician said that they don't do surgery unless they get to be 5 or 6 and it's still there and causing problems. She said it's pretty unusual for it to not go away on its own. DS's resolved itself when he was 4 or 5 months old, I'd say.

[ArcticRose]

My daughter had a herniated belly button. It showed up a couple weeks after we got her home. (five weeks in NICU) It ballooned out pretty big at times (like when she was pushing for a poo) and was kind of freaky. I would push it back in when she was relaxed, lol.

When she was four or five months old it started to get smaller and tighter, then was gone. She still has a little bit of an outie, but it's not ugly or anything. At her recent Dr. visit he told us that it looked fine and was all closed up.

We never did do anything to it, like tape or anything.

Congratulations on your baby boy!!

[susienjay]

My 5 yo son (32 weeker) had an umblical hernia. It went away when he was 4-5 months old on it's own. It does look kind of freaky though and I got annoyed with all the people that felt compelled to touch it.

[ashleyhaugh]

my sister and i both had them, we both had surgery when i was 4 and she was 2

[waldenmommy]

My son also had one. I knew it didn't bug him but it sure was gross looking! Our dr said it was common even in non-preemies, so I didn't worry. I know it resolved around six months- just in time for swim suit season! ;P

[Z1Z2]

We are one more case of the umbilical hernia resolving w/o surgery. It looked kind of disturbing, but by about 9 months, DD's hernia was gone with no treatment needed. Just as the ped said would happen.


Paula

[kikimezz]

Tana's mama, my son was born 6 weeks premature as well, he had an umbilical hernia and an inguinal hernia/hydrocele. His surgery for the inguinal hernia/hydrocele was when he was 4 months old. By that time the umbilical hernia went away on its own. We were told not to mess with it since his intestines are right underneath the belly button when you push in, we didnt want to do any harm. I suggest leaving it, it will def go away

[stillparenting]

Been there

My preemie had a herniated belly button. They said it would go away on its own but it just kept getting worse. Finally I crammed a cotton ball inside, pinched it close and sealed it shut with paper tape. After only a couple weeks it healed.

[isabellamirac]

My daughter was born at term, but had an umbilical hernia. Hers was large enough to allow the intestine out if the abdominal wall, and she didn't crawl until after it was surgically repaired at 9.5 months.

[OGirlieMama]

Umbilical hernias are pretty common, especially among preemies (though they happen to plenty of FT babies, too). My girls both had them, and they resolved mostly (both have a teeny little bit remaining) before they turned 1.

[felix23]

Originally Posted by OGirlieMama

Umbilical hernias are pretty common, especially among preemies (though they happen to plenty of FT babies, too). My girls both had them, and they resolved mostly (both have a teeny little bit remaining) before they turned 1.

: They are pretty common in preemies. and usually nothing to worry about. Lilly had one until she was a little over a year old.

[littlehoneybee]

DD had an umbilical hernia. It was bigger than a quarter, but it resolved on its own by the time she was six months old. I think her ped said they usually don't think about surgery until the kid is age two, but I'm sure each case is different and there are exceptions.