My name is Manon, and my baby Jeremy is 6 weeks old, and he has a bump in his belly button. I figure he has an umbilical hernia, but what should I do? Thanks for all your help, Manon

Manon, based on what you told me, it seems to be an umbilical hernia. A hernia can appear several days or weeks after childbirth. It often occurs in premature babies as the hernia is directly associated with the fact that the abdominal muscles have not completely closed, like abdominal diastasis in pregnant women. It allows the intestine to pop out like that.

A hernia is soft on touch. Often you can note spectacular gas or bloating when the baby makes an effort with their abdominals, such as bending over.

However, your baby won’t feel pain, so don’t worry about that unless it becomes twisted.

The hernia can measure between 1-5cm, and 85-90% of umbilical hernias will disappear on their own during a baby’s first year. Surgery is rarely required except in specific cases. When monitoring the baby, the doctor will check the hernia to make sure that it is progressing normally.

I hope this helps!

Talk soon,

Marie

The Baby Expert