Can babies with umbilical hernias take baths?

Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
Updated on May 11, 2025
00:00
00:00

Infant umbilical hernia is a congenital developmental disorder caused by a weak abdominal wall at the navel present from birth, which especially tends to bulge when intra-abdominal pressure increases. Of course, bathing is permissible as long as there is no local skin infection around the hernia; there are no issues with bathing otherwise.

However, if there is local skin infection or damage at the hernia site, caution should be taken during bathing to disinfect properly and avoid irritating the wound, which could worsen the symptoms. Indeed, over 80% of umbilical hernias can heal naturally before the age of two as the child grows and develops. Only a small fraction of children, whose hernia ring diameter is larger than 2 cm or who still have a noticeable umbilical hernia after the age of two, require surgical treatment.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Li
Pediatrics
37sec home-news-image

How to relieve pain from baby's umbilical hernia?

If the child exhibits symptoms of umbilical hernia pain, this condition can be treated conservatively. Normally, after birth, babies will experience minor umbilical hernias, which are a normal physiological reaction and do not require treatment. Generally, by the time the child reaches about two years old, the umbilical hernia will gradually resolve on its own. It is also essential to ensure that the child remains emotionally stable and does not frequently cry. If the hernia has not fully resolved after the age of two, some reparative methods should be used for treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
33sec home-news-image

Will an infant's umbilical hernia heal by itself?

Infant umbilical hernia is a congenital disease, caused by a weak abdominal wall around the navel, leading to a protrusion at the navel. However, over 80% of infant umbilical hernias will, before the age of two, gradually heal as the hernial ring narrows and closes due to growth in age and physical development, achieving self-healing. Only a small portion require surgery. If an infant still has a noticeable umbilical hernia at the age of two, or if the hernial ring diameter is greater than 2 cm, then surgery is necessary.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
39sec home-news-image

Will an umbilical hernia cause abdominal pain?

Umbilical hernia may cause stomach pain. This is possible because an umbilical hernia occurs when the intestines push through a weak spot in the belly button area due to pressure. In most cases, it is the small intestine that protrudes through the hernia. If a large portion of the small intestine protrudes, it can lead to kinking and potentially cause an obstruction of the small intestine. Once the small intestine is obstructed, it can lead to abdominal pain, and may also be accompanied by bloating, nausea, and vomiting. Thus, in cases where the small intestine is kinked, it is possible for an umbilical hernia to cause stomach pain.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
1min 4sec home-news-image

Does infant umbilical hernia affect bowel movements?

Infant umbilical hernia is caused by a congenital weakness in the abdominal wall at the navel, which leads to the protrusion of the umbilicus, typically occurring when there is an increase in abdominal pressure. When it protrudes, it may slightly affect bowel movements. If an umbilical hernia becomes incarcerated, it can lead to intestinal obstruction and prevent the passing of stool. In such cases, steps should be taken to reduce the hernia. If conventional measures fail, it is necessary to seek medical attention at a hospital, specifically from a pediatric surgery emergency department, to address the issue. Otherwise, it could lead to serious digestive tract problems. Normally, an umbilical hernia does not affect bowel movements. However, it is also important to prevent children from crying intensely and for prolonged periods, and actively treat any indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation to prevent increased abdominal and intra-abdominal pressure, which can lead to the protrusion affecting the natural closure of the child's umbilical hernia.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
1min 14sec home-news-image

Can an umbilical hernia be pressed with hands?

Umbilical hernia can be manually reduced by pushing it back into place. For children, most can be reduced by manual manipulation. For adults, it may be relatively more difficult, but generally, if incarceration has not occurred, manual reduction can be successful. In the treatment of umbilical hernia, conservative observation can be considered for children under two years old. The method of using adhesive tape may be employed since the self-healing can occur through their natural development before the age of two with appropriate conservative treatment. If the diameter of the umbilical ring still exceeds 1.5 cm after two years old, surgical intervention should be considered timely. For adults, umbilical hernias are generally treated through surgical means. Adult umbilical hernias are prone to incarceration and strangulation, particularly because the umbilical ring is usually smaller and a sudden increase in abdominal pressure can lead to incarceration. The treatment choices for adult umbilical hernia include tissue repair suturing or tension-free hernia repair, with laparoscopy also being a viable treatment option.