Can babies with umbilical hernias take baths?

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

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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Can an umbilical hernia heal itself?

Umbilical hernia has the potential to heal on its own, but it requires conservative treatment methods to be adopted. Generally, children under the age of two can undergo conservative observational treatment, such as using adhesive tape, as the umbilical ring in most cases can close by itself between the ages of 1 and 2. However, if the child is over two years old and the diameter of the umbilical ring still exceeds 1.5 cm, choosing surgical treatment is a wise decision. For patients over the age of five, it is recommended to undergo surgery as early as possible regardless of the situation, as the chances of incarceration or strangulation can increase after the age of five. Generally, surgical intervention is required for a cure. Options include traditional tissue suture repair methods or open umbilical hernia tension-free repair.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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Should the umbilical hernia belt be worn for 24 hours?

Umbilical hernia refers to the protrusion formed by the contents of the abdominal cavity through the umbilical ring, commonly seen in infants and young children. When the affected child cries, coughs, or struggles, the increase in abdominal pressure can easily lead to an umbilical hernia. The purpose of an umbilical hernia belt is to apply a certain amount of pressure around the navel area to prevent the occurrence of an umbilical hernia. In principle, the umbilical hernia belt should be worn 24 hours a day, except during special times such as bathing. When using the umbilical hernia belt, it is also important to adjust the appropriate tightness to avoid being too tight, which affects the child's comfort, or too loose, which fails to compress the hernial ring effectively. Additionally, attention must be paid to avoiding the incarceration of the hernia contents.

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Written by Dong Xian Yan
Pediatrics
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Can an umbilical hernia often be pressed with hands?

Umbilical hernias can often be pressed with the hand, but it is important to be careful with the technique and strength used to avoid damaging the contents of the hernia or the local skin, which could lead to a secondary bacterial infection. Umbilical hernia is one of the common diseases during the newborn and infant periods. After the umbilical cord falls off, if the closure of the umbilical ring is incomplete or the tissues around the navel are not sturdy, factors such as frequent crying or constipation can increase intra-abdominal pressure. This can lead to the protrusion of abdominal contents, particularly the small intestine along with the peritoneum and abdominal wall skin, gradually pushing outward at the umbilicus, forming an umbilical hernia.

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Written by Dong Xian Yan
Pediatrics
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Why can't you cry with an umbilical hernia?

In children with umbilical hernia, crying can easily lead to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. As the intra-abdominal pressure increases, gas in the intestines and mesentery can easily protrude through the unclosed umbilical ring, thereby exacerbating the symptoms of the umbilical hernia. In severe cases, this could lead to serious complications such as incarceration of the hernia. Therefore, in addition to not crying, children with an umbilical hernia should also avoid constipation, coughing, and vigorous activities that could increase intra-abdominal pressure, in order to prevent worsening of the hernia symptoms. In daily life, their diet should be light and easy to digest.

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Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
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Does infant umbilical hernia need to be treated?

Over 80% of infant umbilical hernias can heal before the age of two because, as the child grows older, the abdominal muscles gradually develop. The umbilical ring often progressively narrows and closes, so no treatment is actually needed. However, it is usually advisable to prevent the child from crying excessively and to treat any gastroenteric colds and indigestion actively and effectively, to avoid repetitive protrusion of the hernia. If the child still has a noticeable umbilical hernia after the age of two, or if the diameter of the hernia ring exceeds 2cm, it is usually difficult to heal naturally. Surgery might be required, typically involving the removal of the hernia sac and repair of the abdominal wall defect.