Does the umbilical hernia belt work for infants?

Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
Updated on June 27, 2025
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Infant umbilical hernia occurs due to a thin abdominal wall around the navel, caused by insufficient prenatal development. When a child cries intensely or has increased gas in the gastrointestinal tract, which raises the abdominal pressure, the navel may bulge out, forming an umbilical hernia. It does not require special treatment, and using a hernia belt is ineffective and may even cause local damage and physiological discomfort in the child, thus it is not necessary to use one. Generally, it is sufficient to prevent long periods of intense crying in the child, actively prevent and treat diseases of the child’s digestive system, and avoid increased abdominal pressure to prevent recurrent navel bulging. Over 80% of children will see the hernia ring gradually narrow and even close naturally before the age of two as their physical development matures. Only a small portion of children who still have a noticeable umbilical hernia after two years, or whose hernia ring diameter is greater than two centimeters, might need to consider surgical treatment.

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Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
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Can an umbilical hernia be seen as a bulge?

Umbilical hernia manifests as a bulge around the belly button, mainly because the contents of the hernia include the intestines and omentum. This bulge becomes apparent when there is an increase in abdominal pressure due to crying or other activities, pushing the intestinal contents through the weak area around the navel, resulting in a noticeable protrusion. This bulge has a characteristic feature known as reducibility. It disappears when lying flat or in a calm state, but becomes more apparent and may increase in size when standing or under conditions of increased abdominal pressure, such as crying, shouting, or jumping. Clinically, this reducibility of the bulge is used to diagnose an umbilical hernia.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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How long will it take for an umbilical hernia to heal?

Umbilical hernia can heal on its own, generally, if the appropriate treatment method is chosen, most umbilical hernias can heal within six months. For children over two years old, if the umbilical hernia has not healed and the diameter of the umbilical ring exceeds 1.5 cm, active surgical treatment is also chosen. For children over five years old, surgical treatment is recommended regardless of the situation. Umbilical hernia occurs because the umbilical ring does not close in time during the child's development, causing the abdomen to protrude. The common treatment method is to choose a coin or cardboard larger than the umbilical ring, wrap it up, press against the umbilical ring, and fix it with adhesive tape to prevent it from moving. This treatment method generally works well and can avoid surgery. However, during the observation process, it is necessary to avoid the occurrence of incarceration or rupture of the hernia.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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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.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What should I do about my baby's umbilical hernia?

If your baby has an umbilical hernia, there is no need to panic. Generally speaking, this hernia occurs because the area around the baby's navel is not fully developed, leading to the hernia. It usually becomes more noticeable after crying - clearly protruding, but it can retract after resting. Typically, between one to two years old, the hernia may resolve by itself, so there's no need for special treatment. If you feel compelled to do something, you can buy a belt at a maternity and baby store and place a coin or another hard, flat object beneath it to press down on the navel, which can help the hernia repair sooner. However, if the hernia is large and still protrudes noticeably after the age of two, surgical intervention might be necessary.

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Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
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Can an infant umbilical hernia cause crying?

Infant umbilical hernia is caused by a congenital weakness in the umbilicus, usually manifesting as an umbilical bulge during increased abdominal pressure. Generally, an umbilical hernia does not cause children to cry. However, if the hernia ring is relatively large, and abdominal structures such as the greater omentum or small intestine protrude through it, incarceration can occur, leading to abdominal discomfort and crying in the child. In such cases, carefully pushing the hernia back in is usually sufficient. Umbilical hernias typically do not require special treatment; it is only necessary to prevent prolonged intense crying in children and to actively prevent and treat indigestive diseases. Generally, as the child grows older and their physique strengthens, the hernia ring narrows and may even close naturally. Only a small number of babies, if the hernia ring diameter is larger than 2 cm, or if there is a noticeable umbilical hernia after the age of two, might experience discomfort requiring surgical treatment.