Outie belly button during pregnancy refers to the protruding navel seen in pregnant women. The growing baby inside the uterus causes your belly button to pop out. Although some women may not experience an outie belly button while pregnant, physical changes are common. These often fade away and disappear after delivery. Read on to know more about an outie belly button, including its causes and prevention.
What Is An ‘Outie’ Belly Button During Pregnancy?
Your belly button is a scar on your abdomen that marks the point of attachment of the umbilical cord is (1). ‘Innie’ is a slang for the belly button, as it is mostly inward. In cases where the belly button is protruding outwards, you can call it an ‘outie.’
What Can Cause An Outie Belly Button During Pregnancy?
When you are pregnant, your body undergoes a sea change. You pile on weight, and your uterus expands as your baby grows in your womb (2). In addition to all this, your body retains fluids, and there is a buildup of the amniotic fluid too. All this leads your uterus to press your belly button. As a result, your belly button starts protruding outwards, or turns into an outie. It is a very normal occurrence during pregnancy, and you need not fret. According to Michael Bermant, M.D. of Bermant Plastic Surgery, your belly button will go back to its original shape in a few months after you are through with your pregnancy.
How To Prevent An Outie Belly Button When Pregnant?
While you are pregnant, you cannot prevent your stomach from growing and similarly you cannot prevent your belly button from protruding outwards and becoming an outie. Some people have an inward shaped belly button while some have an outward shaped belly button even before pregnancy. The original shape of your belly button will not decide whether or not or how much it will protrude while you are pregnant. Similarly, you may not experience a protruding belly button even while you are pregnant. All these situations are perfectly normal (2).
What Happens To My ‘Outie’ Belly Button After Delivery?
During pregnancy, the skin around your belly button area tends to become loose. Therefore, it is possible that your outie may not go inwards, even after your delivery. In case your belly button does not go inside on its own, you may require a small plastic surgery to tuck it back into position. Your gynecologists and plastic surgeon will be the best people to guide you about it. It could also be an indication of a belly button or an umbilical hernia though it is quite rare. It can occur when some part of your fatty tissue or bowel pokes near the area of the belly button . If you are suffering from a belly button hernia, you may experience some pain and discomfort too. You should seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing a painful bulge near your belly button (1) (2). You should also speak to your doctor if you notice any discoloration on and around the area of your belly button. The risk of developing a belly button hernia increases in case of multiple pregnancies. So if you’re expecting twins or more, your risk of developing a belly button hernia is high.
