If your newborn has an "outie" belly button, you may be wondering what causes it and whether it's something to be concerned about. Rest assured, as long as your baby’s umbilical stump is healing properly overall, the “outie” shape is perfectly normal.
Belly buttons come in two shapes: “innie” or “outie,” it’s just that “innie” tends to be much more common. While many parents think the way the umbilical cord is cut will influence the shape, this isn’t true. What’s more likely to influence innie vs. outie is how the umbilical cord was naturally attached to baby in the womb and how the healing process goes.
Some complications in the healing process can lead to an outie shape, including:
Local infection:sometimes, the additional scar tissue related to an infection can push the skin out.
Umbilical hernia:this happens when the muscles around the belly button don’t fully close, resulting in a small opening under their belly button where part of baby’s intestines can push forwards and create a bulge appearance. Majority of these close naturally, and when they do – it may revert to an “innie.”
Otherwise, if your baby’s belly button heals as an “outie,” it’s harmless and part of what makes them unique!