# belly button in newborn looks....open?



## mommy2serena (Nov 16, 2005)

kind of hard to describe.. there's always a little dried crusy blood around it and when I clean it and look inside, it looks like and outie on the inside, like a slight bump that's flesh colored and wet looking and shiny, it just doesn't look CLOSED to me. I think the stump was snagged on clothing because it detatched (more like was pulled off?) only after a couple days, it never even dried up all the way. DD's at this age looked, well, like mine does now. getting narrower inside and you cant see anything in there, it's so tight and closed looking. DS's just looks open, and it looks like something's in there. It cant be his "insides" im seeing, can it?


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## CarolynnMarilynn (Jun 3, 2004)

It is granulation tissue and normal. It is not an organ or the inside of his/her body, just a different kind of wound healing tissue. It should heal over eventually. if it doesn't it should be treated in toddlerhood. I read a study recently that showed that a saline bath (a weak salt water bath) twice a day for one week healed them as well as silver nitrate (a substance that kinda burns it healed). Just keep it as dry as you can and it should take care of itself.


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## meggles (Mar 9, 2004)

DD had this and it went away by 3 months or so. I wouldn't worry so long as it's not bleeding, really oozing, or smelling funky.


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## CaraNicole (Feb 28, 2007)

_ds did this, the doc put silver nitrate on it and it healed in a week...i guess it doesn't huet b/c he didn't even make a face!_


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

We had the same thing happen. DD2's cord fell off at 4 days and I swore I could see her intestines







. It was all shiny and grey. I called the MW all freaked out and she said it was fine.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Purely anecdotal, but we went through the same thing when Daniel was born, and now it's all healed up and he has a perfectly lovely kissable belly button.


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## taradt (Jun 10, 2003)

just another DS had it too.... We would put breastmilk on it, clean off any dried blood. It went away on it's own but I don't remember when


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## Munchkimo (May 26, 2005)

My daughter's cord stump fell off at four days and looked pretty much like you described. I asked the doctor about it and he said just to keep it clean and dry. She's four weeks old tomorrow and now has an adorable little "rosette" shaped belly button.


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## JenLiz (Sep 17, 2006)

could be herniated. no big deal, if it is. it goes away on it's own. but, the belly button / umbilical cord is/was the part of the intestines, so it may be a little squishy and different for a while. check with your pediatritian though to be sur eit's not infected.


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## mwright (Nov 30, 2006)

My dd had exactly what you are describing.It corrected itself by the time she was 3mo. Its nothing to worry about unless it smells or looks infected.


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