Your belly button in pregnancy

Will my "out-y" belly button become an "in-y" belly button, once again after pregnancy? Does this mean my muscles have separated?

Pregnant women often notice that as their abdomen pops out, so does their belly button. It's linked to your growing baby. In her book, "The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy," Vicki Iovine says it very well: "Think of yourself as a Butterball turkey -- when your belly button pops out, you're about done."

Many women start to feel like "it's someone else's body" during pregnancy, and the "out-y" belly button is a good example. Some display it proudly, yet others try to hide it with a band-aid or flatten it with a nickel and a piece of tape. Late in pregnancy, your belly button may lead the way into a room, but it generally returns to normal soon after birth.

Separation of the muscles is another matter. The abdominal muscles are a pair of muscles joined by a seam in the middle. Hormones released during pregnancy allow this seam to soften and stretch as the abdominal muscles accommodate the growing baby. If this seam stretches a lot, separation of the muscles can occur. The separation isn't painful, but because these muscles help maintain good posture, it often leads to backaches. If you have a separation, mild strengthening exercises in a diagonal direction, such as reaching your right arm across to your left knee, can help bring the muscles together. Be sure to tighten your abdominal muscles whenever lifting, and avoid straining of any kind.

Although the pressure inside the abdomen is increased during pregnancy, and hernias can develop at weak spots near the navel (umbilical hernia), serious hernias are rare. Women often find that their protruding belly button is sensitive; but any severe or constant pain should be evaluated to make sure there is no hernia.

Labels: Pregnancy health, Tips for parents