Research has shown that postpartum umbilical hernias may go away on its own without surgery. While most umbilical hernias are not harmful to your body, they can have bothersome symptoms. In rare cases, an umbilical hernia may get strangulated, and the blood supply gets cut off to the hernia. This can be very serious and would require medical treatment as soon as possible. The best way to prevent getting an umbilical hernia after pregnancy is not to overexert yourself while working out. Also, rapid weight gain after delivery could increase your chances of developing a hernia.
What is an umbilical hernia?
An umbilical hernia is a hernia in the belly button that commonly occurs after pregnancy. A hernia is when fat, tissue, or intestines are pushed through weakened muscle tissue. Most people notice a bugle (commonly referred to as an outie belly button).
Why does umbilical hernia happen after pregnancy?
Certain women are more predisposed to developing an umbilical hernia after pregnancy than others. This is because during birth, some people have the spot where their umbilical cord is cut and doesn’t heal properly. Instead, it creates a small hole in the muscle or tissue that is located behind the navel. The gap is then filled and pushed through with tissue, muscle, or intestines. This creates the bulge that you see on your belly button.
Other factors that make you at risk for developing a postpartum umbilical hernia include:
- Previous abdominal surgeries
- Weightlifting without proper form before pregnancy or during pregnancy.
- Weak core muscles from lack of abdominal exercise
- Prolonged labor
- Overweight before pregnancy
- Having more than one pregnancy
- Multiple gestation pregnancies
What does a postpartum umbilical hernia look like?
A postpartum umbilical hernia is best described as what is commonly considered an “outie belly button”. This is when your belly button protrudes out and bulges instead of having an inward hole. Other symptoms may include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- A reddish-blue hue of skin around the umbilical hernia.
- Pain
- Women who have c-sections may notice loose skin around the bulging of their belly button.
- Coughing while standing up or bending
- Acid Reflux
Will umbilical hernias go away after pregnancy?
Umbilical hernias can go away after pregnancy. However, there is a chance of recurrence with future pregnancies. Fortunately there are ways to help speed up the healing process and provide relief of symptoms associated with an umbilical hernia.
How can I fix my umbilical hernia naturally?
Having an umbilical hernia can leave you feeling helpless. There are surgical options to completely repair a hernia. However, surgery is not something everyone will be comfortable with doing. Fortunately, there are many great natural remedies to treat umbilical hernias.
- Castor Seed Oil
- Castor Seed Oil is an anti-inflammatory often used to help with many stomach problems. It helps by promoting digestion, offers pain relief, and decreases swelling. Castor oil is applied directly to the umbilical hernia.
- Ginger Root
- Ginger Root is used to treat various conditions, including umbilical hernia. This root boosts your overall health and is not only an anti-inflammatory, but also helps destroy viruses. Eating raw ginger root can help heal your umbilical hernia and prevent the recurrence of hernias in other locations of your body. Ginger root is also great for your overall stomach health by promoting gastric and stomach health.
- Black Pepper
- Black Pepper is a fruit that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Aside from black pepper being a fantastic spice to add to foods, it has many healing qualities. Black pepper reduces swelling of hernias and intestinal muscles.
Can a belly band help with an umbilical hernia?
A belly band can help with umbilical hernias during and after pregnancy. Belly bands and wraps effectively provide compression which boosts blood circulation and reduces swelling. Also, wearing a belly band will help relieve hernia pain.
Which belly band is best for umbilical hernias?
Belly Bandits postpartum wraps are uniquely designed and every wrap features something different to tailor to your individual needs. Wearing a compression belly wrap will speed up your recovery time and leave you feeling comfortable and supported every step of the way.
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Postpartum Luxe Belly Wrap
The postpartum luxe belly wrap offers the best of both worlds to jumpstart your postpartum journey. This wrap is a belly wrap and corset in one. You may wear this wrap after your delivery or when your medical professional gives you the clearance. It’s advised to wear for a minimum for six to ten weeks after delivery. However many women wear them a lot longer as they offer many benefits.
The Luxe Belly wrap offers maximum coverage with gentle compression. Compression is very important when helping heal an umbilical hernia. Compressing an umbilical hernia will provide pain relief coupled with increased blood circulation. It is crucial that the belly wrap is snug but not too tight to cut off circulation and reduce the ability to breathe. A belly wrap can be very beneficial for an umbilical hernia if used properly.
Mother Tucker Compression Corset
The Mother Tucker Compression Corset offers the most essential compression technology for an umbilical hernia. This compression corset provides two layers of material to give you two layers of compression. As you heal from pregnancy, so does your abdomen. This garment has six rows of hook-and-eye clasps that are adjustable as your body heals and adjusts to its pre-pregnancy body. The Mother Tucker Compression Corset is virtually invisible under clothes and can be worn after delivery. We suggest starting with a belly wrap to jumpstart your immediate recovery.
Conclusion
Having a new baby brings about so many changes that can be both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Belly Bandit offers support from pregnancy to postpartum. Developing an umbilical hernia during pregnancy or after pregnancy can be painful and cause discomfort. If you use a Luxe belly wrap for the first six weeks after delivery and a mother tucker compression corset after the first six weeks then both will offer the best postpartum recovery option and leave you the ability to focus on being a new mom.
