Hernias in babies occur when there is a weakness in the abdominal muscles, allowing organs or tissue to push through the opening. In babies, these openings are normal and typically close before or right after birth. However, if the openings do not close, hernias can develop soon after birth or years later during childhood. The most common types of hernias in babies and children are inguinal hernias, which occur in the groin area, and umbilical hernias, which occur around the belly button.

In boys, inguinal hernias are more common because of the inguinal canal, which lets the testicles move from the belly to the scrotum. Normally, a baby’s inguinal canal closes shortly before or after birth, but in some cases, the canal doesn’t fully close, allowing a loop of intestine to move into the inguinal canal through the weak spot in the belly wall, causing an inguinal hernia.

Umbilical hernias occur when the umbilical ring doesn’t close properly, allowing a loop of intestine to move into the opening between the belly muscles. Hernias happen more often in children who have one or more of the following risk factors: being born early or premature, having a parent or sibling who had a hernia as an infant, cystic fibrosis, developmental dysplasia of the hip, undescended testes, or abnormalities of the genitourinary system.

Symptoms of a hernia in a baby may include a lump or swelling near the groin or belly button, pain or tenderness around the groin or lower belly, unexplained crying or fussiness, and a bulge that is larger than before and does not regress spontaneously. If a hernia beco...