Book 2, Question 86
Why Do We Have Belly Buttons?
Everyone has one, and it is right in the middle of your tummy. Before you were born, a cord brought you food and oxygen. The belly button is the healed spot where it was.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- Your belly button marks the spot where your umbilical cord was once attached. You say it um-BIL-ih-kul.
- The cord was a soft, bendy tube that carried vitamins and minerals to you before you were born.
- After birth, the leftover stump falls off within a few weeks.
- Doctors say your belly button is really a small scar.
- Belly buttons can be innies or outies. An outie looks like a ring with a little button of skin inside.
Sources: KidsHealth (Nemours), Cleveland Clinic
Questions kids ask
Is a belly button a scar?
Yes. Your belly button is a small scar left from your umbilical cord.