Hernias are usually diagnosed during a physical examination by a health care provider. The provider will look and feel for a bulge or swelling in the belly button area. The swelling may be more noticeable when a baby cries and may get smaller or go away when a baby relaxes or rests on its back. During the examination, the provider will determine if the hernia is reducible-if it can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity.

The provider will also look for and complete a medical history to determine if the umbilical hernia has become incarcerated (trapped within the abdominal opening), a serious medical condition in which the protruding intestine becomes trapped and deprived of blood supply. The intestine can quickly become necrotic if not repaired, which requires surgical removal of the affected intestine. Symptoms of a strangulated umbilical hernia include:  

Abdominal pain and tenderness

Fever

Full, round abdomen

Red, purple, dark or discolored bulge

Vomiting

The provider may order blood tests to look for signs of infection resulting from the strangulated intestine. They may also order a barium X-ray, ultrasound, MRI or CT to examine the intestine more closely, especially if the hernia is no longer reducible.