Why Do Humans Have Belly Buttons?

You had a special straw while you were growing inside your mom. It was called the umbilical cord. This cord brought food and oxygen to you and took away waste.

What Happens After Birth?

When you are born, the doctor cuts this straw. The part left on your tummy dries up and falls off like a scab. The hole it leaves behind is your belly button!

Different Shapes

Some people have belly buttons that poke out (innie). Others have belly buttons that go in (outie). It depends on how the skin heals after the cord is cut.

It is basically a scar from before you were born. It is a cool reminder of where you came from!

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Examples

  1. A baby's tummy has a small hole where the food tube was attached before birth.
  2. When the doctor cuts the cord, it leaves behind a little mark that becomes a belly button.
  3. Some kids have belly buttons that stick out like buttons on a shirt.

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