Kate’s never really taken to any traditional comfort items. She’s never taken a pacifier (much to my dismay) or sucked her thumb. She’s never had a blankie or a particular stuffed animal she couldn’t live without.
No, Kate’s favorite thing is much closer to her heart. Literally. It’s her belly button.
The girl LOVES her belly button. It’s the oddest thing. Since she was just a little girl, she has tugged on her belly button for comfort. We’re just glad she’s not a boy. But I digress.
It grosses me out, to be honest. I can’t stand touching my own belly button, so why she loves hers is beyond me. But she does. She used to insist we leave her jammies unzipped so she could find her belly. I’m serious! Just last week, in fact, I watched her stand on first base during her t-ball game and lift up her shirt to find her navel. At some point, this is going to become inappropriate!
I fear, though that we may never get to the “you-can’t-get-a-two-piece-wedding-dress” conversation because I’m pretty sure she is not going to even have a belly button by then. She has already given herself an outie!
This is what it looks like normally.
And this is what it looks like when she is momentarily through messing with it.
Today I was actually contemplating calling the pediatrician to see if it’s possible for her to do permanent damage to her body, but I just couldn’t bring myself to pick up the phone and say “Um hi, I was just wondering if it’s possible for my daughter to untie her belly button… what? No, this is not a prank call! Why do I care if your refrigerator is running? Hello????” So I guess I will just wait and see and call 911 if she draws blood.
It’s such a cute belly button, though!
My 4-year-old likes to play with hers from time to time. She has an outie, so I think she’s fascinated with this round thing sticking out from her tummy.
Don’t worry; I’m pretty sure she can’t do any damage.
we are having a problem with our 3 1/2yr old. with his THING. i ‘ll trade you. i don’t know what to do……
My daughter is obsessed with a belly button too…but it’s MY belly button! She calls it my “button tummy”. She’s used it for comfort for over a year now. We nap together in the afternoon and she always falls asleep rubbing it. It just about drove me crazy when I was pregnant with my son. I used to gauge when her nails needed to be trimmed based on the amount of damage she caused in my belly button. Now she’s learned to be gentle, but it’s a little embarassing when she tries to do it in public. I don’t want anyone seeing my post-baby belly!!
Hmm. Hey, like Bethany said: At least it’s a relatively “safe” thing to be playing with
It’s probably harmless…as long as it’s not hurting her don’t you think?? I hope so! Perhaps she will outgrow it in time…. certainly she won’t go down the aisle with her dress up and playing wtih it…
Looks like you should invest in some halter tops for Kate for the summer… to make the accessibility easier for her. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.
Well B’s only comfort items are my breasts, so I think the belly button would be an improvement over that, but who am I to say?
My mom said that was my “security” item when I was little — I obviously outgrew it and have a perfectly normal belly button now (30 years later)!!!
Joshua’s secrity item is his EARS. I know you’ve seen him play with them, Em. Well he likes to fold the lobes of his ear up and stick them inside the rest of his ear – sometimes he gets it so it DOES stick in there and it really freaks me out and I make him stop! One day I know we are going to teh ER cause his ear will be stuck inside…his ear. Yeah.
Mu litttle one does the same thing..I think she thinks her BB is alive..she feeds it from her sippy cup!! LOL
Hannah is the exact same way with her belly button. Although she sucks her thumb too – so it’s always the same thing with one thumb in the mouth and the other hand on the belly button. I had to stop putting her in one-piece pajamas and outfits because she would throw a fit if she couldn’t get to her belly. And we do two-piece bathing suits because otherwise she walks around with her hand stuck in her suit, on her belly button. Dresses are another challenge – hiking it up to get to her belly was cute when she was in diapers, but now, not so much. We had to insist that she at least pull her hand in through the sleeve and get to her belly that way. Hers was an outie to begin with, and even though it’s now more of an ‘innie’ usually, she still pulls it out to hold onto and play with it. Ugh.
My daughter (6), who also never had a security blanket and spit out as many pacifiers as we put in, plays with her belly button.
We finally cracked the code. It is only when she needs a nap (not nervous or scared). But I think she now knows we know and we can’t get her to actually take a nap to save our lives.
Well, now, this is an EXCELLENT topic for Dr. Mike at http://www.pediacast.org
Seriously, you should SO email him and ask. Include pictures!
I might have to deny knowing you though.
Bryson loooves his belly button too! Whenever he gets tired, he has one hand on his bellly button and the other one in his hair! It’s sooo cute!
So my DD isn’t the only one!!! She’s done this since she was really tiny. She sucks her thumb and tugs on her belly button all the time. We couldn’t even do onesies very long, because she would just scream until she had access to her belly button. It looks just the same as your DD’s, too. Usually an innie, but an outie anytime she pulls on it.
I DID ask her Dr. about it at her last checkup, but he didn’t seem to think it was an issue at all.
I thought my son was the only one!! But my 2 yr old son loves MY belly button more. In order for him to fall asleep at night, or anytime he wants to be comforted, he says “belly” and has to stick his finger in my belly button.
I’m hoping to get pregnant again, and I think that may be the one thing that weens him from my belly
Hey there! Where are the pics? I wanted to let you know that Dr. Mike addressed your belly button question on Pediacast! I told you I could get you launched to the top of the queue!
Im 24 and ive played with my belly button since i was very little! its a comfort thing for me too, its weird, and i have to be careful when i do it. But i find myself doing it in front of my family most of the time, but i quickly get embarrassed when i realize my actions. Its so weird, i have been made of for this problem, but i dont really care. I keep it to myself, although my husband always knocks my hand away if he catches me doing it. I dont think she can hurt herself, but it is a very odd habit to deal with in life.
My daughter started doing this at around a year old and now, almost 3, she still does it, usually right before she falls asleep. It gets me too as a strange thing to do…wondering how long it will last?
My son is almost three and he plays with his belly button alot. Usually it is before a nap or at bedtime. He never took a pacifier or sucked his thumb so this is his thing. My husband just asked if this is normal for a child to do and I guess it is with seeing some many responses. I guess he will eventually out grow this, but it is cute for now.
i just had to look up “kids using belly button instead of a blankie!” online to see if there was anyone else out there that had this happening. when i stopped nursing my son i would still hold him in that position and give him a bottle. he would try to put his hand up my shirt and i would stop him from going up so he found my belly button and that is his comfort. for going to sleep, or just standing next to me he has to put his finger in my belly button! when he sees other people’s belly buttons he squeals “belweeee” and put his finger in theirs too! of course mine is the preferred one and it can get embarrassing in public when he wants to do this considering my stomach is not the flattest and tonest it has ever been! glad to know there are others out there and this is not totally weird!
my 18 month old son is obsessed with his belly button. his happiest moments are when he has his thumb in his mouth and his other hand in his belly button. doesnt matter which finger on the other hand it is as long as one is in there. im so worried that it does cause damage. ive have encountered two seperate people in the space of a couple days saying that it can cause problems and infections. although i cant see why if his nails are short and clean?
Did she outgrow it yet? My daughter is about to turn 3 and has been doing the same thing with her BB and tummy for about a year. We find it strange and are a little concerned.
Well? Did she outgrow it (four years later, I hope so!). My 17-month-old son similarly brutalizes his non-stop. He also likes my belly button, my boobs and a pacifier. GAH.
my belly button looks exactly like that! lol only mine has a little scar underneath from surgry when i was a baby.. its good that she likes it lol i dont like mine at all and im very insecure about it..its better for her to feel comfortable with it. trust me and i highly doubt its going to be a problem. shell possibly grow out of her fedish with it!