Is your belly button determined by genetics or how the cord is cut?

Question

I have heard that whether you belly button is an innie or outtie is determined by genetics, not how the umbilical cord was cut. But everyone in my husbands family and my own family have innies, so how why does my 9 month old daughter have a huge outtie?

Answer 1

its determined by the way the cord its cut and how the would heals. A belly button is essentially a scar that is not related to genetics- in fact they can be used to differentiate between identical twins.

Answer 2

It is how the cord is cut, it has nothing to do with genetics. Don't listen to whoever told you that.

Answer 3

Do not pay any attention to the first answer here. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with the way the cord is cut. Cords are cut more or less in the same location, several inches away from the baby. Thus it is virtually impossible for the location to affect innie or outtie status, because a small difference in where the cord is cut won't make a difference.

In fact, the in/out is pretty much random. I have heard that it depends on how the cord attaches (during pregnancy). While I have no sources for this claim, it makes sense to me biologically, and I have taken a LOT of physiology courses in university. Check out the link below, it's good and has good references too.

Answer 4

Actually, I just heard about this on a BBC Doc called "Plastic Surgery Junkies" and the surgeon said that it was actually just the luck of the draw... The belly button isn't the part where the knot is tied... the belly button is where the umbilical cord dries up and FALLS OFF...

It is just how the skin dries and heals...

The surgeon said that he had actually done surgery to turn an outtie into an innie...