Bellybutton obsessed

[Lemonteased]

My 5 and a half year old is absolutely obsessed with playing with her belly button, she doesn’t make it sore or anything, just sort of taps it. Mainly when she is eating or watching TV.

She’s done this since about 1 year old, we’ve tried ignoring it and we’ve tried asking her to stop when we notice.

Harmless in itself and it’s probably just a comfort thing like playing with your hair, the issue is she’ll lift up her dress to get to it and this is the bit I have an sorry about. She’s at school, and I’m worried as she gets older she’ll be made fun of (and it does look a bit odd when I catch her when we’re out and about).

Any advice? Recently bought her a fidget toy which she can take to school but any other tips would be helpful

If other kids notice she'll soon stop doing it at school.

I'd say just distract when you notice her doing it but don't make a big deal of it.

Can you put her in trousers for school?

Omg I used to do this! My Mum said I used to have a bottle of milk, lay on the sofa and play with my belly button until I fell asleep 😂 I don't think I did it at school so don't worry about it, it was more of a tiredness/comfort thing, I didn't do it well into my teens if I couldn't sleep!! 43 now and don't do it anymore so I wouldn't worry!

Sorry just seen that you said she does do it when out and about, can you just tell her that she shouldn't be lifting up her clothes in public and she can do it at home?!

I've heard some people have a belly button that due to their physiology is closer to a certain nerve than others. Maybe it has some unusual effect that most people don't get? Or maybe it's a habit like lots of children have. I can see why you would be a bit worried about it carrying on. It seems quite habitual so would take a consistent approach to stop I think.

No advice to offer at all but my 2.5 year old is totally the same and it’s reassuring to here of someone else. I also worry she will be teased for it when she is older and keep hoping she will grow out of it. She does the tapping but also pulls it out which can be a bit weird to look at!

@elevenduck we can, she isn’t keen on trousers though, loves dresses and princesses etc. I have said she will need to wear trousers if it doesn’t stop. I’m reluctant though as I know she won’t like trousers and I’ll almost feel like I’m punishing her.

@ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner we have been pretty consistent telling her absolutely no lifting clothes up in public but I still catch her.

it is reassuring hearing about others

Indo this, and I'm 40, sorry op, I can pull mine in and out (totally disgusting I know) qjd do it as a comfort thing, usually in bed or weirdly when I'm in the phone.
It's compulsive behaviour, I also have issues with h hair pulling and skin picking too, lots of compulsive behaviour traits

My mum used to put a plaster over mine but I always pulled it off!!!

My sister used to do this 😆

She must have outgrown it at some point because she doesn’t do it anymore in her 30s. :)

Hmmm... the woo in me wonders about her birth/cord clamping etc. I'd probably take her to a craniosacral therapist for a session just to see if that settles things. There might be a particular sensation there.

My ds had terrible colic, cried nightly at bedtime. Went to a CS who diagnosed a vibrating intestine, likely from a shoddy cord cut..she treated it in that one session and he never screamed again...

Obviously it could just be her comfort, regulation zone also.

@Thatweredeadtightoncheryl I wouldn’t mind if she just did it at home, as she doesn’t do any damage, it’s just the lifting up of clothes in public to get to it

I definitely would have done that as a child too. Hence the plasters lol, she will develop self consciousness about it eventually, it's akin to picking your nose and eating it in that sense 😂

@mikado1 never heard of this, she’s not in pain or anything and doesn’t seem to know she’s doing it. When I do ask her to stop, she does

she also sucks the inside of her mouth or teeth but no flashing of pants there so I’m not worried!

Omg I still do this at 34!

I definitely do it without knowing too although my brain stops me doing it public, my partner doesn't even really notice me doing it either.
My belly button has a slightly bruised look about it at times and sometimes it does get a bit sore if I've been doing it a lot.

Oh I know, but she's clearly drawn to it.. anyway, a bit woo as I say!