My 1 week old has been crying a lot and has diarrhea I think. A friend who came to visit today suggested it might be umbical hernia. What should I be looking for to check if this is the case?

Umbilical hernia occurs when a loop of intestine or other tissues bulges through the hole in the stomach muscles (previously allowing the baby’s umbilical cord to pass through), which failed to close completely after birth. Like what Diana mentioned, such hernias are generally painless and does not cause any discomfort. They appear as a bulge in newborns and are likely more noticeable (usually after a few weeks or months after birth) when the baby cries. They can be diagnosed after a physical examination by your pediatrician. Usually, these hernias will close on their own by ages 3 or 4. Otherwise, a simple surgical procedure could be performed to help repair the hernia. Consult your doctor for his/her opinion on whether the operation is necessary. For more information on this and other types of hernias common in children, you can refer to this article: http://sg.theasianparent.com/common-hernia-in-kids/ (information on umbilical hernia could be found on the second page of the article)