My 5 week old's belly button is popped out and it looks awful when he cries. I know it isn't painful, but I'm so sad this happened.

My daughter had the same thing. I know they say it will likely close up on its own, but it didn't for her and she ended up getting surgery to fix it. She was also becoming very self conscious about it (by age 6) because her BB didn't look like anyone else's. She was offered surgery sooner but I was still holding out hope that it would heal.

I guess I'm just afraid of it happening again. I'm afraid people will judge me if they think I let him cry too much - which I don't ever try to do. I wish it would just heal quickly. Every time I change his diaper now I want to cry.

Any advice on trying to help it heal? (Besides that old wives tale about the penny because that doesn't seem safe to me)