Brief Answer: Detailed below. Detailed Answer: Hello! Thank you for the query. You should not exercise with umbilical hernia, especially if it is a small hernia. Please note that exercises which increase the pressure in abdominal cavity, simply push intestines through this small hole. In some cases it may cause intestine stuck in the hernia. This leads to bowels obstruction, intestines necrosis and needs emergency surgery. Moreover, exercises will make hernia larger and larger. In small umbilical hernia, mesh inserting is not necessary. Simply stitches are usually enough to close the hole. Mesh is usually inserted if the hernia recurs. There is few types of mesh used in hernia surgery. Some of them are partially absorbable. But some of this meshes are similar to mesh lawsuit. Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions. Regards.

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Brief Answer: . Detailed Answer: It is hard to advise in such case. Most of umbilical hernias do not cause any complications. It is possible that you can live your life without surgery and nothing wont happen. This is the most probable scenario. However some part of umbilical hernia can cause complication (like hernia stuck). You never know if it will happen or not. Lifting your granddaughter can make it worse. If you are not decided to have a surgery, please try this steps: - get hernia belt and wear it when lifting or performing an exercises (do not wear it all the time as it weakens back muscles) - when you cough or push on stool, please put a hand in the hernia area and hold it (to prevent hernia getting bigger) - when you get up from bed, lie on one side first and then get up (so the abdominal muscles wont be involved) Hope this will help. Regards.

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