Yes, dolphins are born with belly buttons.

In fact dolphins are marine mammals and just like land mammals (such as humans, apes and elephants) dolphins give birth to live young, which means there are certain similarities and shared characteristics with most mammals throughout the process of becoming pregnant, nurturing their child in the womb and finally giving birth.

The belly button on a dolphin is what remains after the infant losses its umbilical cord, which (like humans) is attached to the new-born dolphin’s abdominal area or belly.

During the dolphins gestation period, which is similar to the pregnancy period of a human (with the exception that the gestation period can last much longer than a human pregnancy) the umbilical cord is connected to the baby’s abdomen and the mother’s placenta.

This cord plays a vital role during the dolphins infancy as its main job is to transfers oxygenated, nutrient rich blood to the unborn child.

In addition to transferring oxygen and nutrients to the baby dolphin it also transfers nutrient depleted blood out of the child and back to the placenta where it can be disposed of.

This nutrient rich/toxin depleting blood filtration system plays a vital role in the fetuses development cycle and ensures that the infant is getting the nutrition it needs (as well as removing harmful waste) to grow and have a healthy, uncomplicated birth.

After the mother gives birth to her baby the umbilical cord separates from the newborn dolphin and its mother allowing the newborn to feed on its own without the need of an umbilical cord to provide it with oxygen, blood and nutrients.

In the beginning feeding usually involves the mother dolphin lactating nutrient rich milk, which the baby dolphin suckles out of her nipple.

Depending on the dolphin’s species a baby dolphin may continue suckling on its mother’s nipples anywhere from 6 months to over a year or until the child is comfortable hunting and surviving on its own without the need of its mother’s milk to feed it.

In some cases a young dolphin may continue to suckle on their mothers even after she stops lactating.

The reason why a child may continue to suckle on its mothers nipple has to do with its psychological bond.

Some dolphins and species may need additional care, attention and psychological development before they are comfortable with separating from their mother.

Once the young dolphin grows into a healthy adult and reaches sexual maturity they may begin mating and bearing offspring of their own, and repeat the process of their parents and grandparents.

All cetaceans have belly buttons

In addition to the dolphin species whales and porpoises also possess belly buttons as they are all marine mammals and belong to the same cetacean family.

All species share many of the same physiological characteristics including giving birth and going through a gestation period.

The lengths of a cetaceans gestation period can range greatly from one specie to the next.

Many species are known to give birth between 10 – 12 months, however there are some species that take as long as 17 months to give birth.