 [ Symptoms ] lying down flat and lifting up my head my stomach bulges in the center from my chest to my navel and is very soft my ab muscles are hard on either side but the center is bulging and soft is this normal or is this some kind of hernia [ Disease ] it definitely sounds like it could be an abdominal hernia this most commonly happens around the belly button or in a previous site of surgery while most hernias are harmless some can be dangerous it is best to get your doctor to check it out to make sure it is nothing that needs treatment right now