Can I breastfeed with nipple piercings?
Yes, with proper precautions, breastfeeding is safe and recommended. Generally, the more time that has passed between when the piercing was done and the birth of the baby, the better the outcome. Many women choose to remove the jewelry during pregnancy due to extra nipple sensitivity. Breast changes during pregnancy can also make wearing jewelry uncomfortable.
Since nipples can go through changes as early as the first trimester, some doctors suggest removing jewelry as soon as a woman finds out she is pregnant. Other doctors may recommend removing jewelry no later than the second trimester of pregnancy, even if a mom does not plan to breastfeed. This is due to the risk of breast tissue growing around the piercing, leading to the need to have them surgically removed.
Women may choose to insert the jewelry every-so-often to prevent the piercing from closing. If piercings close, getting re-pierced later is an option, but it’s best to wait about 3-4 months after weaning, due to hormonal changes that can affect the healing process.
It is recommended and safest for the baby to completely remove nipple jewelry during the entire breastfeeding experience and many breastfeeding mothers choose this option. Some mothers choose to replace the jewelry after every feeding, which requires close attention to proper sanitary measures to prevent infection and illness in baby.
How to Safely Breastfeed While Keeping Piercings Open
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Practice good hygiene:
- Wash hands before removing and replacing jewelry
- Keep jewelry clean
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Always remove jewelry while baby is nursing to:
- Avoid the risk of choking
- Ensure baby can latch correctly
- Prevent damage to baby’s mouth
Milk Supply
Nipple piercings don’t usually affect the ability to make milk. The tissue responsible for milk production is behind the nipple. In some cases, nipple piercings can affect milk transfer (or baby removing the milk) due to scar tissue causing a blockage, so milk can’t get out. If less milk can be removed from the breast, milk supply decreases. Breastfeeding baby early after delivery and often (8-12 times in 24 hours) maximizes the chances of achieving a good milk supply.
Milk Flow
There’s no way to know if milk flow has been affected until breastfeeding begins, and many moms have no problems. Issues are more common if the piercing damaged one or more milk ducts or nerves, if there were multiple piercings or severe infections.
- Too Slow
Scarring can decrease milk flow and have a negative impact on the let-down reflex. Permanent numbness in the nipple can be a complication from a piercing, which can also affect the let-down reflex during nursing or pumping.
- Too Fast
Milk may come out of the extra holes created by the piercing, but if baby is latched on deeply to the breast, it shouldn’t impact breastfeeding. Wearing breast pads to prevent milk from leaking on clothing will be helpful.
If the extra holes are causing milk to flow faster than what baby can manage:
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- Use the laid-back breastfeeding position to slow the flow.
- Stimulate milk let-down by hand expressing or pumping and wait to latch baby until the flow of milk slows. This milk can be stored for later use (let-down milk is great for milk baths).
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Infection
Nipple piercings can increase the risk of developing mastitis or breast abscesses. Practicing proper hygiene and using sanitary precautions will decrease these risks. It’s important to know the signs of infection and seek medical advice if there is:
- Itching, redness, or swelling
- Tenderness or pain that doesn’t immediately go away on its own
- Flu-like symptoms including fever
- Throbbing, aching, or burning sensations in the nipple
- Nipple discharge
Is it safe to pierce the nipples while breastfeeding?
In short, no. Reputable piercers will not pierce anyone that is pregnant or breastfeeding, due to the risk of infection. It can take six months to a year for the piercing to heal.
Want to know more?
Learning about how nipple piercings can affect your baby and breastfeeding is a great way to be prepared for baby’s arrival. Excellent job doing the research! Taking a breastfeeding class during pregnancy can also build confidence in your ability to breastfeed. Click here for information on our Zoom breastfeeding classes that are offered twice a month.
Source:
https://llli.org/breastfeeding-info/nipple-piercings/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/breastfeed-with-nipple-piercings
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/resources/nipple-piercing