Are you curious about nipple piercings but also hope to have children some day? Did you get your nipples pierced on a whim and are having panicky second thoughts? No worries - women can easily breast-feed after having had their nipples pierced, but the jewelry itself may be inconvenient while nursing.
Breast Feeding After Nipple Piercings: Is it Possible?
Despite a tendency in the mainstream media to come up with horrible worst-case scenarios, most women with pierced nipples have no reason to worry about their ability to breast-feed. A breast contains 15 to 20 milk ducts; when one pierces the nipple, one or two of the milk ducts may be damaged, but one's overall ability to breastfeed is not affected. When the piercing is removed, milk may flow out through the holes as well as the milk ducts, but this is only likely to cause increased milk flow and may actually make nursing easier.
That said, women who have multiple piercings in each nipple, or who have considerable scar tissue from previous failed or rejected piercings may experience problems, and may want to talk to their doctor. Excessive scar tissue has the potential for making nursing more difficult (but is still unlikely!). If concerned, talk to your doctor or midwife.
Removing One's Jewelry Before Feeding: Necessary but Inconvenient
While women with nipple piercings can almost certainly breastfeed, there are some practical considerations to take into account. Nursing women should always take their jewelry out before feeding. The jewelry can be a choking hazard to babies, and metal jewelry could also potentially damage an infant's soft palette and gums. Women who do not take their jewelry out before nursing are risking injury to their child, as well as potentially making it more difficult for their child to successfully latch on to their nipple during feedings.
That said, the constant removal and insertion of jewelry can become extremely inconvenient. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that newborns will feed 8 to 12 times (or more) every 24 hours, with feeding times gradually decreasing as the infant gets older. Breastfeeding itself can cause sore, cracked, and irritated nipples, and the constant removal and insertion of jewelry can be painful on already irritated nipples.
Women may find that night nursing, particularly if co-sleeping, is more convenient when they do not have to think about removing and reinserting their jewelry. One of the benefits of co-sleeping is that a mother does not have to get out of bed or completely wake up in order to nurse her infant, and having to fiddle about with jewelry while half-asleep may not appeal to sleep-deprived mothers.
Furthermore, women who breast feed in public may find it difficult to remove their nipple piercings discreetly before feedings. The simple act of breastfeeding in public is already a fraught topic, and women who take out their nipple piercings in public may encounter a disapproving and judgmental audience. One would be advised to pick ones locations carefully before removing one's piercings inn public, or arm oneself with a thick skin and a sharp tongue.
Keeping One's Nipple Piercings While Breastfeeding: Can It Be Done?
This is not to say that one can not retain one's jewelry throughout one's nursing years, but simply to say that it may be inconvenient. Some women choose to remove their jewelry while nursing, and have their nipples re-pierced after weaning. Another option is to switch one's jewelry to something like Bioplast or PTFE, which are made from a soft and flexible material and may be more comfortable to sore nipples. Ultimately women should be able to breast feed after having their nipples pierced, but they will have to weigh the importance of keeping their piercings in long-term for themselves.
Sources:
Breast Tattoos, Nipple Piercings and Breastfeeding
Nipple Piercing: Is it Compatible with Breastfeeding?
American Academy of Pediatrics: Breastfeeding FAQ
M. Mitchell - M. Mitchell is a a literate twenty-something with a Bachelors of Arts in the social sciences. She currently resides in beautiful British ...
