Nipple piercings

[MamaMort]

Hi all, hope those who celebrated have enjoyed their Christmas.
I've had both my nipples pierced for a few years. I recently found out that I'm 4 weeks pregnant (first time, finally!); I know my boobs will change and my right one has been a bit itchy (could also easily have been caused by a playful kitten claw). I'm fully prepared to remove the piercings as soon as needed, but my question is when? I'm sure many women here have gone through the same predicament, what is then general feeling about this? Should I remove them now or wait a few months? If so, how many months?

[UninventiveUsername]

I took mine out a couple of years before I got pregnant as it started to hurt me (no idea why, had it for years with no issue). If I had still had it in I think I would have removed it as soon as I got pregnant. I am breastfeeding though and always planned to. If you are planning to formula feed it probably doesn't really matter and you may as well wait until it starts to feel uncomfortable.

[Junosmum]

My nipples have got longer and darker but not spread, so unless you intend to breastfeed I wouldn't have thought it necessary to remove it, though you may want a longer bar in.

If it starts to irritate you then obviously remove it. And if you plan on breastfeeding then take it out once your blobs start leaking.

[gallicgirl]

I have no idea but I need to know if milk leaks out of the holes! Mind officially boggled.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope all goes well for you.

[Mslg]

I took mine out straight away. My nipples were way too sore/sensitive to keep them in. I've also found one has been reluctant to heal up. I actually asked the piercer this exact question when I had mine done as she said 'if you want to breastfeed, just take them out'. I would say that you could leave them in as long as your nipples are comfortable with the barbells, wouldn't see any other issues with leaving them in!

[UninventiveUsername]

Gallic girl I still had the holes from my nipple piercing and I had no problem with leaking, well nothing beyond the norm for a breastfeeding woman! I had no problems with breastfeeding either.

[Mslg]

Oh and the milk doesn't leak out the piercing holes, it seeps out from pores across your entire nipple area.

[Stylingwax]

I took mine out when I was quite pregnant cos it just felt like the time. And tho you do get milk coming out of all kinds of tiny holes, I did get some seepage from piercing holes as well which I found quite funny. Now pregnant with DC2 and holes are still leaky, might get them done again when have stopped feeding this one.

[MamaMort]

Ahhh thank you all so much! I'm an earthy girl, so breastfeeding is absolutely the plan. I'm really so very excited, I feel like in about to become the person I was always meant to be.
I'm new here (obvs!), can I ask, what do DD, DS, DH etc mean?

[5hell]

Dd = dear daughter
ds = dear son
dh = dear husband etc
somewhere there's an acronym page but can find it to link from my phone

[FourForYouGlenCoco]

I took mine out at about 16 weeks but my nipples were MASSIVE by that point and were trying to eat the bars. I practically had to dig them out of my tit. Breastfed for 10 months, no probs. Didn't notice the holes leaking but my boobs were like a pair of shower heads so it probably did happen

[MamaMort]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I was in the area that my piercer is based so I popped in and she said, "yep, let's get those out straight away." She said she always recommends women take their nipple piercings out quickly as she has found them to be a bit of a nightmare otherwise. So that's it, gone until I'm all done procreating!

[Twinwife]

There is an interesting section on nipple piercings in the 'womanly art of breastfeeding' - well worth a read

[tiggy2610]

I didn't take mine out until I was being wheeled into theatre to for my son to be delivered by emergency forceps. I went into spontaneous labour at 36w and they had been fine up until then. He fed from me about an hour after I removed them and I had no problems what so ever in fact my boob that had the piercing was his preferred boob!