What to do about belly button piercing

[SarahSPT]

Wondering if anyone has had experience with this? I've had my belly button pierced for years, which I love, and don't want it to close up.

I'm 17 weeks at the moment so don't need to take it out yet but presuming I will at some point. Does anyone know if it will close up quickly or will I be able to put it back in again after I've given birth?

I'm sure I've seen plastic ones you can wear while pregnant but not sure if they're suitable and whether it will just stretch the hole and it'll look really unsightly? (like that will be the top of my worries once my belly has ballooned, lol).

Any advice appreciated!

I left mine in the whole pregnancy with DC1 and it was fine. Took it out about 3/4 of the way through with DC2 and never put it back in because I'd grown tired of it/they'd got a bit common and I wasn't likely to be showing anyone my belly for the foreseeable future.

I never put it back in. That was 13 years ago and I'm pretty sure I could still get a piercing in there if I so desired (except that I'm currently 39 weeks pregnant!).

I used the plastic retainers for mine then after DD was born I popped a normal one back in. They don't look very nice but it does work.

Oh an you can find them in eBay for a couple of pounds!

I took mine out during my first pregnancy, somewhere around 20 weeks. I didnt put it back in and think around 6 months post birth i thought about it but it had closed over so didnt bother trying.

Thanks ladies, will leave it in till it looks weird and then I'll look into getting a plastic one - thanks mumofone.

Definitely not planning to get belly out in a while (or have done in years!), it's more I just prefer the way my piercing takes focus off the surrounding area when I look in the mirror!

Also mumofone, did the plastic thing stretch the hole as the bump grew or did it all look fine again once back to normal with the piercing in?

If you have had it done for years then it won't close up. I can still put mine in after years of not wearing it.

I took mine out after 20ish weeks. The holes have gone a bit weird and purple but hopefully it will return to a normal colour! X

Thants, I thought that and then remembered that I took it out a few years back for a bit and it was hard putting it back in. I've had it done for 20yrs though so hopefully it will be fine. I might risk it rather than the plastic thing, I'll see how I feel with it.

Pinkbell - nice!! x

The hole stretches regardless. Wish I had never had mine done now!

I took mine out and have purple marks around the hole.

I swapped my bar for a hoop and had no problems through 2 pregnancies.

I took mine out during pregnancy with ds seven years ago and never put it back in full time. I have done it to show ds though, we were amazed that the hole hadn't closed up.
Am now 36 weeks pregnant again and the hole is v obvious with my stretched to it's limits tummy button, I don't think it will ever close over!

I took mine out at 6 weeks, was worried it would stretch and split! My tummy button did stretch but might not have been too awful, I didn't want to risk it though. I kept the ring for posterity - had it in 15 years!

That was about 4 years ago, I never replaced it, and it looks closed up now.

Getting a hoop sounds like a good idea as I've got a bar. Hoop is slightly thinner as well so maybe less hole stretching!

I just took mine out last week (28 weeks)- had been getting sore for about a week and when I took it out it had started sort of tearing the piercing- so v pleased I took it out!! Bought one of the plastic maternity ones but found that even more painful. Piercing is 13 years old so I'm sure it'll stay open if I want to use it again after little one arrives :-)

Took mine out at about 15weeks. Only left it out about 2 weeks before trying the plastic retainer and it had healed over, in the middle. Took some prodding before I realised it had closed up. Ouch!

I'd had it 14 years and was gutted. Am used to a bare belly button now, though and can't see me having it re-done.