About a third of women have their navel pierced at some point, so it stands to reason that having a pierced belly button and being pregnant at the same time can’t be all that uncommon. As you can imagine, trying to keep the jewelry in during pregnancy presents a few problems. Most navel jewelry is not long enough to withstand the amount of stretching that the belly button goes through in late pregnancy, and leaving it in can cause ripping or infection. For those women who wish to keep their piercing during pregnancy, there are special navel rings available that are designed to stretch and come in larger lengths, just for pregnant women. But even if you are able to keep your piercing, should you?
Some practitioners will ask their patients to remove the navel ring without a medical explanation. Many patients will remove it without question, but if a woman truly wishes to hold on to it, she should be able to. According to the March of Dimes, it is okay to leave the jewelry in, but it is recommended that women replace their metal jewelry with a flexible plastic alternative. Most doctors will require removal if the patient is having a cesarean birth, but may make an exception for the plastic jewelry. If you’re interested in purchasing a navel ring specifically designed for pregnancy, you should check out www.pregnancypiercings.com, which sells flexible plastic jewelry that is longer and stretchy.
Some women will remove their piercing on their own as soon as it becomes uncomfortable, regardless of their doctors’ opinions on navel piercings during pregnancy. Many moms report itching and discomfort around the fifth or sixth month. For those that choose to leave it in, it’s important to keep a close eye on it in case it becomes infected. You should watch out for any redness, swelling, warmth or discomfort, as these could be signs of infection and will require immediate medical attention. If you don’t want to risk infection, you can always remove the piercing and re-pierce after you have recovered from delivery.
Have you decided to keep a belly button piercing during pregnancy? Did you experience any problems?