Finding out your are pregnant can be a joyous thing. But when you start thinking about how much your life is going to change, it can be a little worrisome. I have been in the tattoo and body modification industry for more than 20 years and have spent time in and out of the chair, so I have a dual-sided perspective of the world of body enhancement.
One of the most asked questions we get at the shop is about if it is safe to wear a navel piercing during pregnancy. Sadly that is something that we can’t answer as we are not state certified gynecologists or obstetricians. We can provide information on how to maintain a piercing but we can not direct individuals on whether they should or should not keep a piercing.
What are some of the most common problems involving a maternity belly button piercing? The biggest is the stretching of the skin and possible rippage. Even if you have one of the largest sized curved barbell piercings made there is always a chance of the skin splitting, it getting caught on clothing or becoming extremely sore and tender. My piercing was considered ‘seasoned’ when became pregnant; that means it was completely healed and the piercing could be removed for periods of time without worrying that it would start to close up. I did opt to wear an alternative type of piercing at the time but it was a rather crudely home made one fashioned from a piece of thick but flexible plastic. After going the home made route I opted to have a special one made from retaining plastic that worked out much better.
The term “maternity belly button rings” is slightly misleading; I would never recommend a woman keep a ‘ring’ in her belly under any circumstances; that is the job of a curved barbell or custom piece made specifically for your frame and structure. When I was pregnant I did experience itching and some soreness, but I was always careful to check the area for redness, swelling or extreme tenderness. These are signs that it is time to take it out and eliminate the risk of a major tear or infection. Your baby is what is most important at this time and you can’t be selfish in that type of situation.
Common sense should tell you that once you find out you are pregnant you should not get any type of piecing, tattoo or body modification. If your belly button piercing is in the initial stages of healing you have to keep constant check on it to make sure that it is healing adequately or make the decision to remove it until after your delivery. Clothing is also important as you do not want to wear anything that can catch on the jewelry and cause a tear. Even the smallest of rips can lead to infection so if you are going to maintain your belly button piercings know that it is a constant battle to keep it clean, free of rippage and that you will need to have other pieces of jewelry to insert into it as your belly grows.
Pregnancy Piercings offers one of the newest styles in navel body jewelry; instead of a surgical steel barbell or hoop the center section is made from a med-grade tubing with two insertable ball ends. The idea is ingenious and perfect for women who want to keep their piercing but want the ability to remove it quickly if need be. Prices start at $15.99 and my customers that have ordered them to wear during pregnancy have loved them.
www.pregnancypiercings.com/
Another company that offers a nice looking but practical maternity belly button jewelry is Body Candy. I have used several of their navel pieces when it wasn’t practical for me to have metal in my piercing and they were incredibly comfortable. They sell an affordable PTEE (polytetrafluoroethylene) set up with prices starting at just $5.99
www.bodycandy.com
You do not have to give up your belly button piercing when you become pregnant but you do need to know that the upkeep on it is a major investment of time. If you pick out something that is going to grow with you and not rip your skin then you have half the battle won. The tribes are split when it comes to offering advice on maternity belly button jewelry and whether it is safe to wear one while pregnant. Doctors cling to the old school ideology that belly button jewelry is evil and will cause major complications and lackadaisical tattoo shop owners dish out advice that is not practical.
Having been through a pregnancy with a belly button piercing I can say that it isn’t impossible to maintain one and the options that women have now are a lot better than what I had when going through my pregnancy. I have worn several different styles and have tried out the newer ones and have to admit that they are a lot more comfortable and easy to insert and remove than I initially thought.
