Navel Piercing & Pregnancy

I have had this discussion with Trish & have searched the net high & low, but never come up with anything that agrees!! So I was just wondering what everyone here has done....

Did you keep your piercing in the whole time you were pregnant?
What did your Dr reccommend if anything?

If you did:
Did you have a bar or ring? Any reason why?
Did it bother you at all?
Were there any problems during labour?

If you didn't:
When did you take it out? Why?
Did the hole close up? How long had you had it in beforehand?

Ok, so the reasoning I am curious is cos my piercing is starting to drive me nuts. My pants seem to want to sit above my navel whenever I sit down & it's catching on my bar everytime I stand up *ouchy* Does anyone think that a ring would be better & solve the problem??

So I am thinking of taking it out. Only thing is, I have had it in for not quite 2 years & I'm worried the hole will close up. I'm not sure I'd be game enough to get it done again (I'm a needle wuss!).

My GP didn't mention it at all, so I am assuming that from his perspective it's no big deal. I figure he would tell me if it should be taken out....

Sarah,

It will close up. The belly actually heals the fastest in piercings I hear. I had a ring with Noah and I was actually thinking about getting a bar this time to see how that goes. I've never worn one before though. A ring doesn't get caught on your clothes. This is the second time I have had my belly pierced and I really don't fancy having it done again. Ouchies. My Dr's tried to get me to take it out last time but the midwifes were fine with it. They wanted me to take it out for my
c section though and I just told them that I couldn't get it out and they taped it up.
Take it out if it is really bothering you that much but know that it will close up on you :D

Take care
Trish

I'm only 10 weeks, so my piercing isn't a problem yet, but I'm not looking forward to having to take it out. I've had it in for years, and I've never been game to remove it (it's a bar). Dr hasn't said anything about it yet, but I've seen him glance disapprovingly at it! I don't think I'll get it done again, so it'll be sad to see it go!

My SIL's closed up when she was pregnant coz she had to take it out. But afterwards she just got it redone and all is well and good again :)

Its a pain in the bum but at least it can be redone.

*hugs*
Cailin

I was thinking of taking it out during the day & having it in overnight, what do you think?? I had it out today cos I caught it twice while getting dressed this morning.

I think I might also try & find a ring & see how that goes - I have about 6 different bars and only one ring, but it's gold & it irritates it after a day or so.

Will let you know what I decide.

I took mine out at about 16 weeks because my belly button was starting to pop out - if I'd left it in it probably would have come out by itself cos my tummy is stretched so tight there now and is red and shiny- it's very ugly. I had it pierced 11 years ago, and my mum would tell me "wait till you're pregnant" and I just didn't listen, as that was the furtherest thing from my mind at that time. But now I feel like I want to go round to schools and show teenage girls as a warning of what could happen, lol!!

I don't personally have one done, but I have known of a couple of girls that have had theirs done and left them in right through their pregnancy. I think they had the rings though. :-k

Hey Sarah,

I have a gold ring, it's been there for just over 10 years now! I chose a ring as it seemed more "me" at the time. I was a little concerned about it while pregnant and asked my Doc if I should take it out. He said "Why? If we need to take it out, we will, if we don't, we won't" Needless to say, it's still there! I didn't have any probs with it during labour and previously when I had a lap, they just taped it up.

BTW you mentioned that your gold ring irritated? Is it gold plated? Or solid?

It's 9ct Jo. The piercer said that he couldn't pierce with it cos it's too impure, so maybe thats the problem. He said 18ct or 24ct is best.

Hi Sarah,

Just to addd my naval ring experience to the mix. I have had a naval ring for about 10 years, and I kept it "in" through my entire pregnancy. I never found it caught on my clothes, but I wear my pants 'low slung' anyway. It caused no problem thru labour, and when I had to have an emergency ceasar after 10 hours they just put tape over it.

I asked my OB early on in my pregnancy if i should take it out, and he advised againts it as there was a very slim possibility creating an empty piercing hole could introduce infection to the abdominal region, which could cause problems for bub early on.

Seems like everyone is different, but hope that helps.

Yeah, mine is 24 (I think!) See if you can find a silver ring someplace, you use to be able to get them in jewellery shops but I'm not too sure if they still sell them?

Mine is only a small ring that kinda fits neatly in my bb, iykwim? So it's great as it doesn't get caught in anything and I forget it's there half the time.

I'm going to have a look on the weekend for a stainless steel or titanium one, apparently they are the best type (?).

I haven't had any problems with it beforehand, but my belly is sticking out alot now & I think that's causing it. When I took my bar out yesterday I noticed that the hole that's usually right inside my bb is actually on it's way outside IYKWIM, so the whole bar sticks out more.

I hope the ring works....

If you go to a piercing studio, they should have these plastic ones that are for preggie bellies, they are extendable rings so it doen't stretch at all. That's what I have heard anyhow.

I took my navel ring out a year or two ago so it wasn't an issue when I got pregnant but the little scar is now about 1.5cm above my belly button (its turned into an outy). There is no way that a piercing could fit in there at the moment. I geuss that you will have to see how big your bump grows and if your belly button turns into an outy.

Well I bought a ring this afternoon, but it seems pretty big. I'll see how I go with that for a few days.

If it keeps bothering me I'll just take it out, it's not worth the hassle really.