Breastfeeding with piercings

When it comes to breastfeeding, having piercings on your breasts or nipples can bring up several questions and concerns. It's essential to understand how these piercings might affect breastfeeding, both for you and your baby. Here's what you need to know to navigate this situation.

Can I breastfeed if I have nipple piercings?

Yes, you can breastfeed if you’ve had nipple piercings, but there are some considerations to keep in mind.

We recommend that you remove the jewelry once you find out you’re pregnant and leave them out the entire time you plan to breastfeed. Breasts and nipples can change quickly during pregnancy, so taking the jewelry out early in pregnancy can prevent the holes from widening, nipple damage, or scar tissue from forming over the piercing.

If you did not remove the jewelry during pregnancy, remove it while breastfeeding to reduce the risk of accidental choking hazards to the infant and allow for a better latch. Most nipple piercings take 3-6 months to heal (some even up to 12 months), so avoid getting a new piercing during pregnancy or breastfeeding to reduce the risk of infection and nipple damage.

The longer the nipple has to heal following a piercing, the better it is for breastfeeding.

Will piercings affect milk flow?

Piercings may alter the milk flow in some cases. Milk exits the nipple through multiple “nipple pores,” or openings of the milk ducts. Most moms have 9-10 pores. Piercings to the breast or nipples can create more pores or exit points for milk, causing milk to spray more. This is generally not a problem for breastfeeding or the baby (some babies love the extra milk flow).

If baby is frequently coughing, choking, spewing, or unlatching during letdowns, this could be a sign that the initial milk letdown is too fast for baby to handle, and baby could benefit from more laid-back breastfeeding positioning to slow the milk flow against gravity.

• Milk leakage: Milk leaking from the piercing holes when not feeding is common. Utilizing nursing pads can help manage this and keep you comfortable. For optimal nipple health, keep the nipple dry and clean by replacing soaked nursing pads with dry ones.

Nipple piercings may create scar tissue over some nipple pores and prevent milk from exiting portions of the nipple. Nipple piercings may also damage the nerves around the nipple, affecting the milk letdown reflex while breastfeeding. This could mean reduced milk supply on one or both breasts for some mothers, or increased risk of clogged ducts and mastitis from the blockage.

Keep an eye on your milk supply in the first few days to weeks postpartum by ensuring baby has plenty of wet and poopy diapers and gains weight along their growth curve.

When should I seek medical advice?

• If you notice signs of infection around the piercing site and breast. These include increased redness, swelling, warmth, or discharge (thicker than milk or discolored). Nipple piercings can put you at increased risk of mastitis, an infection of the breast tissue, so watch for these warning signs and seek treatment early. Keep the nipples clean and dry during your breastfeeding journey to reduce this risk.
• If you're experiencing pain during breastfeeding that's not improving with latch adjustments. Nipple piercings can affect the nerve sensation to the nipple.
• If you have concerns about your milk supply or flow related to the piercing.

Consult with an IBCLC: If you encounter any issues related to breastfeeding with piercings, seeking personalized advice and support from an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can be invaluable. They can provide tailored guidance to address your concerns and facilitate a positive breastfeeding experience.

Breastfeeding with piercings is definitely possible. With some precautions and perhaps a bit of extra care, you and your baby can enjoy a healthy breastfeeding journey. Always feel free to reach out to an IBCLC for support tailored to your unique situation.

If you have other questions about piercings and breastfeeding, you might find these article helpful:

1. https://llli.org/breastfeeding-info/nipple-piercings/
2. https://kinfertility.com.au/blog/do-pierced-nipples-affect-breastfeeding
3. https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-with-pierced-nipples/
4. Can You Breastfeed With Nipple Piercings? – Cleveland Clinic

---

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic, & Szugye, H. (2023, June 19). 4 things you need to know about breastfeeding with nipple piercings. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/breastfeed-with-nipple-piercings
• Garbin, C., Deacon, J., Rowan, M., Hartmann, P., & Geddes, D. (2009). Association of nipple piercing with abnormal milk production and breastfeeding. JAMA, 301(24), 2550-2551.
• LactMed®. (2021, June 21). Nipple piercing. Drugs and Lactation Database . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500564/
• La Leche League International (LLLI). (n.d). Nipple Piercings. LLLI.org. Retrieved from: https://llli.org/breastfeeding-info/nipple-piercings/
• Patel M.Cobbs CG. 2015. Infections from Body Piercing and Tattoos. Microbiol Spectr 3:10.1128/microbiolspec.iol5-0016-2015. https://doi.org/10.1128/microbiolspec.iol5-0016-2015
• Wilson-Clay, B., & Hoover, K. (2017). The breastfeeding atlas (6th ed.). Manchaca, Tex.: LactNews Press.
• Zucca-Matthes, G., Urban, C., & Vallejo, A. (2016 Feb). Anatomy of the nipple and breast ducts. Gland Surgery 5(1), 32-36. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2015.05.10