Your Belly Button Piercing During Pregnancy Survival Guide

It depends on where you’re up to in terms of healing:

Fully healed -

There's no medical reason your belly button piercing needs to come out if it was done and dusted months ago or longer. It’s not some ominous direct line to your baby or secret doorway for germs.

Not yet healed -

It’s a different story entirely if your piercing’s fresh, still pink, or you got it done in the last month or two. This is because pregnancy changes the gears of your immune system, so your body isn't as sharp as usual at fighting off bacteria.

And what if you’re thinking of getting a new belly button piercing during pregnancy?

Seeing as you asked, this isn't the time to add to your body mod collection.

Ask yourself this. Why would you want to put your own health and wellbeing - and potentially your baby’s - at unnecessary belly piercing infection risk when pregnant?

Pregnancy bumps up your infection risk due to your altered immune system, besides the usual risk of reaction to certain metals.

Truthfully, do you really need this gamble when there's already a lot going on in your body?

Think about parking your new body mod craving for your postpartum treat list. It’s not going anywhere. It’ll still be there for you.

So, fast forward a few months. Your skin’s stretching, and your body’s doing some weird and wonderful things it's never done before, like your belly button popping out during pregnancy.

And out of the blue, the cute little bar you've barely thought about in years is suddenly public enemy number one.

This is because the skin tightens as your tummy grows, and the piercing can start tugging in new and different ways.

You might be one of the lucky ones who sails through pregnancy drama-free and barely notice your jewellery. Or you might experience some pretty unpleasant stuff like:

Redness, heat or unusual discharge

Mild irritation can happen as your skin stretches, but increasing redness, heat, pain, swelling or pus can indicate infection. Contact your midwife or GP promptly if you suspect an infection, and don’t remove the jewellery unless a healthcare professional advises you to.

Tearing

Any small nicks and tears around your stretching piercing? This is how small issues become a big belly piercing infection risk when pregnant. So, don’t power through and hope it magically sorts itself out.

Jewellery catching

Snagging on waistbands and clothes can cause some serious “Ouch!” moments and invite further problems.

Just keep in mind everybody’s body handles pregnancy differently. So, don't panic if your experience doesn't match your mate's, your sister's, or some stranger's online pregnancy diary.

All the same, you can minimise risk and encourage an easy ride by making good jewellery choices, like a flexible belly bar for pregnancy.

This is when a bit of jewellery know-how earns its keep.

You might choose to swap your rigid metal barbell for something more accommodating as things get snug, such as:

• PTFE belly bar - Soft, flexible, and the better quality ones can be trimmed down to the exact length your bump needs at any given stage
• Bioflex piercing jewellery - A similar biocompatible plastic to a PTFE belly bar, but slightly firmer and holds its shape better if PTFE is too soft and squidgy for your liking
• Titanium - Always a rock-solid choice if you’re determined to stay in metal for as long as physically possible

None of these materials and styles guarantees against discomfort, because pregnancy can be unpredictable. But having options in your jewellery box means you’re not stuck between a rock - grinning and bearing it - and a hard place - taking it out completely.

Sometimes a flexible belly bar during pregnancy isn't enough, and that's OK.

Signs it might be time to remove your belly button piercing during pregnancy include:

• Persistent pulling, itching or discomfort
• Redness that doesn’t settle down after a day or two
• Your piercing hole visibly stretching, distorting, or looking different than it used to
• A protruding navel in pregnancy, leaving the jewellery under visible tension or causing persistent discomfort

None of this means you've failed at piercing maintenance. But your body’s doing epic, dramatic pregnancy shit your jewellery has to work around.

Nobody's pregnancy progresses exactly the same. But there's a rough pattern to bear in mind so you're not blindsided:

First trimester -

Your belly button probably won't notice much happening yet. It’s usually a quiet stretch if your piercing is healed. So, carry on as normal and just keep a watchful eye out for anything off.

Second trimester -

This is usually when the bump becomes pronounced. So, you might start noticing your jewellery pulling or tightening. It’s the classic window for switching to a flexible belly bar in pregnancy, before things get too uncomfortable. You may also be asked to remove your belly piercing for your 20-week scan.

Third trimester -

Your belly button might flatten out or even pop outwards entirely, especially during the last lap. This is when your piercing might need to come out altogether, due to there being less spare skin for it to sit in comfortably.

Then there’s the big day itself.

It’s subjective, depending on the type of birth:

Vaginal delivery - A belly piercing generally isn't in the way at all. Loads of women keep theirs in for the duration.

Caesarean section - This is a different story. The last thing medical staff in scrubs want to deal with mid-operation is jewellery at the surgical site.

But birth plans can change at a moment’s notice. For this reason, you might opt to remove your jewellery before heading to hospital, just in case.

Although this opens up another question about getting it back in again.

Postpartum bodies exist in their own brand new world, and belly buttons are no exception.

Think of it like this. Your skin's stretched over months and might not spring back to where it started. This can work in your favour, giving you more room to work with once everything settles, and leading to an easier, more comfortable repiercing than the first time round.

Also, there’s no rush or fixed timeline for safe repiercing of your belly button after birth.

The general rule is to wait until your body’s properly recovered and you feel physically ready, which is typically a matter of months rather than weeks.

And treat it like your initial piercing (or better), at a good studio, with proper pregnancy-safe piercing aftercare, and patience while it heals all over again.

Hygiene remains vital for keeping your jewellery in or leaving the hole bare for now.

For this purpose, your routine should include the following steps:

• Wash the area gently with warm water and a mild antibacterial soap
• Pat the area dry without rubbing it
• Keep a small bottle of professional saline spray like BPA Safe Solutions™ Piercing Aftercare or our very own LobeLove™ Professional Saline Piercing Spray for on-the-go spritzes of pure goodness
• Avoid tight waistbands or clothing rubbing directly on the site
• Watch out for warmth, swelling or discharge, and get it checked out if anything looks or feels iffy

Otherwise, a fully healed piercing doesn't need any special treatment beyond your normal level of cleanliness.

Q. Can I keep my belly button piercing the whole way through pregnancy?

A. Yes, if it's fully healed and not causing you grief. Plenty of people do, right through to delivery.

Q. Is it safe to get a new belly button piercing in pregnancy?

A. No. It’s better to wait. Pregnancy naturally raises infection risk. So, leave it until after baby arrives.

Q. What jewellery should I switch to as my bump grows?

A. A flexible PTFE belly bar or similar biocompatible body jewellery is a sensible swap as your skin stretches.

Q. Will my piercing hole close if I take the jewellery out?

A. It might, especially over several weeks. But it can usually be reopened or redone afterwards.

Q. Do I need to remove it before giving birth?

A. Not necessarily for a vaginal delivery. But many women we speak to take it out beforehand as a precaution, in case plans change to a caesarean.

At the end of the day, your body’s on a wild ride. This can impact your belly button piercing in pregnancy. Or it might not make much - or even any - difference at all.

So, there's no single right way to handle it. It literally comes down to what feels comfortable for you, your skin and your changing shape, which might result in:

• Keeping it in
• Swapping your jewellery to a maternity belly bar
• Pressing the pause button
• Re-piercing your belly button after giving birth

In any event, come and find us at Stretch It Body Jewellery if you're after a flexible belly bar for pregnancy, biocompatible body jewellery, or to talk through your options with experts.

We're here for the piercing and the whole journey. And you can rest assured we know our PTFE from our titanium.

(Standard disclaimer, because we're a jewellery crew, not your GP. This is general guidance, not medical advice. Consult your midwife, doctor or piercer if anything about your belly button piercing worries you during pregnancy.)