Many women successfully breastfeed after getting their nipples pierced, but doing so requires specific precautions and a clear understanding of the potential risks involved. The ability to nourish an infant at the breast is possible. This requires the mother to be diligent about safety, hygiene, and monitoring the baby’s feeding patterns.
Required Removal During Feeding
The physical presence of any jewelry in the nipple during a feeding is considered a safety hazard and must be removed completely before the infant latches. Even small studs or flexible retainers pose a risk because the suction created by the baby’s mouth can dislodge the jewelry. A detached piece of metal or plastic presents a serious choking risk to the infant, which is the most immediate danger.
Leaving the jewelry in place can also interfere with the mechanical process of feeding. The jewelry is often wider than the nipple itself, preventing the baby from achieving the deep, proper latch necessary for effective milk transfer. This poor latch can cause significant nipple soreness and trauma for the mother and may lead to the baby not removing enough milk from the breast. Furthermore, the hard material of the jewelry could cause lacerations or dental injury to the soft tissues of the baby’s mouth.
Infection Risk and Safety Hazards
A primary health concern when breastfeeding with pierced nipples is the risk of introducing bacteria into the breast tissue. The piercing site, even if fully healed, creates a permanent channel through the skin that can serve as a pathway for bacteria to enter. This increases the risk of infections like mastitis or a breast abscess. This risk is particularly elevated if the piercing is newer, as a nipple piercing can take between six to twelve months to heal completely.
Proper hygiene is crucial to managing this risk during lactation. Mothers should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before removing the jewelry for a feed and before reinserting it afterward. The piercing site should be kept clean and monitored for signs of infection. These signs include increased redness, swelling, pus-like discharge, or localized warmth.
Piercings and Milk Supply Function
While the piercing process does not affect the breast’s ability to produce milk—as milk is made in the glandular tissue behind the nipple—it can affect the pathway for milk removal. Each nipple has several tiny openings, or pores, where milk exits, and a piercing may have severed or damaged one or more of the underlying milk ducts. Scar tissue formation, a natural part of the healing process, can also obstruct these ducts, which can lead to a localized reduction in milk flow or an increased likelihood of developing painful blocked ducts.
In some cases, the piercing tract itself can create an extra exit point for milk, resulting in a disorganized, fast, and messy spray during the milk ejection reflex. This forceful flow can be difficult for some infants to manage, causing them to gulp, cough, or frequently pull off the breast. Damage to the nerve endings in the nipple is another possibility, which can potentially diminish the sensitivity required to trigger the “let-down” reflex and effectively release milk. Despite these potential complications, many women with well-healed, single piercings experience no noticeable impact on their overall milk supply.