Inverted Nipples and Nipple rings Need Advice please!!!

[Angeltk42]

Hi Ladies,
I'm almost 22 weeks pregnant and I am just preparing for my LO's arrival and one main concern I have is my Nipple rings. A little background I have inverted nipples and was pretty naive when I was younger because I had no idea what was wrong with my nipples and neither did my mom or aunt's. When I was about 18 years old I discovered piercings and since I was always so self conscience of my nipples I decided to pierce them. Well it was the BEST thing I ever did. My once inverted nipples now looked normal because they never really go inverted anymore. I have had them in for at least 13 years and I do want to breast feed but will hopefully put in the rings after I finish or repiercing them if I have to.

My question is about breast feeding. Does anyone have any experience? I have read mixed things about taking out the rings around 20 weeks to give them time to heal, some say leave them in until baby is born. I asked my doctor but he suggested I speak to the lactation specialist (need to schedule an appt with them) but figured I would come here too and see what personal experiences (if any) and maybe some experts because I know there are some nurses and such on here. Any advice would be awesome just want to make sure I have all the information on the subject I can. I am not opposed to pumping and bottle feeding baby if I have to just want to know the baby will get at least a few months of breast milk whether from me or bottle fed breast milk.

I do leak collustrum (sp?) so I know my glands work but just don't know the effect the rings will have on the actual breastfeeding.

Edit: I do know the rings have to come out to breastfeed! hahaha just making sure I am clear on that! Just don't know if they should come out now or when baby comes etc...

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your help!!

 

[JennyNBaby]

Not sure about the piercings but get yourself a couple medela contact nipple shields. I have small, flattish nipples and baby had a hard time latching. The size xs 16mm is best. I still use it most of the time...more than two months.

Best of luck!!

 

[Angeltk42]

Thanks but since I have been pierced my nipples are huge lol!!!!! Idk if I will have a problem with latching. My doc mentioned that too much milk might release and baby might gag... But he was admittedly very uneducated on the nipple piercing dilemma. Thanks for your input!

 

[dan-o]

Mine were both peirced. One side still has a hole through and the other has some scar tissue where I caught it in a towel and ripped it half out! No problems feeding off either side. Milk sometimes comes out of the hole, but its in baby's mouth so no probs! You'll be fine x

 

[Angeltk42]

Did you put the ring back in after bf'ing?? Or did it heal up?

 

[misspriss]

Mine were/are pierced. I took the jewelry out at the hospital and have not tried it again.

Milk comes out the holes, but not fast or anything. I have overactive/forceful let down in one breast, but it comes out the front not the holes from the piercing.

Since your piercings are well healed, they don't need to heal before you BF, they are already healed. Mine were 7 and 8 years old, and did not require any healing, obviously! If they were still bleeding/crusty (which I assume after 13 years they are not!) they then are completely healed (although they may SHRINK, not heal, after you take the jewelry out) and you should have no issues.

I had small/flat nipples (but not inverted) before. They are still flat. I had to use nipple shields for a while because LO was preemie and my boobs were huge with flat nipples, but a full term infant may have been able to nurse just fine, but I wouldn't know.

The baby nursing on them will pull them out.

You could try some breast shells, like Medela Therashells (the soft shells are for sore nipples, thereashells are supposed to be able to draw out nipples) and wear them while you are pregnant. I didn’t have much luck with them, but I didn’t use them until I was several weeks PP. I hear they are most effective in the 3rd tri.

 

[ILoveShoes]

My left nipple was inverted and I had it pierced too. I loved it! I felt so cool
I can't remember when I took it out, but it didn't go 'back in!'
When I bf'ed, it didn't cause any issues apart from milk coming out of the holes (like a pp said).
I never repierced it - my boobs aren't nice enough to decorate now!!
xx

 

[Angeltk42]

Thank you so much for your input. At least I can rest easy knowing I most likely won't have any bf'ing issues. My nipples are HUGE and protruding since piercing and even more so since becoming pregnant lol! It's like my inversion is fixed hahaha. So Idk if I will need those sheilds because like I said my nipples have never been so long! lol

 

[sugaree13]

mine were pierced, but i had to remove them at around the 20ish week mark because my breasts were so swollen that the piercing (barbell ball) was disappearing into my nipple and SO painful. My piercer and I were chatting (his wife had her's pierced and BF too) and he told me that the hole shouldnt go through the duct or something (wasnt sure what he meant) so that there should be minimal milk coming out of the hole - if any - and that it wasnt an issue. There are special BFing nip rings, but im too paranoid to trust that (and I cant even see the holes anymore already after nearly 10 years of them being pierced)

I had no issues whatsoever and the holes either healed or, at least, the skin is back over them.

 

[Angeltk42]

So happy I'm hearing positive bf'ing stories with pierced nipples!! thank you!!!