Save Your Belly Piercing During Pregnancy!

Many women have used body piercings and navel rings as an expression of their own style. And while no one would suggest getting one while pregnant, one has to wonder what happens to those preexisting belly rings after the baby bump begins to show?

As the size of the tummy changes, so does the belly piercing. Many women who would like to keep their belly rings are faced with sacrificing the piercing for the sake of the child. It’s a “no-brainer!” Most times, the metal rings cannot accommodate the enormous amount of stretching that the skin undergoes during pregnancy, leading to distortion, scaring and even tearing of the skin. But to go without the belly ring means re-piercing later because the skin will most likely close.

I have to admit, I never really thought that much about belly rings and pregnancy, but after coming across a website that features “pregnancy piercings,” viewing pictures of bejeweled big bellies and reading about success and horror stories, I became intrigued, to say the least. One option is to use a flexible plastic ring, which serves as a temporary retainer to keep the skin open as it stretches. Reportedly, women don’t have to remove their ring and face possible scaring and re-piercing. They can save their belly rings during pregnancy!

According to the American Pregnancy Association’s website, “If you already have a piercing that has completely healed and it feels comfortable, there is not a medical reason to take out your jewelry. However, you may find your jewelry catching on clothing and other materials, being pulled, or bothering your skin. You may want to take it out and replace it with clean fishing line or polytetrafluoroethylene jewelry (flexible plastic used for surgical implants).” They also recommend that you take it out and notify your piercer if it becomes pussy, weepy or changes in any way. (Of course, it goes without saying that if you have a nipple piercing and are planning on breastfeeding, you would need to remove it.)

That’s good news for women who want to stylishly and successfully keep their belly rings. Now, if you’re the type who has a belly ring in the first place, you are probably very proud of your belly -pregnant or otherwise. So go ahead and take plenty of Demi Moore style photographs of your glorious pregnant frame. While your baby is on the inside and definitely showing on the outside, chronicle the many stages of pregnancy and capture them in a pre-born keepsake album . You and your family to enjoy this unique look at the baby’s formative years in this striking green photo album. Or place your favorite photo in one of these pink or blue picture frames. It will be a heart-warming addition to your baby’s room decor.