Belly button piercings are one of those things that seem so simple when you first get them. You like the way it looks, it feels like a little piece of personal style you carry around all the time, and most of the time you don’t have to think about it much at all.
Then you find out you’re pregnant. Suddenly, something you’ve barely noticed for years becomes a small but persistent question in your mind: Is this safe? Do I have to take it out? Will it hurt? What if my belly button changes shape?
And honestly, those are good questions to have. Pregnancy changes your body in so many ways, some slow and subtle, others almost overnight. Your belly button is literally sitting at the center of those changes, so it makes sense to think about how a piercing might be affected.
Let’s walk through what’s actually happening during pregnancy, what to expect with a belly button piercing, and what you can do to make sure both you and your skin are as comfortable as possible.
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Why Pregnancy Changes Your Belly Button (and Why Piercings Notice)
You probably know that your belly grows to make space for your baby. But it’s not just your skin stretching; the muscles underneath are shifting, the connective tissue is loosening, and even your navel itself can change position or shape.
For some people, the belly button “pops out” in the second or third trimester. For others, it just gets shallower or seems to stretch wider. If you already have a piercing, all this movement can put tension on the jewelry and the skin around it. That’s why some women feel more irritation, redness, or tightness in the piercing site as their pregnancy progresses.
If you’ve had your belly button pierced for years, the hole is usually well-healed, and your body can tolerate some stretching. But it’s not immune to changes; the skin in that area can still thin or feel tender. And if your piercing is fairly new (less than a year old), the risk of irritation or even reopening the wound is higher.
Can You Keep Your Belly Button Piercing During Pregnancy?
Here’s where opinions differ. Some doctors will say, “Take it out no exceptions.” Others are more relaxed about it, especially if the piercing is healed and causing no problems.
Personally, I think it comes down to three main factors:
- Healing status: A fully healed piercing is far less risky.
- Skin comfort: If you’re already feeling tightness, it might be better to remove it sooner rather than later.
- Type of jewellery: There’s a difference between wearing a short, rigid metal barbell and a flexible pregnancy-safe ring.
There’s also the question of how much you care about keeping the piercing open. If you remove jewellery completely for months, the hole can shrink or close, even if you’ve had it for years. Some women are fine with that. Others would rather use alternatives to keep the hole open until after birth.
When It’s Usually Safe (and When It’s Not)
Let’s break it down in practical terms:
- Safe enough for most people:
- Healed piercings, no signs of redness or infection.
- Using jewellery made from safe materials (surgical steel, titanium, bioplast).
- Switching to a flexible, longer “maternity” bar as the belly grows.
- Not ideal or risky:
- Piercings less than 12 months old.
- Jewellery that feels too tight or is digging into stretched skin.
- Any sign of oozing, swelling, or rash.
- If your doctor is monitoring you for skin or immune issues during pregnancy.
If you fall into the “not ideal” category, removing it, atleast temporarily. it is usually the safest call. And yes, I know that can feel like letting go of a small part of your style. But sometimes short-term loss is better than dealing with scar tissue or infection later.
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The Option of Maternity Belly Rings
This is something a lot of first-time pregnant women don’t know about. You can actually buy flexible, extra-long belly button rings made just for pregnancy.
These “maternity rings” are usually made from PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or Bioplast, which are both flexible and non-reactive. The extra length means they can bend and adapt as your belly grows without pressing uncomfortably against your skin.
Do they look exactly like your original jewellery? No. But they’re discreet, comfortable, and they do the job of keeping the piercing open. Some women even cut the bar shorter after pregnancy and keep wearing it.
What About Stretch Marks Around the Piercing?
Here’s something not everyone talks about: stretch marks can appear around your belly button, and if they happen right over your piercing, the skin can feel even more delicate.
Stretch marks themselves aren’t dangerous, but they can make the skin more sensitive to friction from jewelry. If you notice this happening, it might help to switch to smoother jewellery or apply a gentle moisturizer around the area (avoiding the piercing hole itself if it’s open).
And no — using moisturizer won’t prevent stretch marks entirely. Genetics, skin type, and how quickly your belly grows play the biggest role. But it can help with itchiness and irritation.
Cleaning and Care During Pregnancy
You might already have a cleaning routine for your piercing, but during pregnancy, it’s worth paying closer attention. Your skin can be more reactive, and hormonal changes sometimes make you more prone to mild infections.
A few care tips:
- Use mild saline solution — nothing harsh or alcohol-based.
- Pat dry instead of rubbing after showers.
- Avoid fiddling with the jewelry unless you’re cleaning it.
- If you notice persistent redness, check in with your healthcare provider before it worsens.
And here’s something small but important, as your belly grows, you might not be able to see your piercing as clearly. A mirror (or asking someone you trust) can help make sure you’re actually cleaning the area well.
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Can You Get a New Piercing While Pregnant?
Piercings are essentially controlled wounds, and during pregnancy, your immune system works differently, you may heal slower or be more prone to infection. Plus, lying flat for the procedure can be uncomfortable later in pregnancy, and many piercers simply won’t perform it for ethical and safety reasons.
If you really want a belly button piercing, waiting until after birth (and after your postpartum recovery) is by far the safer choice.
What If You Need Surgery (Like a C-Section)?
This isn’t something everyone thinks about ahead of time, but if you need a C-section or certain abdominal procedures during pregnancy, you’ll probably be asked to remove all jewelry. That includes belly button piercings.
Why? Because jewelry can interfere with sterile procedures, increase infection risk, and in some cases, even cause burns if medical equipment like electrocautery is used.
If your piercing is important to you, you might want to keep a non-metallic retainer on hand so you can pop it in afterward before the hole begins to close.
After Pregnancy: Will My Piercing Look the Same?
This is the part that’s a little unpredictable. Some women find that their belly button and their piercing goes back to looking pretty much like it did before. Others notice that the skin stays looser, the piercing hole looks slightly larger, or the jewelry sits differently.
If your piercing stretched a lot during pregnancy, you might see a small scar line or notice the hole isn’t perfectly centered anymore. None of this is harmful, but it can change how certain jewelry looks.
Some women opt for repiercing later if they’re not happy with the appearance, but that’s a personal decision.
Final Thoughts: Balancing Style and Safety
Belly button piercings and pregnancy aren’t an automatic “one has to go” situation. Plenty of people keep theirs safely throughout nine months, while others remove them early and put them back in later.
I’d say the key is listening to your body and not being too stubborn if it’s clearly telling you something’s not working. You don’t want a piercing to be a source of pain, irritation, or infection when you already have enough changes to handle.
Pregnancy has a way of making you re-think what’s really important, even in little things like jewelry. In the grand scheme, whether your belly button ring stays in or takes a break is a small piece of a much bigger journey. But if keeping it matters to you, there are ways to make it work safely.
