Expert: Sally Wendkos Olds - 4/16/2009

Question
I had my nipples pierced about 6 months before i got pregnant. the piercings
were kinda slow healers, they pussed and crusted well into the pregnancy and
eventually my nipples healed. they started then to drip yellow water, i
assumed due to the pregnancy and my nipples preparing for milk to come in.
I've been breastfeeding now for 5 weeks. my baby is fine no infection or
health issues with him. One of my breasts on the other hand is smaller than
the other, and i had noticed that my baby would get angry at my boob when
he latched on to the small one. I assumed that this boob was making less
milk and so i focused on trying to nurse more on that one to stimulate it. I
also drank mother's milk tea to help my production.  At 4 weeks i started to
pump to see how my production and flow was. When i pump the small boob i
only get about 1/3 ounce. The real concern though is that i only have one
little squirt streaming when i pump. The other boob has many and great flow.
I'm afraid that the natural holes for the milk to come from have healed over
due to the piercing. Is there anything i can do?  or anyone i can see about
getting the holes to open up?  I'm nervous that i may only have one boob to
feed him with and that this also may cause damage to my breast tissue over
time. Any knowledge or advice on this is welcome.

Answer
Dear Chelsea,

First, congratulations for giving your son the best start in life by breastfeeding him!

It's possible that the holes on one of your breasts have closed up. You can't tell from pumping how much milk you're producing, because even the best pump does not get as much milk as a vigorously nursing baby. Even if this has happened and you can nurse from only one breast, you don't have to worry about damage to your breast tissue. Many women, for one reason or another, nurse from only one breast and they and their babies do fine. Meanwhile, be sure to monitor your baby's weight and other signs that he's getting enough milk.

I don't know how to open up the holes, but I am in touch with a researcher who has studied nipple piercing and breastfeeding, and if I get some information from her, I'll send it on to you.

I'm attaching an excerpt from the manuscript of the 4th edition of my book (see below), in case any of this is helpful to you.

Good luck!

Sally
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Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters. Now in revision for a fourth edition, with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D.
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"Piercing and Tattooing
If you have had one or both nipples pierced, you should still be able to breastfeed. There might, however, be a problem if there was any scarring, either internal or external, or if an infection occurred at the time of piercing or during the initial healing. Occasionally some milk leaks through the site of the piercing, but since the hole is usually small, this shouldn’t interfere with nursing. If there’s any question about whether your baby is nursing well (check signs of suckling and adequate milk intake in Chapter 6), consult a lactation specialist.
  If you wear a nipple ring, remove it while you’re breastfeeding. This is especially important if the ring is large, since a large ring can prevent a baby from being able to get his mouth around the nipple and areola as fully as he needs to to latch on properly. Removal of even a smaller ring will make nursing easier for your baby, and of course will eliminate any possibility of your baby swallowing the ring. Also, body jewelry can hurt your baby’s soft gums, tongue, and palate if left in during nursing. It’s best to keep it out throughout lactation, since constantly removing it and putting it in can introduce germs.
  Tattoos on one or both breasts shouldn’t pose an obstacle to breastfeeding either, especially if you got them more than a year before you gave birth and didn’t have any problems right afterwards. The pigment isn’t a problem; it’s the risk of the procedure, which could predispose you to infectious disease, especially HIV and hepatitis. Blood banks will not accept donated blood until one year after getting a tattoo.
  If you’re thinking about piercing or tattooing, play it safe and wait until after you have weaned your baby. Either procedure can provide a gateway to infection, and you don’t want to expose your baby to any risk. You’ll have plenty of time in your life to decorate your body, but the opportunity to nurse your baby is precious and time-limited."