Will my nipple piercing effect my ability to breast-feed later in life?
Under normal circumstances, a simple, horizontal nipple piercing should not negatively effect your ability to breast-feed, as long as the piercing has completely healed and there has been no infection and/or scarring. Although the piercing will have cut and blocked a few milk ducts, there are plenty more available. It only becomes a problem if you have many piercings, so stick to one if possible.
On the other hand, actually breast-feeding with the piercing in can be problematic. Many women find that as they near the later stages of pregnancy, their nipples become too sensitive to leave the piercings in. In addition, having a piercing in place can prevent an infant from properly latching onto the nipple. I would absolutely recommend removing any type of piercing while breast-feeding, on the off chance that your baby might swallow the jewelry or backing. Of course, constant removal and reinsertion can be inconvenient and even painful. You may be best off simply leaving them out and having your nipples repierced at a later time if they close up.
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