Well, if you regularly read my blogs or participate in the forums, you are probably in shock. Yes, there are a few, just a few, breastfeeding questions I can’t answer. Today in the forums, someone asked about getting a tattoo while you’re breastfeeding. Is it safe? If you can’t do it during pregnancy then surely you can’t do it while breastfeeding right? Well. . .the answer might surprise you.
Why Can’t You Get a Tattoo While Pregnant?
Tattoo artists, from what I’ve read and from the ones that I called today while working on this blog will not touch a pregnant or breastfeeding woman. That doesn’t mean there isn’t one somewhere that won’t. . .but it seems to be pretty common that a breastfeeding or pregnant woman is off limits for inked body art. I decided to call around and ask why they do not tattoo pregnant woman and I got a few different answers:
*it’s too big of a liability. . .tattoos are stressful and could cause preterm labor
*there is not enough research about the effects of the ink on a growing fetus, or the baby (Note: ink will not pass into breastmilk)
*there is a risk of infection and there seems to be a belief that it would be much worse if the woman were pregnant
*and simply, “um. . .no. . .we don’t take preggos for clients”
The bottom line is that with anything you do of this nature (piercings, tattoings, etc.) there are risks; and tattoo artists are (wisely) not willing to take on the liability.
Breastfeeding and Tattooing
Interestingly however, none of the aforementioned reasons are completely medically valid. Because the ink stays in the dermis, it doesn’t enter the body’s circulation system. Consequently, it won’t enter the milk either.
Also, while there is a risk of transmitting Hepatitis C, a recent study concluded that Hepatitis C is more likely to be transmitted during a dental procedure than while receiving a tattoo. Another study concluded that large multi-colored tattoos posed more of a risk of contracting Hepatitis C than did smaller black ones. Although it remains controversial, there isn’t any medical research that indicates that you should not get tattooed while breastfeeding.
So the answer to your questions is yes. . .it’s considered safe to get a tattoo while you’re breastfeeding. However, you are unlikely to find anyone who will do it. You should know too that if you do happen to contract Hepatitis C as a result of the tattoo, that can be passed onto the baby.
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Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
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