You’ve been sharing your body with your baby for nine months, but you’re not through yet. However, there are still several issues to keep in mind when nursing, such as whether or not you may consume alcohol or caffeine. One question you may have is, “Can I get a tattoo while you’re breastfeeding?”
To make your choice easier, we’ve compiled all relevant data in one spot for your convenience. There is no need to stop being yourself after becoming a mom, but let’s see if the timing is better once the baby is weaned.
Can I Get a Tattoo While Breastfeeding?
The ink from tattoos has never been shown to pass into breast milk, and no studies have been done to determine if having tattoos while nursing is safe. Out of an abundance of caution, however, it is typically discouraged. It’s possible that tattoo ink, including heavy metals like arsenic, might get into your breast milk and hurt your child’s health. It’s better not to risk it. Consider the risk of infection as well as ink absorption while making a decision.
While pregnant or nursing, the Journal of Midwifery and Women’S Health recommends against having a tattoo. If you’re nursing, a tattoo parlor may not cooperate with you. Despite the absence of proof, they may be worried about increasing dangers. They may be worried about their safety as well. You may be required to sign a legal waiver if you get a tattoo while nursing.
Why Am I Not Allowed to Get a Tattoo While Breastfeeding?
When you get a tattoo, you risk infection, disease transfer, or an allergic response. If some of these issues arise, they may impact your infant via nursing. Getting a tattoo using contaminated equipment may result in blood infections such as HIV or tetanus, which may be transmitted via breastfeeding. Taking an antibiotic for a skin infection might induce thrush on the breast and in your baby’s mouth, causing discomfort when nursing.
There’s also the recovering time to think about. Based on the area, a new tattoo may make it difficult to put your infant in certain postures. Avoid letting breastmilk or your baby touch the healing tattoo if it is on your arm, hand, or thigh. It may be hard and complicate the process of healing, causing infection.
According to the La Leche League, it is often considered that ink droplets are too big to get into human milk during the tattooing process. The ink is contained once inserted into the skin; however, it is uncertain if the ink may flow into breastfeeding since it slowly degrades in the body years later.”
The group notes that most tattooists will not intentionally tattoo a pregnant or nursing mother. This is the tattoo artist’s responsibility, but it is also to avoid any sickness that may impact the developing baby and give the mother’s body time to recuperate. Before having a tattoo, moms should wait at least 12 to 15 months following delivery when their kid is no longer exclusively reliant on breastfeeding.
Precautions While Getting a Tattoo
If you decide to get a tattoo while nursing, keep these things in mind:
- Use a reputable tattoo parlor that is licensed and trustworthy. A tattoo artist should only work with sanitary equipment.
- Consider where you want your tattoo to go carefully
- . Your tattoo may take a few weeks or longer to heal. If you get a tattoo in particular areas of your body while nursing, you may experience greater discomfort. Consider how you hold the baby during nursing and if the infant may irritate the tattoo.
- See your doctor beforehand if you have a medical problem and want to get a tattoo while you’re nursing. Conditions like blood clotting and heart disease are among them.
- Keep the area around your tattoo clean while it heals. Protect the tattoo from the sun by washing the area with soap and water.
- Use only safe analgesics to alleviate discomfort. It is normally safe to use acetaminophen while nursing, which may help alleviate discomfort.
- Despite the lack of scientific evidence about tattooing during nursing, there are theoretical worries about ink pigments being transferred to the baby. Your doctor is the best person to talk to if you have any concerns.
Can I Get a Tattoo Removed While Breastfeeding?
No research has been done on the topic of tattoo removal during nursing. Using a laser, tattoo removal breaks down the ink into tiny particles absorbed and eliminated by your body’s immune and hepatic systems. The La Leche League suggests delaying tattoo removal until after you’ve finished nursing since it’s “unknown if the ink particles are tiny enough to enter breastmilk.” As with obtaining a tattoo, we don’t know whether removing a tattoo is safe. Therefore it’s best to wait until after the baby is weaned to remove it.
Is It Safe to Get a Tattoo While Breastfeeding?
Despite the lack of concrete proof, it’s often advisable to postpone the procedure. In the unlikely event that an infection develops or the heavy metals in the ink travel through breastmilk, why rush into obtaining or getting rid of a tattoo when nursing is just a matter of time? While you are healing, it may be difficult to nurse or otherwise care for a baby without experiencing some discomfort yourself. Consult with your physician and your baby’s pediatrician before getting or removing a tattoo for whatever reason, and look for clean and respected tattoo shops and artists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Certain misconceptions concerning tattoos and nursing may circulate. Here are a few examples:
Is it possible that the ink on your body may hurt your nursing baby?
It’s unlikely that pro-breastfeeding tattoos may affect your child. The ink will not taint the breast milk on your skin.
Do tattoos prevent you from donating breast milk?
Provided you have a recent tattoo; you may still give breast milk if you used a single-use sterilized needle and followed the Human Milk Banking Association of America’s requirements. Eight days after getting a new tattoo, your milk will be tested by a milk bank to make sure it’s safe to drink.
Wrapping Up
You can nurse while having tattoos. However, there are conflicting views on whether or not it’s a good idea to have one while nursing.
Suppose you decide to get a tattoo while nursing, take all necessary measures, and see your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about the procedure. After you’ve finished nursing, wait to get a tattoo removed.
