Many women may be inspired to get a new tattoo while they’re still breastfeeding their babies. Can women safely get a tattoo while breastfeeding? While it’s generally safe, tattoos always have a small degree of risk, and it’s important to be extra-careful while breastfeeding. Let’s take a look at the potential risks.
What Are the Risks of Tattooing While Breastfeeding?
There is no direct harm in tattooing while breastfeeding, as the ink will not transfer to your milk, because ink molecules are too large. Still, there are some chances of side-effects such as infection, the appearance of scars, an allergic reaction to ink pigments, or in the worst case, exposure to communicable diseases from contaminated needles. You should be concerned about infections or other side effects, so if you decide to get a tattoo while you’re still breastfeeding, you must take every possible measure to ensure the safety of your newborn baby’s health.
How to Make Tattooing Safe While Breastfeeding?
It’s all about proper aftercare and a few safety precautions that you may need to consider while getting a tattoo. To reduce any possible harm, here are the things to keep in mind for safe tattooing while breastfeeding.
- Make sure you are working with a reputable and experienced tattoo artist who is well aware of all the safety precautions and knows their work well.
- Take a good look at the room where tattooing work is done. All of the instruments used for tattooing should be kept perfectly clean, and there should be proper lighting. Don’t get any tattoo work in a dark or poorly-lit environment. Look for metal tool trays with proper covers and sterilization signs on the packaging.
- Make sure there’s a wash sink in the room, that your tattoo artist washes his hands before starting tattoo work, and wears sterile gloves during the entire procedure.
- You should also pay attention to the type of ink tattoo artist is using. Insist on natural inks or pigments. Artificial industrial inks may pose a threat as none of the ink is prescribed for injecting under the skin.
- After getting your tattoo, keep an eye on the tattoo area for at least one to three weeks. Make sure the surrounding area or the edges are not swelling. If you see such a symptom always consult a skin specialist. Also, avoid exposing a new tattoo to direct sunlight.
