A recurrent consultation at LactApp refers to the compatibility of tattoos and piercings with breastfeeding.

Breast Piercings

Let’s start with the piercings which are easier and shorter. During breastfeeding or pregnancy is not recommended to perform any type of perforation to the nipple because of the risk of infection and the pain it can cause. If you have a piercing in the nipple and want to breastfeed, do not have doubts, the answer is yes, you can breastfeed.

You should know, however, that there are things that can happen when you remove them. For example, if you have partly lost the sensitivity of the nipple, it may be difficult to notice a bad grip and rectify the baby’s grip. It can also happen that depending on the size of the perforation too much milk comes out of the holes and the baby chokes or has trouble managing the flow of milk.

Otherwise, it is perfectly possible to breastfeed after a nipple piercing. Only if it is necessary to remove the earring before offering the breast to the baby and not put it back until weaning.

Another thing is if you want to get a piercing or have a piercing done earlier in another part of the body. In this case, it is not recommended to do it during pregnancy because of the risk of infection, but there is no incompatibility with breastfeeding. Since in the case of infection, both topical and oral antibiotics are compatible with breastfeeding, you can check whenever you want on the website of the paediatricians of APILAM.

Tattoos

And let’s go to tattoos, which is a situation in which there are more fears and doubts about performing them during breastfeeding.

The first thing we have to say is that before doing a tattoo, the most important thing is to make sure that the place / professional chosen complies with all hygiene measures required to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. This recommendation could be extrapolated to anyone who wants to get a tattoo, not only to breastfeeding mothers. Undoubtedly, if the chosen site does not comply with hygiene measures, it is more prudent not to do so.

The inks used are another point of attention. If the chosen place complies with the hygiene rules, we can consider that the inks used by the professional will also be adequate. Some inks may contain heavy metals or may contain carcinogenic substances. On tattoos, the inks are placed on the dermis and given the weight of the ink molecules, their passage to the torrent track and from there to the milk, is almost entirely unlikely. Therefore, for our health to ask and verify what type of ink will be used. But no longer only in the use of inks. The very fact of making a tattoo is surrounded by fears and doubts.

There is a myth that pain or stress from the procedure can “cut” the milk or spoil it. The milk is not cut and spoiled by going through a bad time or feeling pain, so a nursing mother can get a tattoo and the milk will not go away.

And in the event that something happens and an infection occurs, the use of antibiotics is perfectly compatible with breastfeeding, and there is no need to wean or discard the milk.

In relation to the tattoos that you want to do in the area of the breast, areola or nipple, it will be better to wait to finish breastfeeding to perform them because there is a risk that toxic elements from the ink can pass into the milk.

What is not recommended during the breastfeeding period is to eliminate the tattoo because here it is possible that the ink reaches the breastmilk when it is degraded by the laser.

Do you have any other questions?

You can find more information about all things breastfeeding in our free app, LactApp for iPhone or Android. In the contact section of the app, you can find an in-app consultation channel, where our experts will answer your questions.