Tattoo While Pregnant

NO ONE will tattoo you while you're preggers (trust me, I tried when I was prego with my first). Don't even risk it... wait until that baby comes!! I'm heavily tattooed and I know how badly you want to get one when the idea of the perfect new tat pops in your head... but please, don't put your baby under that stress and that risk!! It IS okay, however, to get inked while nursing ;)

4 moms found this helpful

Hi, I used to work in a tattoo shop, and I have 6 tattoos myself.

From what I have been told by my doctor as well as tattoo artists is that they will not and should not tattoo pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding.

There are a few reasons for this:
1) Being pregnant and breastfeeding thins your blood and it can be dangerous in the amount of blood loss, and you can also become anemic during pregnancy which will be affected by even small amounts of blood loss in a tattoo.

2) The VERY slim chance of a infection or blood disease being caught from the needles. Modern tattooing is very safe and very clean, but there is always a slim chance of risk and it would be compounded as your fetus or baby would pick up anything in your blood.

3) Some women spontaneously, during pregnancy, become allergic to things they were not allergic to before, like hair dye, and there is a chance of a allergic reaction to the tattoo ink.

Any good artist will not tattoo you if they know that you are pregnant, for your safety and theirs.

2 moms found this helpful

I would ask my doctor before I trusted people I don't know or web sites on the internet...I'm sure you know some of the risks involved with getting a tattoo, if I were you I would wait until after the baby was born to get it...good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

Following is straight from the Mayo Clinic website - why risk it? I can't find the article now - but I know that I read once that during autopsy - ink was found in the lymphatic system of everyone that had tattoos. I wonder where else it could travel? What might we find out years from now regarding the effects of tattoo ink in the body. It's not natural - personally - I think it looks kind of trashy and dirty, and how will you explain this someday to your grandkids when your skin is all wrinkly and the tattoo is a blurry mess? Just saying...... Anyway ......here is the Mayo Clinis article - pasted in:
KNOW THE RISKS
Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible. Specific risks include:

■Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red dye — can cause allergic skin reactions, resulting in an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This may occur even years after you get the tattoo.
■Skin infections. Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections, characterized by redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage.
■Other skin problems. Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink — especially red ink. Tattooing can also lead to raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue (keloids).
■Bloodborne diseases. If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tetanus and HIV — the virus that causes AIDS.
■MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent makeup may cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases — such as when a person with permanent eyeliner has an MRI of the eye — tattoo pigments may interfere with the quality of the image.
Medication or other treatment may be needed if you develop an allergic reaction, infection or other skin problem. In some cases, the tattoo may need to be removed. Keep in mind that tattoo inks are classified as cosmetics, so they aren't regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

1 mom found this helpful

Is it that important that you can't wait a couple months ??? Tattoo places will still be in business in a few months.

1 mom found this helpful

I would first ask my Dr. and if he/she ok'd it, I would then find a good, clean, reputable place to go get the tattoo.

I did. my kid is fine but don't get it on your breast while pregnant that is self torture. not pregnant is easier.

I don't think it's a great idea. In fact, a number of the local tattoo artists around town here won't tattoo a pregnant woman and ask if you're pregnant on the sheet you have to sign. You can wait a few months!

You can get a tattoo while you are pregnant, just be sure to go to a reputable place. I do have just a word of advice though, my girlfriend got one while pregnant and although she is a very thin person and she did not gain much weight, the tattoo was different and odd shaped after she had the baby. It was mostly because your skin stretches and moves when you are pregnant and goes back after (not just because of weight but also because of the extra fluid in your system). She was terribly disappointed. I would recommend you just wait until after so you get the result you want.

Good luck and congrats!

eh, I would check with you doctor. While in a good clean shop it should be fine. I am not sure I would risk it though.

Reputible shop or not. Home-made or not.Tattoos are not a good idea because there is always a risk of infection.

Maybe I'm jaded because a dear friend got a bad MRSA infection after getting a tattoo and belly ring on the same day. It was a "posh" tattoo parlor, and they were supposedly using properly treated instruments etc. Her stomach and torso ballooned up like she was pregnant and it took her almost a year to fight the infection.

I say forget about it.

I would ask your Dr. I don't think there would be any issues but I would check first. Some tattoo shops might not do it though. I would wait if I were you. Depending where you get it, they might have you in an awkward position for a while and make it really hard on your body. I actually just got a new tattoo last night and my neck is killing me today from the way I had to sit the whole time.

Since it is not needed I say no way! Not only are you risking infection, but your body is retaining fluids and gaining weight so when you have the baby and everything shifts back I doubt the tatoo would retain it's original shape. What ever it is I'm sure it can wait until after the baby is born.

No, the risks are too high. A good shop won't do it, anyway. Why can't you wait a couple of months? Once the baby comes, your body will be yours again.

A reputable tattoo artist will not tattoo a pregnant woman. If you find an artist who will, you should probably consider finding a different tattoo shop.

Hi S.. I didn't read the other responses since I am in a little rush but saw your post and wanted to respond. I was in the middle of getting a huge back piece done when I got pregnant. My tattoo artist is a world reknowned artist and he said NO TATTOOS WHILE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING. The main reason is the risk of infection since your body is devoting all of it's resources to growing a baby and if you are breastfeeding, to nourishing a baby. Your body does not heal at the same rate as it does under normal circumstances. Really terrible things could happen including blood infections that result in your death or your fetus' death. Don't risk it. Wait until you are not pregnant or breastfeeding.

You've gotten some great advice here... listen to it! Don't do it!

Hi S. - you never quite know what it is an ink - something safe while you're not preggos could be dangerous while you are. Not to mention there is always the risk of infection.

I think it's best to wait until after you are finished breastfeeding just to be safe.

congrats on the pregnancy!

Don't do it. Not only isn't it safe, it will hurt a lot more than it normally would and you're a lot more likely to bleed, which makes it more dangerous. Just wait a few months.

I dont know if it is ok or not, but you should check with your dr. Why not just wait till your not pregnant to get one. I have a couple tattoos and am getting another one in a few months, but i would not do it while pregnant. Just my opinion. Its not that long to wait till you have the baby just to be on the safe side. Is there some reason you just have to get it now? Otherwise just wait you'll still be able to after the baby is born.