Body Modifications - Facts and Myths

In this day and age, body modifications are a way of life. Companies are becoming more lax around employees’ presentations at work, allowing more visible tattoos, piercings, and “unnatural” hair colors to be worn with pride. There are many members of the “Millennial” generation (those born between 1980 and 1995) and younger for whom body modification has become a large form of self-expression. 

There have been many rumors around body modifications and their effects on the human body, specifically those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Rumors such as “the ink from a tattoo will infect the baby in the womb” or “if you get your nipples pierced you can’t breastfeed” are some wives tales that have been passed down from generation to generation. 

Below are some of these beliefs surrounding body modification - can you tell which are fact and which are false?

You can’t breastfeed if you have your nipples pierced

Nipple piercings are thought to have originated in Ancient Rome, where men would get them “as a sign of virility and to symbolize their camaraderie with other men.” (allthatsinteresting.com) In Victorian England, it was recommended that women get their nipples pierced to enlarge them, actually believing to help them with breastfeeding.

The Truth? This belief is FALSE. It is perfectly safe, normal, and doable to breastfeed with pierced nipples. The danger lies in getting your nipples pierced too close to pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. Newly pierced nipples take a while to heal, and the swelling and changes in your body with pregnancy can affect your piercing site negatively if it’s not fully healed. However, a fully healed nipple piercing should have no problem being taken out during pregnancy if needed with no change to the piercing site. Once breastfeeding, it’s best to remove your jewelry to avoid aspiration or choking, but it shouldn’t affect the flow of milk from your breast or nipple at all - again, once the piercing is completely healed.

Fresh tattoo ink affects the baby in utero or the breastmilk of a new parent

Tattoos have been around for centuries. The first tattoos were thought to have been done as early as 5000 BC. Many cultures use tattoos as a status symbol, a way to identify what tribe or group they belong to, or ornamental decoration for events such as war, marriage, death, and birth.

So what’s the truth? This belief is also FALSE. That’s not to say there aren’t risks with tattoos and pregnancy or breastfeeding - like piercings, it’s strongly recommended that you avoid getting a new tattoo while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Most tattoo artists won’t tattoo a woman they are aware is breastfeeding due to the body needing to heal the tattoo. When someone is breastfeeding, their body is expending all of its energy to produce milk and may not heal the tattoo correctly. Another reason to be wary of tattoos while pregnant or breastfeeding is the risk of infection. Tattoo artists from a reputable shop are usually great about aftercare, but that doesn’t mean infection or an allergic reaction to the ink can’t and won’t happen. It’s best to save the risk for after you’ve completed your pregnancy and breastfeeding journey.

In conclusion, if you and your artist take the proper precautions, there is absolutely no reason you can’t have body modifications and have a safe pregnancy or breastfeeding journey. Expressing yourself is a huge part of living your life, and your options to do so do not end after you become pregnant or decide to breastfeed.

If you have other questions regarding body modification, talk to your doula. We at Beautiful Births and Beyond can help answer all of your body modification questions as they pertain to your parenting journey. Schedule a free consultation now!