Tattoos And Mommies

In honor of me getting my kids' birth flowers tattooed on my shoulder today, I thought I'd do a piece on mommies and tattos.



Tattoos are a phenomenon that many debate about and discuss with friends. We show them all off. Some of us boast our tattoo artist's tattooing prowess, some are sheepish when they pull up their sleeve to show the drunken tat that they got while on spring break 10 years ago.

Though it has changed in the last few years, tattoos used to be a permanent mark on your body. This could mean that you had gang symbols tattooed on yourself even though you're not in the gang life anymore, or that you had an ex-spouse's name on your right bum-cheek. Nonetheless, tattooes commemorate what was important to you at the time.

Now, speaking of important, let's talk about moms and their tattoos. Alot of mommies get tattooed, and those mommies almost always get something put on their body that will always be important to them. Tattoos representing their children. Wether it be a footprint and their birthdate, their "sign" or something showing their personality or even their names, us tatted mommies find a way to make sure our children are with us always.

Mothers, especially some new mothers, will inquire about tattooes and the safety of tattooing and breastfeeding, if they've chosen to breastfeed. La Leche League(LLL) has provided some vital information reguarding breastfeeding and tattoos. Here is the link for breastfeeding and tattoo safety on LLL's website. Some things they say to take into consideration while deciding to get a tattoo are:

• The ink: According to LLL, the ink molecules are too large to absorb into the body to get to your milk.
• A reputable ink parlor: Check with other friends to see which tattoo parlor is better and more clean, to avoid diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV and Tetanus.
• Aftercare: Be sure to follow the tattoo artist's aftercare instructions to avoid infection.
• Infection: If the general region where your tattoo is becomes infected, make sure you seek medical attention.

If you do decide to get a tattoo while breastfeeding, make sure your artist knows you are breastfeeding, and make sure they are comfortable with it. Chances are they will turn you away(because of the risks of infection), or they will ask you to sign an additional waiver. Whatever the case, even if you're turned away, you will still have a beautiful tattoo to look forward to getting when you're done breastfeeding, or when you're not nursing as much.

If you'd like, you can email me your pictures of tattooes, in honor of being a mother. One unmistakable sign you've carried a baby inside of your tummy is your stretchmarks. But if you don't like showing those off, show off your "baby" tats!

Here is the tattoo I'm getting today. The flowers represent the months that my children were born in. Poinsettia(December), Calandula(October) Chrysanthemum(November). All of them in the order that they were born. I can't wait to post the finished tattoo!