Does anyone know of a reason why a mother who is breastfeeding cannot
get a tattoo? Asking for a friend, not for personal reasons. 
Lechia Davis, RNC, ACCE, IBCLC

I would strongly recommend that a breastfeeding woman did not get a tattoo because of the risk of infectious illnesses particularly Hepatitis B and C. Tattoo parlours are well known sources of these viruses. Recently in South Australia we had an outbreak of Hep C linked to a tattoo parlour.
It is also my understanding that the infant is much more likely to get Hep B or C from breastmilk when the mother is in the process of seroconverting. That is, a woman who contracts this virus from a tattoo whilst breastfeeding is more likely to transmit the virus than the mother who had the virus  from the beginning.

Laureen Lawlor-Smith BMBS IBCLC
South Australia