An Australian woman who was tattooed after giving birth has been banned from breastfeeding by a judge who ruled it exposed the baby to an unacceptable risk of harm.
The woman, 20, who was not identified, has lodged an appeal which is due to be heard by the Family Court in Sydney on Friday.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported today that she had a finger and a foot tattooed in May without telling the tattoo artist she was breastfeeding.
It prompted the 11-month-old boy’s father, who is separated from the mother, to take the toddler to live with him, claiming his former partner had mental health and drug issues.
The woman petitioned the Federal Circuit Court and in an interim hearing on June 5 it agreed she should have primary care but must not breastfeed due to the risk that she contracted a blood-borne disease when having the tattoos.
The ruling came despite the woman recording negative results on hepatitis and HIV tests, the report said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)