To Sunbathe or Not After Giving Birth?

Is tanning allowed for breastfeeding moms post-birth?

Many women use tanning at a sunny beach not only as a chance to get a beautiful skin tone but also as a way to relax and take a break from daily hustle. However, young mothers often question: is it okay to tan after giving birth? Moreover, many also wonder if a tanning salon is allowed post-birth.

Is it okay to visit a tanning salon after giving birth?

The safety of visiting a tanning salon is questionable in itself. The fact is that artificial rays penetrate the skin much deeper than natural ones, which explains the potential harm.

After giving birth, visiting a tanning salon is undesirable but permissible. A session in the special booth should not exceed 4 minutes.

Nursing mothers face additional risks. The hormones produced during lactation make moles more sensitive to ultraviolet light. Prolonged exposure to light can cause them to grow and transform into melanoma.

Therefore, precautions should be taken. In tanning salons, special stickers are provided to cover moles from ultraviolet rays. Women with a large number of moles on their bodies are better off avoiding tanning altogether.

Is it safe to sunbathe on the beach after giving birth?

It’s possible to sunbathe on the beach after giving birth, but only by following safety measures.

So, it is best for young mothers to sunbathe during periods of least solar activity, namely before 11 AM or after 4 PM. One session of natural sunbathing on the beach or at your cottage should last 10 minutes the first few times after childbirth. Over time, you can gradually increase the duration of the sessions.

For both tanning booths and the beach, it’s better to use sunscreen – it will allow a woman to get her dose of vitamin D while protecting her from unwanted effects. A separate note for breastfeeding mothers: immediately after sunbathing, the cream should be washed off to prevent it from entering the milk.

Another rule for safe tanning after childbirth applies to all women: the breasts should not be exposed; they should be covered at first.

Benefits and Harms of Tanning Postpartum

Proper tanning brings exclusively positive benefits. The main one is that the mother receives vitamin D from the sun, which many women lack after childbirth. It has a positive effect on the condition of her hair and teeth, as well as her well-being and metabolism. Another advantage of tanning is a good mood, relaxation, and rest for the woman. It has been proven that being in bright light is a good prevention for depression and simply lifts the mood. This is due to the production of hormones.

However, attempting to tan after childbirth can also have harmful effects. The most harmless consequence is the possibility of getting sunburned, as the skin is still very sensitive. But the truly serious problem is the risk of developing melanoma – skin cancer. This risk is higher for young mothers than for everyone else.