For this month’s IST editorial deadline, I had some time to “connect the dots.” Considering so many folks have stayed home and/or worked from home since COVID concerns began, I assumed that couples were engaging in a variety of “pastimes” in the privacy of home. Those could, of course, include activities of the, um … most personal nature … ergo, the next few months could bring us a baby boom!
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This reminded me of a report I read over the summer that attempted to answer the question: “Can breastfeeding moms use tanning beds?” So, with the potential upcoming rise in births, I thought this would be a timely topic to tackle. (Hey, I told you I had some time to “connect the dots.”)
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A few months ago, I taught IST’s Sun is Life® Certification program at an industry expo and that exact query came up during a Q & A session. Well, those of you who know me are aware that I’m seldom at a loss for words, but this one brought the “deer in headlights” look to my face. I told the student that I did not know the answer, but would find it. My research turned up a reply from Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA, a lactation specialist from thebump.com: “There’s no evidence that tanning has any impact on your breast milk or your breastfed baby. But be sure to avoid tanning lotion on your breasts or plan to wash it off before breastfeeding. And, while tanning, it’s best to keep your breasts totally covered with a towel or sports bra …” preventing overexposure and possible sunburn. Widely recognized breastfeeding authority, La Leche League International, agrees that there is no proof that using a tanning bed while lactating will affect your breastfeeding baby. Of course, this segues into the next question: Can or should a pregnant woman tan indoors? Healthline.com tackled the question with their report on the risks of tanning during pregnancy (healthline.com/health/pregnancy/tanning-while-pregnant#Risks-of-Tanning-httpsDuring-Pregnancy) They began with some well known info:
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“There’s no clear evidence that tanning – either outside or in a tanning bed – will directly harm your baby-to-be” but then followed with: “Your baby is the most susceptible to negative effects from ultraviolet (UV) radiation during your first trimester and at the beginning of the second trimester.”
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The glowing error here is forgetting to add that avoiding ANY source of extreme warmth such as a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, hot bath or a tanning bed (due to heat) is recommended, as the formation of the fetus is critical during this time frame. Then, they threw a curve into the whole report citing a study (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21030361/) reporting some evidence that babies born to women in Australia who were exposed to higher levels of UV radiation during the first trimester of pregnancy had higher rates of multiple sclerosis. Omitted from that report was the fact Australia is close to the Antarctic ozone hole and has an average of over 240 days of sunshine per year, as well as any mention of the sizable population of fair-skinned folks (Skin Type 1) who live there. Well, tanning fans, take solace with this study that I located: (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30112299/) which reported that UV exposure during the first trimester had beneficial effects on fetal growth and blood pressure during pregnancy.
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So, there. Always good to end on a positive note!
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