To think that this is ridiculous?

[justanotheryoungmother]

Friend is seven months pregnant. She has four/five tattoos; not that big, biggest is about four inches. However, she has refused any blood tests/whooping cough injection etc because she is 'afraid of needles' . AIBU to think this is selfish and ridiculous? She can get tattoos done but not have blood taken to see if there are issues or whooping cough to protect her baby because she's 'afraid of needles'

I wouldn't refuse anything like that personally but I think there is a difference between having blood taken and having a tattoo done.

Some people react badly to vaccinations. I had the flu jab once and will never ever have it again.

Maybe her tattoos were licked on by kittens? YANBU.

Yes the difference being that taking blood takes less than a minute compared to several minutes or hours for a tattoo!

I don't understand it either but it's her choice and if she were, god forbid, to find out she has a blood Bourne virus that could have been protected against her unborn child then she will have to live with that.

She will more than likely be offered them again at 28 week bloods.

So they won't even know her blood type in an emergency? (needing a transfusion during or after labour for example)

Bet she'll refuse vaccinations for the baby too.

YANBU OP bit no doubt the whole "her body, her choice" cliché will be trotted out. Yes women should have autonomy over their own bodies, they should also make responsible and informed choices for their own health and that of their unborn child.

The needles used to tattoo are completely different to needles used in blood tests/injections.

I have 6 tattoos but I hate having any injections or blood tests but I don't not have them.

I am one of those silly people who have tattoo's but I'm also deathly afraid of needles. For me, tattoos aren't as bad because it's on the surface of the skin, but needles go inside me body, into my veins... I HATE the feeling of a needle inside my body, putting stuff into my blood or taking my blood out. It's absolutely pathetic, I know. Totally irrational.

But in saying that, when I was pregnant I just sucked it up. The health of my baby was more important than my daft fear and I had every blood test needed, as well as the whooping cough vaccine.

I got myself all worked up each time, sweating, palpitations, feeling nauseous, shaking - but it never crossed my mind to NOT do it

Yes she's being selfish imo

Totally different. You don't see the needle with a tattoo, and blood draw needles are huge and go in the vein. I have forced myself to overcome the fear for blood tests, but you can't compare these two things.

Of course it's her body and her choice, it's not really any of my concern, but I just can't comprehend how people (in general) could be that selfish when pregnant.

I think most people don't like needles, which is fair enough. I hate them. My point was, tattoos, albeit a different type of needle, take a whole lot longer than a whooping cough jab or a blood test, and I imagine a lot of the time hurt more. I just don't think you can be okay to have a tattoo done but not a jab to protect your baby. Perhaps I'm wrong though.

Truly pathetic YANBU

She's 29 weeks and a few days; was offered them again recently but declined.

Lets hope she doesn't need a caesarian/epidural, or she isn't Rhesus negative so needs that injection when the baby comes then.

I can understand in a way. I've had countless tattoos and piercings over the years, barely flinch, but injections and especially taking blood leave me ill/feeling faint. I hate it, dread every time it needs to be done (have my whooping cough one again in two weeks).

However, it needs to be done in pregnancy, could she not have someone with her? Ultimate it's her choice though.

Its more common than you think though. I've looked after a few people who were terrified of having their bloods taken etc but covered in tattoos and/or IV drug abusers!!

Tattoos and injections are very different and feel very different too. I have loads of ink, but I hate injections. Maybe she has her tattoos with numbing gel anyway. It could be that she is phobic rather than selfish. She might be offered again, but really it's up to her.

YANBU OP bit no doubt the whole "her body, her choice" cliché will be trotted out.

It's not a cliche, it's a simple fact.

I think there are some fears/phobias in life you just have to deal with and get the fuck on with things. While I accept that some people have very extreme phobias or fears, many of these cases are just people being a bit wussy AND failing to take advantage of all of the many therapeutic options that are available for overcoming them. The hundreds your mate has spent on tats could have been better spent on hypnotherapy or CBT or other therapies to overcome her needle phobia, so that she wasn't putting the future health of herself or her child at risk. Sometimes we need to stop being snowflakes and grow the fuck up. I say this as someone who is about to go on spider desensitization training because of my own pathetic and weak reactions.

Yeah. I also agree that it's neither selfish nor ridiculous for a woman to decide for herself whether to have tests or vaccinations.

It also may not even be the needles themselves but the loss of control and 'what if something goes wrong'. A tattoo you pay for, you're in control and you can refuse to have at the last minute or stop at literally any time, not quite the same with drawing blood or a vaccination especially if it's something essential. Feeling 'forced into' something can really ramp up some people's fear.

I used to pass out on blood tests. I did ivf and had to inject myself, had loads of blood tests. Where there's a will there's a way.

I love the fact that the person who doesn't like clichés talks about 'trotting them out'.

I think if someone has made a considered decision based on evidence then it's their choice. I think if it's irrational fear preventing her getting immunised she should try to do something about the fear not the subject of it. BUT I think alot of people should do a lot of things they don't and stop doing a lot of things they do. However I don't yet rule the world and unfairly they all make their own choices.

im the same - i had a 9hour piece done on my back which i was ok with, but i faint drawing blood!! It is different to me despite what people may say, i cant stand needles in me and cannot deal with blood, surface tattooing however doesn't bother me.
BUT in the case of pregnancy i would 100% have any tests/needles needed to ensure the safety of my baby, no question., So whilst i agree with her that there is a difference in tattoos and medical needles, she is being unreasonable to not care for her unborn child if these tests are needed.

I recently was hospitalised due to stroke and had a heart Op and never refused any of the many many blood tests required despite how much i hate them - when its necessary suck it up and get on with it!

I didn't have any blood tests with either pregnancy. I knew I didn't have any nasty infections and I felt well. My blood group is the most common there is - It had been on a card since I was a baby so no real need that I could see. Anyway, all this is entirely the individuals choice and criticising someone for exercising that choice on an internet forum is a bit off to my way of thinking.