Kerry Katona visits tattoo shop with husband

Former Atomic Kitten member Kerry Katona, 27, gets 10-month-old daughter Heidi Elizabeth‘s name tattooed on her neck while husband Mark Croft watches, the event being filmed for their MTV reality show. Kerry had the tattoo done to raise money for Acorns Children’s Hospice. The couple expect their second child together — a son — in May.  Kerry has two older daughters — Molly Marie, 6, and Lilly-Sue, 4 ½ — with ex-husband Brian McFadden.

Please note that it is generally recommended that pregnant moms do not tattoo themselves.

Source: Cavendish Press via The Daily Mail

Comments

gabriella on January 4th, 2008

I can’t believe she is having her 4th child, she seems so unstable.

Lisa on January 4th, 2008

Wow, not something I would do but I cant say I am surprised. On a positive note, she is starting to show and that is a good thing since she had such a troubled pregnancy in the beginning.

Good luck to her!

esmeralda on January 4th, 2008

A tattoo when you are prego??? Seriously???

Mary on January 4th, 2008

I know that I should ask my sister who happens to be a board certified ER doctor (I tried she’s working at this moment at a very busy inner city ER hospital) before I say something. But is it really safe to get a tattoo whilst pregnant? could she not wait until after her baby was born? Why risk an infection? Or put yourself thru the pain when down the road your gonna have some pain anyway with delivery. To each his own.

Lilybett on January 4th, 2008

I’m guessing tattooing is frowned upon during these times because it’s an easy way to introduce infection into the body – smack bang into the blood stream… other than this, I couldn’t think of any other reasons. The vibrations and pain, etc, are minimal.

I’m torn about mums tattoing their kids’ names on their bodies. I like the sentiment a lot, but yesterday I saw a young woman with an enormous (and in my opinion, ugly) pattern covering most of her back that had her kids’ names incorporated. I thought it just looked trashy. Perhaps I just have a personal taste for more subtle body art – like Angelina’s small list of location coordinates for her children’s births. I think that’s sentimental but reasonably classy. Others will probably disagree.

Tanya on January 4th, 2008

Ok, seriously. Why would you want to run the risk of something that is cautioned against? It just sounds like a stupid thing to chance.

Christine on January 4th, 2008

I waited until after I weaned before I got mine.
Pregnant or breastfeeding = no tattooing

Mel on January 4th, 2008

what a sorry excuse for a mom… no joke.. who does that!! they say u cant even pierce your ears.. she is sooo sad

Amanda on January 4th, 2008

It may be up to the artist doing the tat, but I went with a friend to get a tat when I wasn’t as far as long as she was and was told that you can not get a tat when pregnant. I didn’t know before that, but I’m glad I was honest about it because I wouldn’t have wanted to take any risks. With her having such a troubled pregnancy I’m surprised she would do that, but to each their own.. I’ve heard it can cause ink poisoning which is why I’ve also heard some ladies with the tat on the lower back can’t get an epidural (although not sure on that one because the ink would be dry by that point..)

madge78 on January 4th, 2008

I just love how a photographer was there to get pictures. She will be in that rag mag she is always in trying to show what a loving mum she is!

Does she not realise she is just opening herself up for criticism for her actions once again? I don’t know the medical ins and outs of tattoos whilst pregnant but I do know that for a woman who is having such a problematic pregnancy this has got to be one of the most stupid things to do. Is it so important it can’t wait for a few more months for her to safely deliver? Her antics are beyond belief, she is on the verge of bankruptcy yet cant curb her wild spending, she has a well publicised battle with drugs, she contacts the press for every little thing going on her life.

I read this and just shake my head.

Robyn on January 4th, 2008

That really grosses me out.

Tara on January 4th, 2008

People are so judgemental! There’s a difference between something being “generally not recommended” and something being absolutely forbidden.
It’s not what i would do, but to each their own. I prefer it when guys have their kids names tattoed, melts my heart

Carrie on January 4th, 2008

I do not know much about this woman, but from what I have come to understand is she’s an attention seeking nut job. Like the British version of Britney Spears.

Seriously was a few more months really that hard to wait it out. She’s risking ink poisoning, and infection by introducing something foreign to the body like that.

This woman is classless, careless and just tacky in my opinion.

Karen on January 4th, 2008

I waited until I had weaned my daughter to get a tattoo that I had wanted for years. In my area anyone under 18 cannot even go into a tattoo salon. She should have waited the few more months to get this done. With all her medical issues this pregnancy health issues should be a priority not vanity.

cindy m. on January 4th, 2008

ok, yeah, i would never get tatooed while pregnant,but i guess to each their own.

Amber S on January 4th, 2008

The place that did my husband’s tattoos said they would do mine while I was pregnant, but not while I was breastfeeding. I waited until I was done breastfeeding before getting mine. Not worth the risk to me.

Jen on January 4th, 2008

I just shook my head when I read this. This just bothers me for some reason, she couldn’t wait until after delivering to do this in case of a problem? I guess if it makes her happy, good luck to her.

SJ on January 4th, 2008

To my American cousins, what you need to know about this woman is that she openly admitted that she got pregnant with this child to keep off drugs.

LIsa on January 4th, 2008

When I was pregnant I wouldn’t even dye my hair or go above a certain speed while driving. I am just one of those “cautious” people I guess. Pregnancy is such a short time in your life…why take any chances what so ever? Whether they are valid or not.

Shannon on January 4th, 2008

at the place where i got my tattoo there is a sign up of who they will Not tattoo and pregnant woman are number one…and the numerous tattoo shops i have been in also say that…so this really surprised me

lis on January 4th, 2008

my hubby was the guy who tattooed kerry alot of this is not true, and also the mother is always advised and she can make up her own mind, obviously if she was over 6 months gone we would not do it. kerry is a great girl and she did this for a childrens hospice to raise money, so dont keep giving her bad press!

Savannah on January 4th, 2008

The tattoo shop I go to won’t tattoo pregnant or nursing moms. Of course, one could lie to get inked, but if a mom tells the shop she is pregnant/nursing, they refuse. Most shops that I know of mostly refuse.

But, then, it’s her body and so it’s her decision. I would wonder why take a risk when she had problems early on, but, again, her decision.

tattooist to kerry on January 4th, 2008

HELLO CAN I SAY,KERRY DID NOT COME IN TO MY STUDIO WITH HEIDI. KERRY AND MYSELF HAVE DONE THIS FOR A CHILDRENS HOSPICE AS I LOST MY 2 YEAR OLD SON 18 MONTHS AGO.

Nicole on January 4th, 2008

I would question the artist mostly, as I know many tattoo artists, and none of them will do a tattoo on a pregnant or nursing woman, just because the risks are there.

As for tattooing kids’ names, I have my son’s name in a very pretty script, surrounded by stars, on my ankle. His name is the only male’s name (barring any future male child) that will go on my body. Our love is unconditional and forever, as opposed to getting a lover’s name tattooed on your body and then breaking up.

Anon on January 4th, 2008

What does tattooing a child’s name have to do with a children’s hospice? Wouldn’t it make more sense to NOT do something that could possibly damage a child to raise money for a child’s charity? Whatever happened to just reading to those kids? Or waiting until she is done with her pregnancy? I just find this odd to begin with and the whole “child hospise charity” thing makes it all the more bizarre.

stephanie on January 4th, 2008

Anon- that’s what I thought. What’s next, a Cocaine For Kids gala?

Kitty on January 4th, 2008

Why would you want to be injected with needles full of dye while you are pregnant?

I don’t understand.

gabriella on January 4th, 2008

I find nothing wrong with tattoos, and it’s sweet to have your children’s name as a tattoo IMO. But why must she do it when pregnant, if it’s not advised too. You’re only pregnant for 9 months, couldn’t she wait till after the baby was born to add her last 2 children’s names? Because I’m sure she will want to add her new son’s name too eventually, so just wait and get it done in a few months. Than again a lot of her choices I don’t agree with, so this does not surprise me. I guess compared to drugs and smoking and everything else she does, this is no big deal.

Kyah on January 4th, 2008

How is getting tattooed gonna help? Like, does she get donations for letting people watch or something?

Stef on January 5th, 2008

But aren’t pregnant women pretty much advised against doing anything nowadays?

sdurdin on January 5th, 2008

i’m not trying to be mean at all..but with her last pregnancy ending with a miscarriage, i would think she would be doubly cautious. i hope everything turns out very well for her.

TATTOOIST OF KERRY on January 5th, 2008

kerry wasn’t due to have a tattoo, but she really wanted it, so we advised her against it and she went ahead. there is no law stating we cannot tattoo pregnant woman, we decide with each client. mark croft is having his work done after the weekend

Annoyomus on January 5th, 2008

sbdurin- I see your point, but her last pregnancy did NOT end with a miscarriage. It did end early, with Heidi being born a bit prematurely.

However, it was reported that Kerry had a miscarriage…with THIS pregnancy. What happened was that, after she announced her pregnancy, she supposedly had a miscarriage. However, she later had a sonogram (probably to make sure that she was all “cleaned out”), and they discovered that they had mis-diagnosed her, and she was still pregnant!

In all likely hood, what probably actually happened was that she was pregnant with twins and lost one of them.

Sarah’s note: The ‘second child’ link in the above post will take you to the original one, if anyone else wants to read more about the situation.

Mary on January 5th, 2008

Mark Croft is a GUY am I right? yes there is no law against getting a tattoo while pregnant. It boils down to her choice. However someone earlier said that she got pregnant with this child to stay off drugs. If so That is a dangerous thing to do. Does she have trouble staying focused? Does she have her other children? she seems to make impulsive decisions. Im sure she means well?!(one could only hope)
Tattooist to kerry, I am sorry for your loss, However I think a lot of people are just saying that she could have waited Doing this tattoo, being pregnant at this very moment and doing this all for charity could hurt her and her unborn and not really help the charity all that significantly. This is something that could have waited until the child is born.

madge78 on January 5th, 2008

To Mary, amongst all her drug and pregnany problems Kerry is locked in a bitter custody battle with her ex husband for her two eldest girls. For those who dont know, since splitting up with him she has done a lot of questionable deeds. She has a drug problem for which she has admitted, and while she has denied taking anything whilst pregnant it has been reported that the day before she went into early labour she was doing coke, she has smoked heavily through every pregnancy and also been seen drinking. this girl has a lot of dependency issues that she cannot shake even with another life to think of. Apparently she is also bi polar and she blames a lot of her bizarre behavior on her medication. i am not a doctor so I will not not comment or judge but she had a very suspicious televised interview that has been blamed on meds. I really liked her right up till just after her divorce but I won’t go on to blame the ex. Now I just try and avoid reading about her as all I do is worry for her kids.

noa on January 5th, 2008

I don’t know how toxic the inks are (If getting a tattoo while nursing isn’t recommended, I’d suspect that the inks are toxic in some way)… but just the pain of getting the tattoo itself could trigger some unwanted contractions….

TATTOOIST OF KERRY on January 5th, 2008

pls feel free to donate to acorns childrens hospice however large or small, thanx to you all. we are waiting on rooney and robbie savage now to come in also coleen to keep your eyes open for our article

Kate on January 5th, 2008

Kerrys latest act of neglect doesnt surprise me in the least.

It has been well documented that she has drunk, smoked and now had a tattoo done..all during a pregnancy.

This woman clearly has no thought of her unborn child, let alone her other kids.

I feel so sorry for those children with a mother (and I use the term loosely in this instance) like her. Someone needs to step in and take them away somewhere where they will be cared for properly.

Pamela on January 5th, 2008

I’ve been getting tattooed for years and the main reason you should not get tattooed while pregnant is because it can cause preterm labor, not because of infection. I personally talked to my artist about this and researched it on about.com. Most tattoo shops (all of the shops I’ve been to, but I’d only go somewhere reputable) make a woman sign a form saying she is not pregnant before getting inked. I’ve never heard of not getting tattooed while nursing. The ink goes into the skin, not the blood stream so it poses no risk to the child. This is a common misconception even among doctors, which is why they will sometimes deny epidurals to women with tattooed lower backs. About.com even states that this is false. An avid tattoo collector myself, judgemental or not, I find it very irresponsible to risk preterm labor for getting a tattoo or a television show.

stephen cutter on January 5th, 2008

As a tattoo artist, I find this disgusting, it is possible that a tattoo can shock the body’s system into either early labour or death of an unborn child, although this is the worst case why anybody would risk a mother or child knowing there is a possibility of harming either one? I find it very unprofessional and can only believe this is done for publicity. Either way it is wrong, most professional studios will tell you the same thing.

lis on January 5th, 2008

the reason why kerry had a tattoo was she was coming into our studio to promote the studio as we raise funds for the hospice we are tattooing mark her husband on monday but she said she wanted one doing that day we said we couldnt do it as she was about 6 months but she said she was 4 months and in good health she is an adult and can make up her own mind feel free to email back

Emma on January 5th, 2008

No matter how small the risk is, is it really worth taking just for a bit of publicity? Fair enough that there is a hospice that is raising money. But Kerry could have shown up and supported her husband getting a tattoo, she didn’t have to get directly involved. She is an adult, she can make her own decisions yes, but how wise have they been so far? She needs a (good) PR advisor. The tattoo parlour needs to take responsibility for saying yes to her too. Charity or not, would they have said yes to any other pregnant woman?

Rebecca on January 5th, 2008

I wanted to post that getting tattooed is not forbidden while breastfeeding, you can get one done:
http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/mom-activities.html#Tattoos

Jen on January 5th, 2008

Couldn’t that have waited until after her baby was born? I am a fan of tattoos but getting one while pregnant…it’s not something that is necessary immediately.

Ali on January 6th, 2008

No offense Lis, but this isn’t really the kind of publicity you want for your shop. I would never go to a shop that tattoos pregnant women just because they’re getting a charity donation. Bad move on the shop’s part.

And as for getting a tattoo while nursing, it is safe. Check out Kellymom or the La Leche League website.

Samantha on January 6th, 2008

Agree with Ali – this is not good publicity for the tattoo shop, even if it is for charity. They should have stood their ground and turned her down for a tattoo.

Having said that, I think the tattoo is the least of kerry’s problems, if the article in todays paper is true (drugs, alcohol whilst pregnant with this current pregnancy, the one she almost lost)”

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/0601_kerry_drunken_slapper.shtml

Rowan on January 6th, 2008

I completely agree w. Ali above – I would be sure NOT to go to an artist/shop that would tattoo a pregnant woman. Who cares if she asked? She should have been turned down. I have several tattoos and am a mom and would never dream of taking such a risk.

Kerry Morgon-Shaw on January 6th, 2008

Honestly, I really didn’t like Kerry Katona before, but this takes the biscuit. Honestly, even if I was going to donate money to Acorns, I wouldn’t now as I feel that the risk to the unborn baby is not acceptable.

HIlary Mortimer on January 16th, 2008

Can I just comment that the low standard of the lettering on the tattoo was in keeping with the ethics of the establishment who tattooed this pregnant ‘lady’.

I think that Kerry’s tattooist will not attract the kind of publicity he was seeking by his actions. Also he may find himself shunned by many in the tattoo industry who will be shocked by this.

No reputable tattooist will ink pregnant women or people under 18.

Christelle on January 22nd, 2008

His name will be Maxwell and he’s due in late May …

source : http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/22012008/398028/kerry_it_s_a_boy

disgusted on May 8th, 2008

It’s incredibly irresponsible for the tattooist to tattoo a pregnant woman. If she had have contracted an infection from the tattoo (which can happen even from airborne bacteria in the healing process), the effects could have been fatal for her baby. If you are not recommended to use hair dye, you certainly shouldn’t be introducing pigments subdermally. Whether it’s illegal or not is irrelevent.
She should have been turned away.
Also the work is substandard. I’d be embarrassed to turn out work of such standard from my studio, let alone ‘advertise’ it on MTV. This studio is taking tattooing backward. For years people have worked hard to bring tattooing forward and show the public we have safe practices. For the sake of some publicity, things like this are very damaging and embarrssing to tattooing as a whole.
Who you tattoo is irrelevent. Every customer should get the same quality of work, and to be fair, there’s no glory in tattooing Kerry or Wayne Rooney. It’s doesn’t make the work good.

Annie on September 3rd, 2008

All this talk about the woman getting tattooed. It’s wrong for either the father or mother to get tattooed during pregnancy. The father can get infected with who knows what as well. We’ve all heard the horror stories of people getting infected with hepatitis or aids in a place they were positive was “clean”. What a stupid and foolish risk to take with a new life. That just tells me that people who do this aren’t thinking about the baby, only themselves.

Mr Riddler on February 15th, 2011

OH SNAP!