mobanmarketKat Von D wants people to keep their unsolicited advice about her life to themselves.
The celebrity tattoo artist—who is pregnant with her first child, a boy, with husband Leafar Seyer—posted an impassioned message to Instagram on Thursday, explaining that she’d appreciate for those who don’t like what she’s doing to “press the unfollow button and move the f— on.”
In her post, the 36-year-old Kat Von D Beauty founder, who is “openly vegan,” also said that she plans on having “a natural, drug-free home birth in water with a midwife and doula” and that she “has the intention of raising a vegan child, without vaccinations.”
“This is my body. This is our child. And this is our pregnancy journey,” she wrote alongside the baby bump photo.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) gives the organization’s policies on immunizations on their site, as well as lists studies about safety and number of vaccines and a recommended immunization schedule for children and adolescents under 18 years of age.
Over the first year of a baby’s life, the AAP recommends vaccinations for Hepatitis B, rotavirus (RV) RV1, RV5, DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis), Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal conjugate, inactivated poliovirus and influenza.
“Just as important as the initial vaccinations are the booster shots,” advises healthychildren.org, an AAP partner site. “These are designed to continue immunity by building on the previous vaccines’ effectiveness. Unfortunately, some parents forget or skip the boosters, which undercut the effectiveness of a very important concept in vaccination: herd immunity.”
“Herd immunity is the benefit everyone receives from a vaccinated population once immunization reaches a critical level,” they continue. “When enough people are vaccinated, everyone—including those who are too young or too sick to be immunized—receives some protection from the spread of diseases. However, relying on herd immunity to keep your child safe is risky. The more parents that follow this way of thinking, the fewer vaccinated children we will have, and the more likely a serious disease will return and infect all of those unvaccinated.”
Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no scientific study has found a link between vaccines and autism.
Von D’s post began by her explaining that she had expected to get some pushback from critics. “I knew the minute we announced our pregnancy that we would be bombarded with unsolicited advice. Some good and some questionable—unsolicited none the less,” she wrote.
“I also was prepared for the backlash and criticism we would get if we decided to be open about our personal approach to our pregnancy,” Von D added. “My own father flipped out on me when I told him we decided to ditch our doctor and go with a midwife instead.”
Still, her confidence left her in a place where she wasn’t taking it. As she explained, “I already know what it’s like to make life choices that are not the same as the majority. So your negative comments are not going [to] influence my choices—actual research and educating myself will, which I am diligently doing.”
Von D ended her post by reminding her followers what she stands for, and that their support is always welcome.
“Feel free to follow me on here if you like what I’m about–whether it’s tattooing, lipstick, Animal Rights, sobriety, feminism, ridiculous gothiness, black flower gardening, cats, or my adorable husband,” she said.
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“So before anyone of you feel inspired to tell me how to do this, I would appreciate you keeping your unsolicited criticism to yourself,” continued the expectant star. “More importantly, for those who have amazing positive energy to send my way, I will gladly and graciously receive it with love! X”
Von D and Seyer tied the knot in February, surprising several people when she shared a photo of their matching wedding bands on Instagram.
They announced their baby on the way in May, posting a photo of themselves on the social media site. In it, Von D cradled her baby bump while wearing a gold floral patterned brocade dress. Seyer, whose real name is Rafael Reyes, wore a black suit with black gloves and black sunglasses as he embraced his wife.
In their caption, the two revealed they had already picked out a name for their son: Leafar, which is Rafael spelled backward and the father-to-be’s stage name.
Despite her bundle of joy on the way, Von D has previously been outspoken about not wanting kids. In an interview with Dr. Drew Pinsky in 2012, the tattoo artist said, “No children for me.”
“The funny thing is that I’ve known since I was 7 years old that I was never going to have kids,” she said. “I always imagined myself as this worldly, traveling, gypsy lady.”
“I love children, kids love me, but I think I’d make a really good buddy,” she added. “I don’t know if I’d be a bad mom, but it’s not what I want. I don’t want to put my body through it.”
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