What do you think about piercing baby's ears?

myheromyworld89

I watched a video of a 7 month old getting her ears pierced on youtube so thats where this question comes from.  But I'm curious what you ladies think of it.  I got mine pierced for the first time when I was 15 and I don't remember it hurting really, a little uncomfortable but far from excruciating, so I won't go so far as to say its cruel.  But I don't really see the point either.  What do you ladies think?

lpichach

personally i think getting a younger girl like age 2 - 5, having her ears pierced is fine. THAT IS MY OPINION. I know there are TONS of people that will argue against and say it's cruel and all and la la la.... but i think it's super cute. I had them done to me when i was super young, I don't remember it obviously, but i don't mind that i had them done. 

cloud9climber

What if she doesn't want pierced ears?  Let her decide when she's old enough to know what it means and how to take care of the piercing.  I always think little babies with earrings looked bizarre. 

I got mine pierced on my 10th Birthday and it was a special treat! 

mommygrams0730

i think everyone's got their own opinions. i've heard people say, if God wanted holes in your ears he would have made them that way. however i had mine done before i could remember, i was with my friend when she got her 2nd daughter's pierced at 3 months. i have other friends who wait til a certain birthday as a "responsible" type gift. if we have a girl i will be getting her ears pierced early. to me it's not a big deal, i think it looks cute on little girls...just my opinion.

michaela510

I was set on getting Sophia's done ASAP, but I haven't yet. I think we're going to wait until she expresses some sort of interest in it.

DrRx

My sister and I had our ears pierced at the hospital when we were babies.  Everyone in my family here and abroad has their little girls ears pierced when they're babies.  We actually have earrings that have been handed down to use for the little girls.

I think that it is up to everyone whether or not their little girls get their ears pierced and at what age--there is no wrong or right answer.  I plan on getting my little girl's ears pierced as soon as I can!  

 

allisonmarie22

I think modifying your child's body for cosmetic purposes before they are old enough to make the decision for themselves is wrong. I would never pierce my baby's ears. When they are old enough to ask me for them then I am happy to get them done.

tnd81

I had my DD's done at 7 mos (she's 20 mos now). She was all smiles by the time we paid and walked outta the store. I think they're really cute and fun to change out as she loses one here and there. She's on her 3rd pair, the backs come off more than I care for which is my only complaint. Btw, Ive found that rubber backs work best. She doesn't even phase on them and they're super cute - in my opinion! She was a baldy too so it helped her look more girly

cmurphy09

I'm not big on piercings in general...my skin's too sensitive & doesn't agree with most jewelry. So I'd rather not go through the possibility of irritated lobes with an infant. Plus I love the look of pure skin, everyone's pierced or tatted these days...to each their own. But I also don't agree with it, I feel that choice is up to my child.

Once they're old enough to weigh the pros/cons of piercings, tattoos etc... & discuss it as a family, then I'll consider. 

 

NOTE* - Another reason to consider waiting until your child is older - you never know how clean the gun is or how experienced the piercist is >.<. 

Also anyone considering piercing their infant or child's ears. Avoid those piercing booths that use the 'pierce guns' - they are the nastiest places - it's actually cleaner & more professional to go to a tattoo shop. I have friends that are licensed professional piercists/tattoo artists & redid my lobes... Didn't have one issue afterward. Like I had every time I got my ears pierced by those nasty guns as a child (ages 6, 9 & 12). Typically those guns never get cleaned & the person piercing usually is better qualified to solely sell jewelry... after 12 I let them my lobes close. So unless you do it at the hospital, probably better to wait, awhile...

Long=journey

My Dad's an ER doc and has treated multiple baby girls who have had their earrings rip through their earlobes after getting caught in a piece of clothing during changes, hairbrushes, etc.  My oldest got hers pierced at 10 years old when I felt like the risk of accidents like that was minimal.

collinjenn

cloud9climber:

What if she doesn't want pierced ears?  Let her decide when she's old enough to know what it means and how to take care of the piercing.  I always think little babies with earrings looked bizarre. 

I got mine pierced on my 10th Birthday and it was a special treat! 

This. 

collinjenn

cloud9climber:

What if she doesn't want pierced ears?  Let her decide when she's old enough to know what it means and how to take care of the piercing.  I always think little babies with earrings looked bizarre. 

I got mine pierced on my 10th Birthday and it was a special treat! 

This. 

dotty188

I got DD's done when she was about 4 or 5 months.  I personally would rather them get them done early so I can clean them and not have to worry about her getting infections.  DD did really well, as long as you have a bottle or are ready for BF right after they do just fine.  

filxoxo

I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not like you are performing cosmetic surgery. Piercings aren't permanent. If she doesn't like it when she's older, then you can take them out.

 I think it looks cute and feminine. I had mine done when I was a little baby. I was SUPER bald and it helped make me look more like a little girl.

Asquared

If it's part of someone's culture, go for it- otherwise I don't get it!  Why not wait until your kid is old enough to tell you if they WANT it done and then use it as a way to bribe them to behave!?   I'll wait until my daughter's are old enough to take care of the responsibilities as in cleaning ears and earrings and it can be something special for them.

mlebates

Mine were pierced as soon as I was out of the hospital... I don't wear earings much as an adult, and I don't feel violated in any way.  If you pierce your childs ears they won't know any different.  It's not going to impact their lives any, and I've never heard a young woman complain that her mom/dad pierced her ears when she was too little to choose for herself.  

I personally will get DD's ears pierced as soon as I can.  While she's still really little.  She won't mess with them and they'll be easier to keep clean that way.

star678

I have to be honest, I think it looks tacky for a little baby to wear earrings unless it's clearly a cultural thing.

 

Kahosity

I'm on both sides. We didn't do my daughter's ears because we wanted it to be her choice. However I bought her magnetic earrings when she was around two and she wouldn't leave them alone and it wound up being a huge waste of money. That was my fault.. I bought every pair they had when I found them because I was so stoked... lol If this lil boy would have been a girl J and I had already agreed that she would get her ears pierced fairly early on. Now I'm thinking it would be easier to keep them clean and infection free if I do it. My 8 year old will probably not get hers done because she remembers how the magnetic ones hurt and is afraid. We'll see I guess.. 

marielovestimothy03

star678:

I have to be honest, I think it looks tacky for a little baby to wear earrings unless it's clearly a cultural thing.

 

Totally agree. Even then, if the baby is bald, it still looks kind of tacky to me. I'm not a fan of earrings on babies or toddlers at all. My sister and I had ours pierced around 5 or 6 when we were old enough to ask for them, take care of them ourselves and had proven we were responsible enough for them. I hardly remember the piercing experience at all but I do remember being really proud of my new "pretty ears" and that I earned such a "big girl" reward. I plan on doing something similar with my girls.

KatelynEA90

I don't care. It doesn't bother me either way. My cousin got hers pierced as a baby and too be honest, they aren't even anymore. so I'm not sure I would do it on an infant. Having them be noticeably uneven would drive me crazy. My SO is against doing it when they are babies. He wants to wait until she expresses an interest in it, which is fine with me.

Rhianna1981

I, too, think that it is tacky.

 Also, I know quite a few people who had their ears pierced as babies who have had to re-do them because they were no longer even.

So no, I won't be piercing this baby's ears.

RebeccaS6627

My parents waited until I was 10 years old, and then did it as a special gift. It was meaningful for me to look forward to it and then be able to pick out the earrings. If I have a little girl, I would definitely wait, and let it be her choice. I probably wouldn't make her wait for 10 years, but it would definitely be a reward for being responsible. I think it means more that way.

LaurenCase89

My mom let me decide. She waited until I was old enough to ask to have it done, and I really appreciated that. I've seen many girls with holes in odd parts of their ear bc they got it done so young and then their ear grew. It is a personal choice and I think your daughter should make that decision herself. Just my thoughts though.

kwr2003

Unless it's a family tradition I would wait.  I don't really think you will cause any mental damage from piercing her ears w/o her permission, lol.  I just think babies look kind of tacky with pierced ears....

tara430

To me it's silly and I know it would cause me more worry than enjoyment.  I know everyone has a story but when my neighbor was an infant she had to have surgery to remove and earring back that somehow became lodged inside her ear.  But alas I'm having a boy so I don't have to worry about it.  Any piercings will be his choice

QueenofAnything

I don't really care what other people do. I had it done when I was REALLY young (probably because I was a baldie and it was frustrating my mother to no end to think that people MIGHT think I was a boy ) I think it's cute when I see it on babies. I probably won't do it to my LO though, because I have a very irrational fear of earring pulled through ear lobes. I saw it happen to a friend once and now whenever I wear earrings, if anything touches them, I freak out (You think I'd stop wearing them or stick to posts, but no, I'm an idiot and keep wearing my largish white gold hoops and freak out AAAAALLLL the time). I don't think I could deal with worrying about that for my daughter.

one more makes four

I've never been a fan of getting a baby's ears pierced.  I mean, they're BABIES!!!  I just don't like the look and I don't like putting them through that experience when it isn't necessary.  I think we force our little girls to grow up way too fast, and this is just another example of that.

I have two girls and wanted them to be 6 or 7 (if not older) before getting their ears pierced.  On my oldest's 7th birthday we took her to get them done and she freaked out.  But my 5 year old happily hopped up on the chair and got hers pierced.  It's been almost two years now and my oldest still doesn't want hers pierced.  That's her choice and I'm glad I didn't force my wishes upon her.

BeerBeck

This has always been a hot-button topic on TB, and I am sure it always will, as people have such polar opposite opinions on the issue.

During my last pregnancy, I never really had a strong opinion one way or the other.  For me, I just thought I would play it by ear and see when the time felt right.

Well, for us, that time came when my daughter was 8 months old.  Yes, she was still a baby.  Yes, it may have hurt a little ... although she never cried once!  No, it did not get infected.  No, I do not regret my decision.

For me, having them done early meant that they were part of what she knew, so they were not a novelty item to play with.  On the other hand, if I waited until now to get them done, I fear that she would play with them constantly and be pulling at them, as would be new and unusual to her.

As I said, there is no right or wrong answer to this, and everyone will have their own opinion, so I think you just have to do what is right for you, at the time.

pixieprincss

We don't believe in imposing purely cosmetic body modifications on others. If DS or a DD wants to choose body modification at some point in their life--be it circumcision for DS or piercing or hair dying or whatever else for for either--we can talk about it then. But, until they drive the conversation, a health issue comes up that requires modification, etc. we will let their little bodies be. 

Blue Pansy

It's not for us. 

venussapphire

I think definately not for a baby. It looks so dumb to me. When my daughter is ready and she asks then it will happen.

TBsquared

I JUST informed my husband our baby will have her ears pierced at about 6 months last night haha, he didnt seem enthused but he didnt really care either. I got my ears pierced when I was 6 months old. And i just think its to cute on lil babies! i dont get how it can be cruel...i dont remember having it done to me, and it hurts for like a second and most babies are just aftraid of the noise not the pain.

KeysEscobedo

I agree with how my mom looked at it with me. She said she didn't want one more thing to take care of & wanted to wait until I was old enough to take care of it on my own. She made me wait 'till I was 12. I had to follow the directions and felt happy to earn them. 

teachsci21

I asked for mine to be done at 6, my mom said 16 would be fine.  (She had two holes in each ear) We happened to have discussed this in front of my Grandfather who likes to spoil his grandchildren.  

Within a week I was gifted a pair of 14k gold crosses that I could "wear at first communion" if my ears were healed by then.  My mom took me to get my ears pierced the next Saturday.  

I'm not sure who manipulated who with that one, but I did get a ton of nice earrings, (pearls, gold, birthstones etc.) for my first communion that May. 

I do like the fact that I at least wanted to have it done.  I'd probably wait at least until my child asked.  

mrussello

I had mine pierced at 5 months and my youngest sister got them pierced at 3 months. I had 2nd holes done at 13 yrs old and my 3rd and 4ths done when I was 16. If I plan on a girl, hers will be done at 3 months too. It's all preference.

snickersforeveryone

I am not going to have it done.  As PP said, I am of the opinion that the child should be able to have a say, and I want to be able to tell them, "it does hurt for just a second."  I would feel awful going up to a happy baby and SURPRISE!!!!  Why make her cry by piercing her ears?  Shots are one thing.  They have to be done.  But I am not willing to cause my baby pain that can be avoided in the interest of fashion.  Plus, I have really bad metal allergies...what if my baby does too, and/or her ears get all infected and painful?  When she's older and expresses an interest, I will take her to our doctor's office to have it done, since they do it and I know it will be sterile.

dvroxy

allisonmarie22:

I think modifying your child's body for cosmetic purposes before they are old enough to make the decision for themselves is wrong. I would never pierce my baby's ears. When they are old enough to ask me for them then I am happy to get them done.

This exactly.  I got mine done when I really wanted them and I could help keep them clean.  I will be doing the same with my daughter.

FroggyFarts

I got mine done when I was old enough to take care of them. I knew it would hurt going into it and actually understood that and chose to do it anyways.

People say that they do it to keep their child from unnecessary pain later on -- how is it sparing them pain if they just go through it as an infant? To me, that is not a trade-off.

I like the idea of waiting until my children can ask for it and we think they're ready. I'm not talking about waiting until the kid is 16. But I'm certainly not planning to pierce the ears of an infant or even a toddler.

My older sister has had her ears pierced three different times (regular bottom lobe) and each time, it ends in her having to let them close due to infection. Turns out, she's pretty allergic to most metals. I would hate to pierce an infant's ears only to find out that they're allergic to metal jewelry.

naflmj

I personally wouldn't do it until they were old enough to express that they want them and also that they can take care of them.

KeysEscobedo

naflmj:

I personally wouldn't do it until they were old enough to express that they want them and also that they can take care of them.

Medic99

My opinion is to wait. My DD had pica when she was a toddler. She put everything in her mouth, more than other toddlers do. I would not give her one more thing to get her hands on to put in her mouth. I view it as a choking hazard. Yeah it will take a little while till they can figure out how to remove them, but to me it is not worth it. Not after what I went through with my DD. I wasn't allowed to get mine done until age 12 and that is what we are doing.