Pierced Ears?

naddles

DD will be 10 months old on April 7th...I have been too much of a chicken$*!% to get her ears pierced earlier but now I'm really thinking about doing it I just HATE the idea of intentionally hurting her, her being sore for a while and her little ears hurting.  But I don't want her to be older, want her ears pierced and have to go thru that whole hurting process later.  Have you ladies with daughters had their ears pierced?  If not are you going to do it or wait til they are older?  Ugh, I want to get it done but I just need to ask for a couple days off work so we can both cry together. 

mesr

i'm in the wait camp.  it's mostly because i feel like any non-medically-necessary body modification it needs to be her choice. 

and it's also partially because of my own negative experience having my ears pierced young and then having my mother accidentally rip an earring through my earlobe when i was a kid, requiring me to have my ear stitched back together.

Sunidaze

We're waiting until she's 12, and then only if she asks for them.

MammaBear81

DD1 was 8 months old and DD2 was 6 months old.  They cried for about 30 seconds and then forgot about them.  DD1 now like to pick out different color earrings to go with her outfits .  I had my ears pierced when I was 5 and I remember how painful it was, and I cried for a long time.  That is why I got DD's done when they were little.

Syncronicity09

I personally don't like pierced ears on infants. I think its best to wait until they can decide for themselves and then understand why they are in pain. I hate to think of a LO experiencing the pain without warning or understanding.

I got my ears pierced when I was about 7, and I don't remember the pain being so bad that I couldn't take it.  Especially since I wanted them pierced so bad, I took and active part in cleaning and taking care of them.

MommaA117

we did it at 10 weeks. I was SO scared so I never planned it, just did it on the spur of the moment. It was no big deal. She cried more at her 2 month shots.

I wanted to do it because as a little baby she cannot mess with them and get them infected like I did at 6 years old. Plus I can care for them correctly...

jcsumm0

I will let her decide if she wants to get them.  I was allowed to have mine pierced at 10.  I think that is about the age I would let her.  A 10 year old can take care of them herself, and she understands that the pain is only for a minute, and it is her choice.

cvl105

Callie was like 4 1/2 months when we got hers done. They look adorable. She cried for about 2 minutes, until I was able to get somewhere to nurse her. They never got infected and they healed wonderfully. She doesn't mess with them at all....well hardly. I noticed her grabbing at them one day recently and kinda just pulled her hand away from her ears so she'd stop.

jgengo0

MrsPrevost:

I personally don't like pierced ears on infants. I think its best to wait until they can decide for themselves and then understand why they are in pain. I hate to think of a LO experiencing the pain without warning or understanding.

I got my ears pierced when I was about 7, and I don't remember the pain being so bad that I couldn't take it.  Especially since I wanted them pierced so bad, I took and active part in cleaning and taking care of them.

I am not a fan of infants with pierced ears as well. I got my ears pierced at 6 and was so excited. It was special for me. When she asks for them I will take her. 

kas80

We are waiting.  I think it will probably be part of her "you're a teenager!" birthday when she turns 13.

cassoppea

We went back and forth on getting them done now or later. MH and I decided to let her decide if she wants them. I had mine done when I was 6 and was so excited about it. I don't have a problem with them on babies but I guess I'd rather let her decide.

62406

We're going to wait until she is old enough.  I had mine pierced when I was 10 and they ended up getting infected, I don't want the same thing to happen to LO and have no way of being able to tell me they hurt. She's been through enough medical stuff the last few months, I don't want to traumatize her anymore.

Telly21182

I don't have a DD yet, but I plan on waiting until any future daughters are old enough to make the decision on their own to do it.  I got mine at 6 and don't remember the pain.  Sure, it probably hurt but I don't remember it!

Plus, I'm a big "rite of passage" kind of person, and I feel like pierced ears is a rite of passage for a little girl.  Kind of like getting to wear make up finally or something like that.  Not a big one, but still one to look forward to! 

Magenta728

MommaA117:

.

I wanted to do it because as a little baby she cannot mess with them and get them infected

This. DD got her ears pierced when she was 4 months old. It was not a big deal at all. She cried for a few seconds, and that was it. They never bothered her afterwards.

milesc

Magenta728:

MommaA117:

.

I wanted to do it because as a little baby she cannot mess with them and get them infected

This. DD got her ears pierced when she was 4 months old. It was not a big deal at all. She cried for a few seconds, and that was it. They never bothered her afterwards.

 I had DDs pierced at 3mo. I'd do it again if we have another daughter. I'd do it sooner than later though... She cried until I put the pacifier in her mouth, and that was that. No issues what-so-ever. I just swiped the ear cleaner on each time I changed her diaper.

I feel like you either do it when they don't have great hand coordination or you wait until they ask for it. I'd be hesitant to do it at 10mo to be honest. DD has great hand control, and I'd be afraid she'd play with them. It's totally up to you. The piercing part? Easy, don't worry a bit about it. 

DramaMama06

if/when we have a dd we're waiting until she asks and then we'll make a decision. i had mine peirce at 6 mo old. they constantly closed up, my mom would basically have to re-peirce them when ever i wore earings. i was highly allergic to any posts that weren't  sterling silver and they got infected. i feel like i missed out on that experience and i NEVER wear earings now.

ShangriLaRose

We had them done at just shy of 8 months. She cried for maybe two minutes... and they didn't seem to bother her AT ALL afterwards. She acted as if nothing happened. If you touched her ear (to clean them), she didnt' even flinch. She kept trying to take the cleaning solution from me.

Marsupial1022

We're waiting until D is old enough to ask for it if she wants them done. I had mine done when I was 12 by a professional (needle, not the piercing guns), and it hurt as much as getting an injection.

vanessa999

We have been meaning to get LO's ears pierced since she was 3 months but we just have not gotten around to it, so we're going to be doing it next month. For those of you who have had your LO's ears pierced, how long did it take for the swelling to heal? We want to have some pictures taken of LO but I want to get her ears pierced before but want them to be healed so they won't look swollen in the pictures. Any advice? 

MrsI

We did DDs ears in February.  We wanted to do it at the pedi during her 6 month check up but their earrings were too big for he ears.  We ended up going to piercing pagoda and were very happy with their expertise.  DH was expecting DD to be very upset and it was going to be a huge ordeal. 

They marked her ears and verified it was ok with me.  I then had to hold her arms with one hand and her head with the other while she sat in my lap facing out. We turned her head the other way and did that ear.  She only cried until I was able to turn her facing me.  So less than a min total and less than her shots.  DH was shocked with how easy it went!

My one tip... Get plain stud earrings not diamonds or anything fancy.  We got diamonds and DH was wrestling her on he couch trying to give her medicine and her earring got caught.  It was no big deal but could have been bad.  Lesson learned..,Prongs on new ears are not a good thing. 

Sorry that got so long butif it's really something you want to do, know its not a big deal and she won't hurt for long!  GL in whatever you do! 

MrsI

vanessa999:

We have been meaning to get LO's ears pierced since she was 3 months but we just have not gotten around to it, so we're going to be doing it next month. For those of you who have had your LO's ears pierced, how long did it take for the swelling to heal? We want to have some pictures taken of LO but I want to get her ears pierced before but want them to be healed so they won't look swollen in the pictures. Any advice? 

I think they looked normal the next day but we didn't have much swelling at all.  Just the earring stuck out funny until it settled down on its own. 

magnoliablossom00

No- we have no pierced her ears and do not plan on it until she is 8-10.

monkeysmama62

I REALLY want to get Lily's ears pierced but DH is standing firm on this one. He doesn't her to get her ears pierced until she asks for it.

RClaffee

I'm in the wait until they can ask camp. I probably will have them wait until they are ten as a big birthday thing.

If you are going to get them though, you could ask your pediatrician if they can do it at the office. Some of those mall ear piercing places are a bit grimy. 

RobinSparkles81

MommaA117:

we did it at 10 weeks. I was SO scared so I never planned it, just did it on the spur of the moment. It was no big deal. She cried more at her 2 month shots.

I wanted to do it because as a little baby she cannot mess with them and get them infected like I did at 6 years old. Plus I can care for them correctly...

Exactly this!  Right down to doing it on the spur of the moment...except she was 12 weeks

I liked that I was in charge of cleaning...they never bothered her.  She cried more when I had to hold her still then when they actually did the piercing.

RobinSparkles81

vanessa999:

 how long did it take for the swelling to heal?

she had no swelling at all...her ears looked totally normal from day 1

11kacey

jenny_jeff:

MommaA117:

we did it at 10 weeks. I was SO scared so I never planned it, just did it on the spur of the moment. It was no big deal. She cried more at her 2 month shots.

I wanted to do it because as a little baby she cannot mess with them and get them infected like I did at 6 years old. Plus I can care for them correctly...

Exactly this!  Right down to doing it on the spur of the moment...except she was 12 weeks

I liked that I was in charge of cleaning...they never bothered her.  She cried more when I had to hold her still then when they actually did the piercing.

I will never understand this logic.. you either do it when they are a baby or at six? We are waiting until she is at least 12 and she has to ask for it.