Ear Piercing (as a baby)- When?

Brooke208 · May 2010

I am not asking your opinion on the subject so don't tell me you're waiting until your DD can decide because that's not what I want to know.

They say that if you're doing it young it's best to do it before 6 months. DD is 7 months and I want to have hers pierced. Has anyone done it around this age? She doesn't grab at her ears or anything. Not yet anyway. I just don't know if it's too late. I was 6 months when I had mine done. Our pedi doesn't do it and I don't know where to take her.

NR722 · May 2010

we did DD # 1's right around 7 months. we did take her to the pedi to have it done, but we had no issues at all with her being that age. Our pedi that we use didn't offer it at the time, so we took her to a different pratice that does it and you don't have to be a patient there. We will be doing DD # 2's also. I wanted to do it before now, but just haven't gotten around to it. Our pedi now offers it so we will be getting it done there.

Brooke208 · May 2010

NR722:
we did DD # 1's right around 7 months. we did take her to the pedi to have it done, but we had no issues at all with her being that age. Our pedi that we use didn't offer it at the time, so we took her to a different pratice that does it and you don't have to be a patient there. We will be doing DD # 2's also. I wanted to do it before now, but just haven't gotten around to it. Our pedi now offers it so we will be getting it done there.

Ooooh, this was going to be my next question! I felt silly calling around but that's exactly what I'm going to do. DD and DS have different pedi's at the moment so I'm going to call and see if DS's pedi does it.

Thank you!

Brooke208 · May 2010

I have another question. I hear from some people that it's better to do needles and not the gun. Anyone know why? Do the doctors use needles or guns? And how do I find a place that will do that?

I called our other pedi and they don't do it either.

NR722 · May 2010

they used the gun when we had DD's done. they also used a numbing cream on them before hand, so she didnt feel a think.

PrincessFiona9 · May 2010

The needle is better for all piercings because it's actually a hollow tube so the flesh doesn't just get displaced (according to my piercer.) It reduces the scar tissue. Also, guns aren't as sanitary.

Brooke208 · May 2010

AshleyMichelle06:
The needle is better for all piercings because it's actually a hollow tube so the flesh doesn't just get displaced (according to my piercer.) It reduces the scar tissue. Also, guns aren't as sanitary.

This is what I heard too. But I just called a high class tattoo/ piercing parlor and they said absolutely NO needles for infants. The girl said she would never use needles on an infant, and to go to a place that offers the gun.

This is way more trouble than I thought. LOL. Our pedi said go somewhere that will do both at the same time but all the places I'm calling say that little ones squirm too much and they don't usually do both at once.

PrincessFiona9 · May 2010

It is pretty complicated! FWIW I know 3 people who've taken their LO to Claire's and had their ears pierced with the gun and they turned out fine.

LisaK2b · May 2010

We got DD#1 done at 4 months at the pedi. And we just got DD #2 done last weekend at 5.5 months old. Our current pedi doesn't do it, and the other pedi said we had to be a patient for them to give us that service. I was so nervous but decided to go to Claire's since my friend did that with her baby. I asked for a manager and was still nervous when signing the paper. Turns out...I think Claire's is more sanitary than at the pedi's office! They have those disposble guns that are prepackaged with the sterile ear rings. And you have a lot more ear ring choices. We're on day 5 now, and she's doing great with them. If she's not tugging on her ears at 7 months, I think she should be fine. Just get it done ASAP because she'll eventually learn how to grab things the longer you wait.

Note: I got a lot of dirty looks from shoppers and so there's no privacy with the whole thing at Claire's. Also, I didn't use the antisiptic they provided, I'm doing alcohol like I did with DD#1 for 2 weeks and go from there.

rissainthesky* · May 2010

we're doing it at her 9 mo ped appt bc there are no shots.

Brooke208 · May 2010

LisaK2b:

We got DD#1 done at 4 months at the pedi. And we just got DD #2 done last weekend at 5.5 months old. Our current pedi doesn't do it, and the other pedi said we had to be a patient for them to give us that service. I was so nervous but decided to go to Claire's since my friend did that with her baby. I asked for a manager and was still nervous when signing the paper. Turns out...I think Claire's is more sanitary than at the pedi's office! They have those disposble guns that are prepackaged with the sterile ear rings. And you have a lot more ear ring choices. We're on day 5 now, and she's doing great with them. If she's not tugging on her ears at 7 months, I think she should be fine. Just get it done ASAP because she'll eventually learn how to grab things the longer you wait.

Note: I got a lot of dirty looks from shoppers and so there's no privacy with the whole thing at Claire's. Also, I didn't use the antisiptic they provided, I'm doing alcohol like I did with DD#1 for 2 weeks and go from there.

Thank you! I think this is exactly what we decided to do. We're going to take her next weekend as long as she hasn't found her ears by then.

reannegummer · May 2010

I got DD's done two weeks ago, so just under 7 months. I took her to a reputable spa in town and made an appointment and although hers were done with a gun, two ladies were there and did both ears at the same time.

She didn't cry anymore than with her shots and there was no after effects (like shots have). They put some numbing gel on her ears beforehand. They healed perfectly in under a week and DD hasn't touched them once.

She lays perfectly still for me when I clean them and turn them too. It hasn't even phased her, and she looks ridiculously cute.

MattsWifey<3 · May 2010

We had DDs ears pierced at her pedis office at 4.5 months.

NaplesWifey · May 2010

We had DD1's done a few weeks before her 1st birthday at Piercing Pagoda, and she did fine with them. I was able to clean & turn them without any fight from her. She cried a little bit, but then I gave her a cracker & she was fine.

Honestly I think a place like Claire's or Piercing Pagoda is better because they do it all the time, while a pedi may only do it once in awhile.