Piercing little girl's ears?

Sprite2012 · July 2012

I'm having a boy, so this isn't an issue for me, but I have a few friends who are either pregnant with or have toddler girls. There is quite a debate going on among them about piercing ears as babies or toddlers. It peaked my interest because my ears were pierced by age two, as were my sister's and every other little girl I grew up with. That was also over two decades ago, so obviously things have changed.

Are you going to pierce your LO's ears? Do you have a little girl whose ears are pierced? How old was she when you had them pierced? Thoughts or opinions?

Swainb · July 2012

I won't pierce my girls' ears until the are old enough to take care of them themselves, but to each their own.

kayteebayb · July 2012

We're piercing V's ears at the Dr.'s office when she is 5 months old. I'd rather do it when she is little and won't remember the pain. I had mine done when I was 7 and it was traumatic for me and they pierced my ears uneven and so low that one of them fell through my lobe a year later. Plus, I just think it looks so cute on babies!

abfromva2 · July 2012

I honestly find it odd when little children have their ears pierced. Maybe I am old school but I just equate it to a little girl wearing lipstick when not playing dress up (as in she looks older than her age). I had mine done at 12 or 13 in a doctor's office, and my mom made it my responsibility to take care of them. I also think it would be nice to give her the choice if she wants it done or not. Honestly I surprise myself that I feel this way because I am not a super conservative person. To each their own...

mopsie · July 2012

I personally don't like the way it looks to have a baby/toddler's ears pierced, but I don't judge parents for making that decision for their own kids. I went with my mom on my first day of kindergarten and it was awesome and I'll never forget it, so I want to do something equally memorable for DD.

jadeandblake06 · July 2012

I already have two girls and with both of them we waited til they asked us and really wanted them.. With this one I dont know what we will do we will see. My DH says we will do the same as we did with the other girls.

erin070804 · July 2012

I have a 2 year old DD and her ears are pierced. We did it at the pediatrician's office when she was 5 months old. We haven't had a problem with them and I think they're cute.

zarahelise · July 2012

So i used to work for a jewelry/piercing place and i did pierce a few babies ears and they were the easiest becauce they only cried for a second and were over it right away. toddlers and even kids that were around 5 or 6 were the hardest because it effected them the most and they cried so much, it always made me feel awful.

When i was six my mom took me to get my ears pierced and after the first one was done i throw a fit crying and screaming and it took my mom and another person working there to hold me done so the other lady could pierce my other ear.

With that being said i am having a girl and havnt decided yet what i want to do. i will either do it while she is still an infant or wait tell she is much older. like a pp talked about the piercings being uneven, that is very common when a toddler or young child gets thier ears piecered because they squirm while its being done. Hope this helps.

lavet22 · July 2012

I don't like the way it looks. I think it's subjecting a child to unnecessary pain and possible infection, but that's just my opinion. I also remember being 8yrs old and begging my mom to let me get my ears pierced. It was a big deal. I had to work really hard in school and, at the end of the term when my report card came out, she agreed that I had earned it. I felt like I had worked hard and acheived something. It was a good feeling. I would want to pass that feeling on to my child (then again, I have all boys).

btudorica197 · July 2012

I'm having a little girl and I want to wait until she is old enough to decide on her own that she wants to do it!

And on top of that, take care of the piercing herself- just for a little responsibility! But to each their own- whatever you wanna do works for you!

weebos8 · July 2012

If we ever have a girl, we will wait until she is old enough to ask for them. Then we will make a big deal out of it, just like my mom did for me!

credcat7 · July 2012

MD and I have discussed this (having a girl in Nov) and we both agree to wait and let her decide if she wants it, and then she needs to earn it as it is a responsibility... I had to do it that way . (I had to brush my own hair every day for a month when I was younger, to show that I could be responsible) .

I like the idea that she will decided if she wants pierced ears... not all girls do

GHBEA · July 2012

We will wait until she ask to have them done.

kieannb · July 2012

I haven't really thought about this. I think since I was about 8 or 9 when I went with my mom and got mine done, we will wait to see if our daughter (if we are having a girl) asks for them and can take care of them herself.

Nicki Boston · July 2012

I never thought I would but I did. I asked my dr. and my dr. told me 1. do it between ages 3-7 months or wait until they are much older. 2. to just go to Claires as they are the leading ear piercers in the industry.

huh!?

So I did and while I felt terrible and guilty as SOON AS THEY DID IT, She was over it within a few minutes and back to normal. She has never touched them, doesn't even know they're there. They are straight and never got infected.

While I initially said I would never do it again, DH and I will decide when LO gets here. I don't want her being mad that we did it but I also don't want her to be mad that her sister has her ears pierced but she doesn't. eh, we'll see!

To each there own. I would never try to sway someone one way or another.

Kadyra · July 2012

My mom had her friend, a nurse, pierce my ears when I was 6-7 months old. I have never known what it was like to not have earrings. I am not scarred from the trauma of having this done as an infant or not having it be my choice. I don't know anyone who doesn't have their ears pierced. It's an odd concept for me. I informed DH that if this is a girl we are piercing her ears as an infant so we don't have to deal with it in an older child. He had no opinion.

pillowpants10 · July 2012

I plan on piercing my little girl's ears while she's still an infant. I had mine done when I was 3 months old and I'm glad. They're perfectly even and I don't ever have to worry about them closing up.

My mother and I got our second holes on our ears pierced when I was 10. It was fun and memorable.

sunshine0210 · July 2012

My own ears are not pierced and I'm glad my parents waited until it was our choice to have it done. I'll do the same with my children.

JenLa21 · July 2012

Ari1028:
I plan on piercing my little girl's ears while she's still an infant. I had mine done when I was 3 months old and I'm glad. They're perfectly even and I don't ever have to worry about them closing up.

My mother and I got our second holes on our ears pierced when I was 10. It was fun and memorable.

Me too. I've had earrings my whole life and have been so grateful that my mom got them done when I was a baby. On my 12th birthday I got my second hole and that was the biggest deal ever! If we have a little girl, I plan on doing it while she's a baby.

Side note, my cousin never had her ears pierced as a child and always wanted them, but was too scared to do it. She had literally sat in the chair multiple times, and always chickened out. Finally at age 28 she got them done so she can wear them at her wedding next year.

Lovely Lauren · July 2012

We already have one daughter and she is getting her ears pierced for her 6th birthday. She's been wanting them for awhile but I decided to wait until she was old enough to have the responsibility of taking care of them. And we won't be piercing this daughter's ears until SHE is ready, either. I feel like its weird to pierce your baby's ears, personally. I understand that it's painful but at the same time, pain is a part of life, you're not also going to give them their first tattoo at 5 months old because you don't want them to remember the pain. I have multiple ear piercings, including an industrial, and 5 tattoos, so it's not like I'm just a prude about body modification, I just think it should be a personal choice.