Piercing baby's ears- thoughts?

sweetsunnyc · August 2013

I am on the fence on this one and wanted to get some honest feedback-

DD1 (5) is begging to get her ears pierced- I feel fine with this as I was in kindergarten when I got mine pierced. We are taking a trip to Claire's this weekend and I am thinking about getting DD2 (9 months) ears pierced as well. I do love the way that baby girls look with pierced ears, but I certainly don't want to subject her to pain just because I think it's cute.

Anyone have little girls with earrings? What's the experience like for them?

LoCarb · August 2013

I agree they are cute! The only negative I see is if you LO gets frequent EI and tugs on ears as a symptom. I know you have to be diligent cleaning the piercings.

mrskelly731 · August 2013

My niece ended up ripping one of her earings out when she was a year and a half. She got them done when she was about 9 months old. I'm waiting until DD turns 5 at least.

ETA - spelling error and my niece just turned 2 in June

SunAndRain · August 2013

Personally I don't think they are cute on babies. I see no benefit to piercing babies ears. The risk of an earlobe tear is enough to dissuade me from having this done on DD. but honestly I just think they look more trashy than cute or classy. Clearly, NMS

thedash · August 2013

I prefer to wait until they are old enough to ask for it. I think 5 is the perfect age! I don't like pierced ears on babies because I don't like the look or the risk of a tear or infection.

MIL already gave me a pair of pierced earrings for DD who has not been born yet! I said "oh we can put these away for when she's a little girl and ready to have her ears pierced."

jlaOK · August 2013

I prefer to wait until they are old enough to ask for it, understand that it's a privilege, and can somewhat understand the care/responsibility that comes with having them done.

shannm · August 2013

My DD doesn't have them but I had my ears pierced when I was about 6 months. I don't remember any particular challenges except that my mom tells a story about how I had hoops that I would pull out and eat and she would have to look for them in my diaper.

skibunny59 · August 2013

I would not recommend piercing a baby's ears. I got DD's done when she was 6 months old. I was on the fence about it but in my culture (I'm Cuban) ALL baby girls have their ears pierced so I just decided to do it. Yeah she looked cute and all but they were a pain. They were a pain to clean since she wouldn't sit still while I tried to clean them and I was constantly worried about them getting caught on something. She never touched them but her right ear kept getting minor infections and just never healed well. After 4 months of dealing with them I just took the stupid earrings out. I'm waiting until she's older and actually wants earrings to get them done again.

I also would not recommend going to claire's. I know a lot of people get their ears pierced with a piercing gun but it really isn't the best way. It's much better to get them pierced with a needle.

TheBorg7of9 · August 2013

Choking hazard?

jf198400 · August 2013

I am not a fan of it, why subject a poor little baby to the pain when they can't appreciate it at all and can't take care of them. My mom made me wait til I was 10, which I think was a bit old, but I think the child should at least be old enough to ask for it.

ccam · August 2013

I personally would wait until my child could make the decision. I wouldn't pierce a baby's ears.

financialdiva · August 2013

Does your pediatrician do them? My friends who have girls who had their ears pierced all had their pedi's do it.

As for whether to get them done or not, I'm just really glad I have boys and never had to think about it! LOL

UnexpectedlyExpected · August 2013

My DD got hers done around 3 months, same as when I did. I took her to Claires although her pedi does them. It did not appear that she experienced any pain because she just sat there and gave a big smile once they were done. She has never pulled on them or had any infections. Cleaning them wasn't a hassle either, but she didn't like the coldness of the cleaning solution.

sweetsunnyc · August 2013

Thanks everyone for the feedback- good advice and I am going to hold out until kindergarten.

rubber_chicken · August 2013

My husband really wanted our DD's ears done, it's expected in his culture. Our doctor talked him into waiting until she was over 12 months and was up on all her immunizations.

She's nearly 15 months now and we have no interest in getting them done anytime soon. She has eczema and picks at her skin enough as it is.

lollipoppoop · August 2013

I think it is cute! I say go for it.

mexicolombiana · August 2013

Sounds good to me. Both my girls had their ears pierced at around 3 months. Quick and easy IMO. Also they don't mess with them because they've had them pierced for so long. Cleaning is easy. Totally your decision. I would personally not care what random people told me on the internet about ear piercing. Do whatever you want and just make a list of pros and cons and decide if it's best for your family. I'm here to tell you it can be a very easy procedure for some people. We have had absolutely no issues and I have never regretted it.

costa2011 · August 2013

As cute as they are, I wouldn't do it. The risk of them ripping the earring out. Or even somehow getting the earring off and then swallowing it. I think 2 years old is a good age to start thinking about that.

daisy662 · August 2013

I agree with the poster who said it is not cute and a bit trashy. I just see no need for it until they are much older. Whenever I see a baby with earrings and bracelets and necklaces, I just think it looks odd.

Vol4life · August 2013

IMO, 9 monts is young. It is cute but I would be so scared of DD getting choked. We are waiting until DD can ask for it and help care for them.

D&HMom · August 2013

when asked why dd's aren't pierced...i say that they 'aren't my ears to pierce'!

skibunny59 · August 2013

financialdiva said:

Does your pediatrician do them? My friends who have girls who had their ears pierced all had their pedi's do it.

As for whether to get them done or not, I'm just really glad I have boys and never had to think about it! LOL

I would not recommend having a pedi do it. We had a pedi do DD's and they use a piercing gun just like they do in the mall. They can't properly sterilize a piercing gun. Go to a professional.

82Sonia · August 2013

My mom had mine pierced at 9 weeks. Yes, you read that right. NINE weeks. She was young and stupid and let her mother convince her it was a good idea so that people wouldn't mistake me for a boy. She said it was the only time she was every afraid my dad might divorce her.

I never had any infection and I never touched them. My own opinion on the matter? Wait until your child is old enough to ask for it. I'm glad mine are pierced so I have the option of earrings but I never wear them. I agree with PP, I think it looks kind of low class on a baby.

court115 · August 2013

skibunny59 said:
I also would not recommend going to claire's. I know a lot of people get their ears pierced with a piercing gun but it really isn't the best way. It's much better to get them pierced with a needle.

I ditto this. Don't go to Claire's. I have three piercings in each ear and I got my second holes at Claire's. The gun jammed and the girl got it stuck on my ear. It took three of them to get it off. I think I was 18 or 19 when I did it so I was old enough to deal with it but if I had been little, I would have lost it.

Reilly626 · August 2013

It's culturally done around here by Italians and South Americans. My Peruvian niece got it done early. Personally I can't wait to reward my daughter one day and do it when she's older and can remember.

Maybride2 · August 2013

I don't have a strong opinion on it, I get that it's expected in some cultures and I don't think it's traumatizing to a baby. That said, I'd never have done it; it's just one more pointless thing to deal with, one more pointless thing to worry about. I'd wait until my daught

sadie+w · August 2013

My personal opinion is it is kind of mean to subject a baby to that pain. They obviously have no choice. Plus, I think it's so fun to do it around 5, if they want to have it done. I stil remember getting mine done at 5 and how cool and special it was.

Snufflyfluffy · August 2013

I don't see a problem with it. My mom had mine done when I was 3 months old and she never had any issues with them. And since she made sure that I had earings in my ears for years I can now go over a year without wearing earings and they don't close even a little. So I am grateful she did it.

missusjones1012 · August 2013

I was adamant about not piercing my daughters ears until she was old enough to ask for them ... but my husband really wanted them done, so when she was 16 months we took her to get them done a Claire's. I was freaking out but she sat there like a big girl, didn't cry at all, and afterwards said, "mommy, look. Pretties." So, its not as traumatic as I thought and she loves them

Manyshoescannotchoose · August 2013

IMO, my job is to care for my DD's body, mind, and soul. to teach her well and keep her as healthy as it is in my power to influence. No part if he job involves altering her body for my aesthetic preference. Her body is her own and she can make decisions about piercing, etc. when she is old enough to make the decision, and commit to it by paying for it with her own $$.

Piercing baby's ears- thoughts?

Re: Piercing baby's ears- thoughts?

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