Ear Piercing?

laurblum · July 2014

Who's doing it? I'm talking to the pedi on Thursday when we go. I think I'm gonna go for it in the next couple months. Anyone else? Or anyone waiting longer for any reason? I figure I'll do it when she's young enough to ignore the pain and not mess with them while they're healing.

Sorry if this got posted twice. Thought it went through earlier but now I don't see it.

laurblum · July 2014

I guess I was traumatized when I got it done just before I turned 4. Obviously I know now that it didn't hurt as bad as I made it out to hurt. But on that day I thought my aunt was the devil. My mom was smart enough to send me with her instead of taking me herself because she knew I was going to go ballistic.

ho11yday · July 2014

If I had a daughter, I'd wait until she was older (10?12? years old) as a sort of rite of passage. It might be because that is how my parents did it and I don't have any problems with it.

tbiscuit18 · July 2014

anniemore said:
My sister and I were not allowed to get ours pierced until we were 8 years old and we could make the decisions ourselves. Both of us ended up with infected ears that sealed up multiple times because the piercing guns can really cause such problems with scar tissue + having metal sensitivities. I witnessed my sister's own earlobes swallow up her earrings because of an allergy and my mom had to cut and pop them out.. That being said, I would not risk that happening to my own child at such a young age. And honestly, if I were to let any of my children get anything pierced, I would go to a professional piercer who I can trust, rather than a possibly unsanitary piercing gun that has been used on hundreds or thousands of other people with no proof that it was ever cleaned properly and is probably being operated by a teenager.

Sorry for the rant, I'd just be really careful.

This. All of my friends have taken their daughters to tattoo and piercing parlors for ear piercing. It's way more sanitary and quality of earring is better for healing. And as PPs I would wait until she's older, but it's ultimately your decision. You're her mama.

letal316 · July 2014

My parents got my and my sister's ears pierced as babies, I always appreciated that bc then I just had them and didn't have to deal with them later. Having said that, I have no plans to get DD's done now, I'm not opposed to it especially since my experience was so good but I just don't have any particular desire to do it.

Nikkipal82 · July 2014

I got mine when I was seven and wanted them. I plan to wait and see if she wants them.

apinkpelican · July 2014

I had to wait until I was 10 and could take care of them myself and plan to do the same for DD. And to be honest, I can't imagine poking holes in my perfect little baby girl. :-(

Mimaloo · July 2014

Our pediatrician's office will do it after her second round of TDAP. I believe it will be at four months.

laurblum · July 2014

Same about my pedi office doing it. Or if I did it at a place that used guns it's just the earrings that touch the ears but I def don't want to go somewhere where it's teenagers doing it. I'd probably find a jewelry store where it was more adult like Fire & Ice. I also have metal sensitivity so if I get DD done I'll have to buy white gold studs to be safe. Not sure yet, I know it's my decision.. Surprising to me that only one other person is thinking of doing it on here. I feel like it's so common where I'm from that I was the oddball for having to even think about it.

artroyer · July 2014

I had DD1's done at 4 months and am so glad I did. They healed quickly bc she couldn't mess with them. Now that she's 17 months she doesn't even think about them bc she's always had them. I'll probably do the same with this DD.

sws684 · July 2014

I disagree with it. I think the child should choose. It seems selfish for "cute baby decorations" and is invasive for how unnecessary it is.

momthatlifts · July 2014

Not sure yet, I was going to talk to her pedi at her 4 month check up. But after seeing her get shots, I might not. Idk,

danabsd · July 2014

I always said I'd do Bebs early, pedi suggested waiting until she had decent head control. Then she did. Then I chickened out.

I'm thinking of making a special 2nd birthday thing if both of is are up for it.

I am way to chicken to think about Binns. Her ears are just so small.

lavendergiraffes · July 2014

Like many others, waiting till she's older. It's what I had to do and I think it was the right choice for me. Until she asks and shows she's responsible enough to care for them.

spinsoffresonance · July 2014

So I just saw this little girl DD1's age with earrings and she looked so cute. For a minute there I wished DD1 had earrings. But I'm also waiting until she is older. I got mine done at 4yo and I remember being excited about it. I want my girls to have that experience too. They can have them done when they ask for them. And I agree with PP, I'll take them to an actual piercing shop and have them pierced with a needle. No Claire's, jewelry stores or the pedi they all use guns. I had mine done by the pedi and had a bad experience she couldn't get the gun to work right and had to try several times, ouch. Best to go to someone who does it all day everyday.

limechiffon · July 2014

I never got my ears pierced. I asked my mom when I was 7 or 8, she said I could have it done when I was 15 but by the time I was in high school I wasn't interested. I had the foresight to know I'd spend a lot of money on earrings, just to always be loosing one of the pair.

It wasn't until I read this thread that it occurred to me I might one day be having the same conversation with my daughter.

Anyhow, I don't plan to get it done now, I'll probably also tell her she can have it done when she's a teenager, but I don't think it's a bad idea to have it done as a baby. I know in some cultures it's SOP.

jenb_99 · July 2014

I'm waiting till she's older. Partly bc I want to let her decide but mostly bc I feel there's too much chance for infection or injury if it's done too early.

I had mine done at 17 and my mom just got hers done at 62. We obviously don't rush ear piercing in my family. Lol

flockofmoosen3 · July 2014

I think that when parents get their children's ears pierced might be culturally driven. My mom is Hispanic and everyone she knows has their baby's ears pierced by time baby is one year old. Mom had mine done when I was a couple of months old, and I have never regretted it. It was convenient for me. I will probably get my girl's ears done before she is 1.

Kaylee524 · July 2014

I think my opinions on ear piercing fall into a larger opinion about the pressure society puts on girls and women to adorn themselves because just being yourself isn't good enough. I have my ears pierced and I color my hair, but I've done both because I want to - not because I feel like I have to live up to some kind of beauty standard. I don't wear makeup most of the time and most days I just air or blow dry my hair and straighten my bangs to keep them out of my face. Right now I just have a DS, but if/when I have girls I won't push them into getting their ears pierced or, later on, wearing makeup or styling their hair. I want them to feel like they're beautiful just the way they are, and that any kind of adornment is for their own preference and not to make them "acceptable" in the eyes of others. I know this isn't the reason a lot of people get their LOs' ears pierced, but it's what comes to mind when I think of getting babies' ears pierced.

/endrant

CMDR513 · July 2014

I asked my Pedi- she recommended after the tetanus vaccine. We will be getting LL's pierced in Nov.

flockofmoosen3 · July 2014

So, i already said I'm in favor of peircing a baby's ears. I didnt realize that doing that faced this much opposition. It seems that a vast majority of ppl here would prefer to let their daughter make the decision to get ears peirced when she is older and not to make the decision for her. After all, it is cosmetic and in another board's discussion someone said there is no need to conform to society's pressures to look a certain way, or to inflict that pain on a baby.

Just to play devil's advocate, how many of those opposed to ear peircing a baby would favor or are opposed to circumcision for their sons? I am not aware of whether or not most people circumsize their sons at birth, so I am curious to know.

Not trying to start any battles, just want to discuss it a bit more since i find the whole controversy very intriguing.

laurblum · July 2014

@jmcdyer I had no idea when posting this that there would be so many leaning toward the side of not doing it. I definitely thought it would be more down the middle. Like I said, where I'm from (I live in Maryland) I see it all the time. Maybe not every single baby girl, but definitely many by age 1. Yesterday I was discussing with a friend and she said to do it. I asked why and she said because everyone just does it when they're babies. So I guess it's the norm around here. I keep going back and forth. My reasons for possibly not doing it have all been mentioned by PP. The reasons I'm considering it are:
1. Currently DD is sleeping on her back and will be for a while since she can't roll. There won't be the possibility of her putting pressure on them during sleep and irritating them. By the time she can roll they'll be healed.
2. Generally speaking, most girls want their ears pierced and have it done at some point in life. I don't know anyone who had it as a baby and decided they didn't want them. And if they're not a jewelry person later in life it's no big deal to just not wear earrings. I went through a phase where I didn't wear them and I didn't even think twice about the holes. Then I went back to wearing them all the time.
3. I don't think it's something that my small child would be in charge of caring for anyway. Even if we wait it probably still would be done before age 5. She's going to need my help to clean them, so why not just do it now when there's no chance she can touch them.
Again, still deciding but I am floored at how many are so strongly opposed. I am not saying that in a judgy way at all. Just shocked. Definitely makes for interesting debate though.

Happypost · July 2014

I was 4 years old when I got mine done and I begged and begged for them! I think there is nothing wrong with babies with pierced ears. It's NOT permanent. So if there is an issue or the child doesn't like them you can just take them out.

letal316 · July 2014

Totally agree with the last three PPs. As @Happypost‌ says, it's not permanent. I am a case in point to this, as I previously mentioned, I had my ears pierced as a baby and it was great that as far as I knew, I always had my ears pierced. Yet as I got older (in my twenties) I really didn't care about wearing earrings so now the holes have grown in. It was still my call to keep them or not.

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