Totally random... pierced ears for baby?

vim_n_vigor

I think the risk of infection, scratching, etc. are just too high to justify for a child that young. I always feel sorry for them. I personally would wait until she is years (many years) older. My opinion though.

Eifersucht

It's a personal decision. It sounds like you're leaning toward not doing it. Do what you think is best for your child. That's your job as a parent. You are parenting this child, not anyone on this board. Only you can know what is best in this case.
As for those who claim that it's probably okay simple because it's socially acceptable - slavery was once socially acceptable. Socially acceptable does not equal morally acceptable.

christy_frank

I had both of my daughter's ears pierced at a young age and I would not recommend it. It is cute but most young babies tug on them, lose them while taking a nap, etc. I would wait until she was at least 5 or 6 years old IMO

SkettiGurl

I had mine done when I was 16 against my mothers wishes and I remember it hurting. I wouldn't want to put my child through that at such a young age. Let her choose when she's older.

EstiloPanama

Many people will tell you no. Many people will say yes.

My ears were pierced a few days after I was born with a needle and thread. I am alive and no mental problems resulted from it. I am sure I cried a bit, but I still have my ears pierced, and no, I don't hate my mom for it. It's a cultural thing to get ears pierced. It's not a huge deal.

Many will cry that you are stealing the child's individual freedom, that you're scarring them for life, that the child will hate you. I don't really believe all that.

The "safest" thing to do is NOT get the ears pierced and kind of save it as a treat for your daughter when she is older. Like, use it as a special milestone of 'becoming a young woman' and take her when she is older. And you never know, some girls just really don't like their ears pierced at all. Maybe they're butch or just complainers. Who knows.

In the end, it's not a big deal and shouldn't be. I have a bigger problem with forced circumcisions on boys than I am with pierced ears on baby girls.

I had my daughter's ears pierced. But they fell off and I let the piercings close off. I'll just wait until later when she's older.

In the end, it's your choice.

cherbapp

Should be illegal in my opinion. There's no valid argument for having it done to a child so young it can't make the decision itself.

How many people think this go out and circumcise their boys? And that's permanent!

Jeez, it's pierced EARS folks... as in, those tiny holes that close up automatically if you don't put anything in them.

My daughter had them done as a baby, isn't scarred for life, and she loves them.

Exactly what I wanted to say.

I would not allow my son to be circumcised but both daughters had their ears pierced as infants. All three of my kids (ages 18, 16 & 12) are honestly glad I made the choices I made for them...in these areas as well as others. You can always let the holes close.

OspreyVista

I'm not a fan of doing it when they're so little. I didn't get mine done until I was 12 or so and neither did my sister. We were both fine.

Let it be her choice.

I got my ears pierced when I was 18. I don't think that they should be pierced young, ever. There's no valid reason for it, and your going to have to deal with the teething soon if not already, do you really want to have to take care of her ears if they get infected and deal with her being all cranky more than she would anyways? I sure wouldn't. I'm going to wait until my kid understands what it is, and can clean them herself. At that point, I say go for it, but I think it's impractical and ridiculous when young kids get their ears peirced when they can't even talk or know what's going on. Just my opinion.

_Elemenopee_

You asked for opinions and from the few I read, boy are you getting them.

I had my daughter’s pierced when she was 4/5 months old by a Dr.

Mine were pierced before I even left the hospital when I was born.

Every woman I know has their ears pierced and most wouldn't imagine life without them pierced. Who am I to pass judgment on what others do? If she doesn't like them when she's older, she can take them out and let them close up or chose not to wear earrings.

I personally think it better to do it at an age where they won't remember the pain or trauma of being held still for 5 seconds (the really hard part) and get it over with.

Again, just my 2 cents, which you asked for.

oh_em_gee

I don't think it's terrible, but I would choose not to do it. My sister had them done as a baby and yanked on hers until she got an infection. I think that to get a piercing, the person being pierced should be old enough and mature enough to care for it. Strictly speaking, it's a wound, and it needs proper care to heal.

wickedwendy6

I have two daughters and never even considered piercing their ears when they were little. They are now 17 and 18 - one chose to do it and has moved on to stretches and the other still doesn't want hers pierced. It should be their decision - we can't know what they want when they are too young to tell us. Go with your instincts. ♥

Faye_Anderson

Should be illegal in my opinion. There's no valid argument for having it done to a child so young it can't make the decision itself.

How many people think this go out and circumcise their boys? And that's permanent!

Jeez, it's pierced EARS folks... as in, those tiny holes that close up automatically if you don't put anything in them.

My daughter had them done as a baby, isn't scarred for life, and she loves them.

Ummmmmm.....comparing pierced ears to circumcision??? Circumcision is a health and hygiene issue. Pierced ears are just for looks. And circumcision isn't really something you'd want to wait until later in life to do. Inflicting pain on a helpless infant just to make them "look pretty" is pretty twisted. You should wait until they are older and able to properly care for them to make the decision themselves whether or not they want to wear earrings.

How is circumcision a health and hygiene issue? I'm sure only Americans think that. The majority of boys don't get circumcised in the UK and they have no issues!

CherokeeBabe

Had mine done when I was 8/9, against my will, forced into it by my mother so she could put earrings on me when we went to church. Let your kid decide when she's older and can make her own decisions. Otherwise it's just a confusing and painful experience (vs a painful and less confusing voluntary experience)

EstiloPanama

This thread reminds me of the dumb broads over at babycenter.com. Those women are bat sh$t crazy! Fighting over car seats, baby showers, pierced ears.... basically it resembles an insane asylum.

I suspect that at any second now, a fight will ensue because someone thinks that it is inhumane to get ears pierced or that it's torture to get ear pierced or some ridiculous argument.

Yea, I remember as a brand new mom, I signed up for these forums thinking it was going to be a valuable tool in parenting...instead, I came across some of the most mindless TOOLS on the planet. Scary. All they did was attack one another about their choices. It was very annoying and I feel sorry for some of those kids. Did you remember the fights over formula/breast milk? That formula feeding moms were the Devil. Craziness.

mgmlap

I was 7 when I got mine pierced. I let my daughter decide when she wanted it done..She now has 3 on each ear..Many cultured do it at an early age..I dont think its wrong or right..just personal choice..

jenluvsushi

NO.....If and when my daughter gets her ears pierced, it will be her decision and something she will have to earn the right to do by showing me she is responsible enough to take care of them. I do not agree with it at all... I just do not understand why anyone would want to inflict pain and permanent scarring on a baby purely for aesthetics.

oh_em_gee

For the record, we wouldn't circumsize a son. Any non-medical body modification will be done by someone old enough to understand the risks and take care of it

BogQueen1

I think a lot of people get them done at that age just so they can make sure they are properly cleaned and taken care of. I don't think it will inflict lasting trauma personally, but if you aren't comfortable with it, don't do it.

PBsMommy

You are going to get all kind of posts on this one!

Including but not limited to:
" You are a horrible, crazy person and should be inhumanly tortured for even the mere consideration of this issue."
" It's better now than later"
"Sounds like a good idea"

PERSONALLY, MY OPINION on this matter is this:

I have a ten month old daughter and I have had this same argument with my step mother before, because she also has a niece about 3 months younger than my daughter with pierced ears. I will never choose to poke a hole through my daughter's skin, not once, but twice because it looks cute. When I feel she has reached the age where she can make the choice if she wants her ears pierced, she may choose to do so. I have tattoos. I have piercings. I made the choice to get them. She can make those choices on her own when the time comes. What that age will be, IDK yet. I will re-evaluate the situation when she can say more than mama, dada, duck, and baba.

MightyDomo

I had my daughters done just before her first birthday and it hurt her for all of two minutes before she stopped noticing they were pierced at all. She absolutely loves earrings and is so proud to wear them.

If you can get both ears done at the same time, the studio I went to offered that, and it goes by so fast, pop something sweet and edible for her in her mouth and you will see her quickly forget what just happened since at 5 months they don't remember the pain for very long, and they won't be as likely to play with it.

iulia_maddie

I had mine pierced when i was about 1 year old. While i don't think my parents were necessarily wrong by doing it, i think i would probably wait until the kid is old enough to decide.