Babies having their ears pierced

[lilima]

I am not sure I understand why you would pierce a little babies ears. First of all it would hurt, whereas an older child you can tell them it will hurt.
Personally I think it looks a little silly. It is not like you are coordinating their earrings to go with an outfit.

Truly I am not trying to offend anyone here.

But I would love to hear from people that have had it done to their babies and the reasons why?? I believe some have them done for religious/cultural reasons.

[Leemar]

Hi, I am getting my DD ears done when she is 6 mths old and I think it will look great. No religious/cultural reason I just want to do it.

[widdly]

I think that earrings in baby girls look cute, however i would never ever do it to my own child, i could never needlessly put them in pain. I wouldn't get my child's ears peirced til they asked me to.

[Bathsheba]

I wonder the same thing however this has been a sensitive subject in here before. My personal opinion is that if it's just for appearances (ie not cultural or religious reasons) then i think it's a bit risky. Babies tug at their ears without thinking of the damage they could do. Also putting the earrings in and out all the time would be risky... my babies don't sit still for putting shoes on let alone something that could tear flesh if yanked away quickly eeek! And the risk of infection would be a concern. Kids fling dirt and all manner of bodily substances often get smeared from ear to ear... germs could easily cause infection if not careful. Anyhow, when I see a baby with pierced ears i generally wince but that's just me. I'm sure many people think it's pretty but I just think it's pretty risky. JMO.

[Visitor7]

I'm constantly getting asked 'when are you getting Nina's ears piereced?' I personally could not handle seeing it being done. I have panic attacks everytime she has her needles. I'm happy to wait until she's older, and asks for her ears to be peirced. At least then I know that she'll want them done.
Just my opinion though.

[Tyige]

I got DD ears pierced for her first birthday. She didn't feel a thing. It didn't hurt at all. We used NUMBING cream. To me she is a little girl and I think that they look cute with their ears pierced.

[Beach Mama]

I had mine done when I was 3 mths old and that was a cultural thing (european background!) and as much as I think they look adorable I'm way too much of a wuss to see Izzy get hers done!! I think I will wait until she is old enough to ask to get them done!

[Bathsheba]

My nearly 13yo says she never wants it done. The idea just freaks her out. I'm glad i didn't just go ahead and do it when she was younger. We've got better things to spend our money on anyhow. Jewelry to me, is often just a waste of money, and women seem to get caught up with buying so much of the bloody stuff (and makeup and accessories and all the other "girly" things we are told are must-haves) but at the end of the day they just disempower us by leaving us with liabilities instead of true assets like education, books, investments. Men don't spend much money on being manly do they... I think the "girly" thing is a con.

Just my opinions not fact.

[Antheia]

DD isn't a baby but we're getting her ears pierced this week for her 3rd Birthday. I'm only doing it though because she told me she wanted earrings like mummy. I plan on using the numbing cream too. I wouldn't get a little baby's done though as i wouldn't want it to get infected, them being at such a young age.

[rolymogs]

.....

[sassy123]

i know a few people that got it done on their babies. u put numbing cream on a few times b4 u go so they dont feel a thing.

[Indadhanu]

Mum had mine done at a really early age.... before 1yo... i don't even remember it... but I always had infections, got them caught in my fingers and ripped them out when they were the ring/sleeper type earrings, and always ended up sores behind my ears from studs - sleeping and them getting pushed into the back of my ears..... mum said she took them out after a few months, and I remember I wasn't allowed to get my ears peirced again until I was 8 or 9 LOL, and that was my mums reasoning...

So for that reason I'm going to wait until they are old enough to ask for it to get done, and old enough to be able to clean the holes themselves. I think its just too much silliness and trouble to put a baby through. Plus I kind of think jewellery, especially real jewellery like earrings, are a "big girl" thing, and 8/9 was when mum decided we were old enough to wear "big girl" jewellery and we were very proud!!!!

[~StarBright~]

I think like most things- it should happen when and if the child involved wanted it to- at what ever age- but not before they can say yay or nay. I always wanted mine done as a kid but i had to wait til i was 13 (about 6 years of waiting and pestering from memory) i do rememebr that it DID hurt a little- even with the numbing spray (they might use a stronger one on babies though) and now over ten years later i have taken them out because i can never be bothered changing them when i go out and i lost a sleeper and just never bothered to get another one...

I guess i am saying i will be somewhere in between- i wont make my child wait for no reason (like mine did) and if she (or he) wants to peirce something they can go for it and enjoy it while they want to!! But i wouldnt do it to a baby who couldnt say if they WANT it or not!!

[lilima]

My dad was so against earring, that I didnt get mine done till I was 18. Then I too did the same as you Caro, and ended up with a few in each ear. I have since taken them all out. The only jewllery that I wear is my wedding band.

I am not against young girls getting their ears done. But I agree with the majority, not until they are old enough to ask.

The reason I started this thread was that I was at the swimming pool today, as DS had swimming lessons. There was a little girl in the lesson with ears done and had loops in!!! She also had three gold chains on as well. She was 16 months old. The lady who had taken her to the lesson was not her mum, but her carer and said that she had been wearing the chains since birth and had her ears done at a couple of weeks old. This just blares "choking hazard" to me.

[rurumummy]

Both my dd had theres pierced when they were 6 mths and they didnt say a word,

I had mine done when i was 2mths old my mum told me that was the usual age in isreal(where i was born)

But i did it for them because it looks cute and i have had no problems at all,they are studs so they dont pull at them or get things caught in them,they dont even notice them there.

but everyone makes diffrent choices

[Zee]

I got the girls done when they were young because i thought i would have less of a chance of infection as they were unable to touch them and I also made sure i used the cleaning spray day and night.

Same here, laila got her ears done at 3 months old, cried for a few secs then that was it. If I have any more girls I will do the same (im pretty sure Im having a girl again anyway)with no regret at all. Laila has never pulled at her ears nor have they been infected.

If you think it looks a lil silly then if/when you have a DD dont get her ears done..

[Emma1979]

i had mine done when i was around 8 years old and still remember it, i was so excited.... i think its a rite of passage for young girls and don't want to rob my dd of that if she chooses to get hers done... personally i would never have it done to a baby or toddler, but have no problem with others doing it. not sure what age i will let her get it done, maybe 8yrs like me. i don't want to think that far ahead just yet!!!!!!!!!

[Indadhanu]

I think chains are very much a cultural thing.... a friend who is (oh goodness forgive me!) european something (i'm sorry i forget!) had her bub in February and got given a lot of jewellery for her newborn from family, chains and bracelets. I think she justputs them on for special occassions... blimey, can't imagine showering in a neceklace myself, let alone swimming!!!!!