OT: Piercing ears

[MSSANDRA]

I'll assume none of you have had or will have your sons circumsized unless they specifically ask as well.

No, as a matter of fact we did not.

 

[lil mermaid]

I agree with the waiting until she is old enough to ask.

I agree. Why does a baby need earrings anyway?

 

[mjkacmom]

It is common here to pierce babies ears (NY tri-state area). However, I felt it would be a special experience for my girls when they were older. This is one parenting decision that I screwed up. Dd13 has had them done twice. The first time (3rd grade), they became so infected, the holes closed up over the earings, and we had to go to the ER to remove them (the pediatrician sent us). Dd9 had them done twice, and they've closed up both times, because she had to take them out for sports. Dd7, at this point, never wants them done, because of what her sisters have gone through.

Now, my friends who's dds' have been pierced since they were babies, have adorable earings in.

 

[mjkacmom]

IMy girls have NEVER said... they wish I had NOT done it. They like to hear the story about Papa wanting their ears done. My youngest DD said..."is that why Papa always buys us earrings for our Birthdays".

My girls are constantly asking my why I didn't have them pierced when they were babies, like their friends. They are no happy with me!

 

[Jazcat]

however, that can be a medical/sanitary issue...not a beauty issue. I never wanted my ears pierced as a kid. It was pretty and all, but I was scared. I waited until after my 3rd child at age 32. I will wait til my dd asks...the little bit of pain is worth it if she wants them later on. I don't agree w/piercing of babies' ears, but it's a personal choice.

not always they messed up my sons circumcisom I wish I had not done it if you keep it clean there are no issue. Of course my kids are adopted and I wasn't given a choice on the circumcisom

 

[tzolkin]

My sisters and I all had our ears pierced when we were babies. I think it was just "the thing to do", and I believe my grandmother and others probably made the suggestion. My mother never wears any jewelry (she will wear her wedding/engagement ring for special occasions 2-3 times a year), so I have no idea why she would have thought it necessary for all her girls to have pierced ears.


I decided to let my DDs decide for themselves. DD11 had hers done on her 7th birthday. DD6 hasn't decided if/when she wants them.

My younger sister had her DD's done when she was 2-3 months old. I was out with my niece when she was under a year old and a woman approached me and had an issue with it. She was pointing and whispering to me and I could not figure out what the heck she was talking about for several minutes. I finally realized that she was questioning why I had the baby's ears pierced and not the 3yo. I just replied that she was not my child. The lady said "oh" and walked away.

 

[vettechick99]

I personally don't like pierced ears on a baby. And I remember getting them at 8 or so, and taking care of them was no big deal. I can't imagine any bigger deal than if I had been 8 months.

We are waiting until DD3 tells us she wants them.

 

[emma'smom]

My dd8 has talked about getting them pierced...and so far the plan is that she can get them done for her 10th birthday. Most of her friends don't have pierced ears any earlier than that. It seems to be the bight right of passage when they hit double digits =)

I'm not really sure why she would need pierced earrings now....She's big into athletics, including swimming, and would have to take them in and out. Also, IMO, she's naturally beautiful just the way she is!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My mom let my sister and me know that she was against pierced ears. She said she wouldn't allow us to "get holes in our ears for puposes of adornment." We never really thought about it until we were older. I was 21 and my sister was 24. We were both still living at home and in college and we decided we were old enough to make our own decision. We went out and got our ears pierced. My mom was OK with it by then. Funny that she wasn't really strict about other things. She just had a strong feeling against pierced ears.

 

[WAMomof3]

I think it's funny how some people make such a thing about this - it's all personal preference

My grandma was from Puerto Rico and insisted on my mom piercing my ears when I was 3 mths old. Because my mom had her's done when she was an infant, she simply followed tradition wo questions.

Mom and I both had our second set of piercings done when I was 15. When the lady asked if we remembered our first time, we looked at each other shrugged and said "no".

Both of my girls had theirs done before their first birthday. We haven't been free of infections from time to time but, we also have very sensitive skin in our family. For us, it's just part of life

 

[Carl Fredricksen]

It's nice to see this will be a cordial discussion about ear piercing and won't go into the dumper at all.

DD got them done at 10. DW has several in each ear. To me, any kind of body piercing (including ears) is a silly ancient ritual that I can live without. IMO, women don't look any better or worse because of earrings. I realize it is a personal preference, but think the individual should be old enough to make the decision on their own.

And (since we got off track with the circumcision thing), same goes for tattoos in my book.

As mentioned by a PP, donning my flame suit as well, and as always Carl is.....

 

[myhouseofmouse]

we were mean parents we did our daughters ears the same days as her first shots (at 2 months old) We knew that day was going to suck for us(and her), so we thought why not get it all out of the way. It did make it easy having them done when she was younger, no issues with the holes or changing earrings.

 

[mom2val]

But piercing a baby's ears is barbaric. I think it looks trashy, too.

I realize that in some cultures this is a general practice--but it's not for me.

Donning flame-proof suit now...

Suit me up too!

 

[mrs.beast]

We did my older daughter's ears after her kinder graduation. She was beginning to show interest in sports, and had been asking for her ears pierced since she was 3. So, I decided to do it right before summer so that she could keep the earrings in. they had to come out for soccer and gym. We had 2 months of never taking them out to let them heal. I took care of them so we were lucky and infection free. Now she can take them out for her sports, and they don't close up and have healed very nicely. I will probably do my youngest the same way. she has been asking practically since she could talk. but i will make her wait till next summer.

 

[gatormommy07]

I did not get my ears pierced until the week before I turned 10 (18 and a half years ago!!!!!). I really wish that my mom and dad would have gotten mine done as a baby!!!!! It hurt!! I am glad they waited for one reason, that is my grandmother (my mommy's mommy) bought me a pair of small gold and diamond studs, she knew that all I wanted for my birthday was to get my ears pierced, but she never got to see them because she died about a month before my birthday, I only wear the earrings that she gave me, sometimes I will take them out and wear a different pair, and of course to clean them, but I always have her with me!

Unfortunately when our daughter was born we decided to wait until she was older and asked for them. She will be 8 on Saturday, and says she wants them done, but she freaks out if we are near a place to do it, and I suggest we do it then! But, right now she is on a 2 and a half week trip with my father in law, and I am hoping he can talk her into doing it!! I am waiting for the phone call where she says "guess what I did today!!!!" One can always hope, I suppose!!

 

[lissawynn]

My peditrician pierced my ears when I was about three years old. He kept surgical thread in them for a week to prevent infection. I remember the day it was done, but I do not remember the pain at all.
I had my daughter's ears pierced when she was six months old, and she wimpered for a minute, then she was fine. It was much easier to care for her ears when she couldn't mess with the earrings.
She has several pairs of "good" Disney earrings and is looking forward to wearing her Mickey heads on our upcoming trip.

 

[mb_uh]

I strongly believe that earlier is much better. Most girls will eventually want this done and they cry about 1 minute and it is over with. You can control the care and most babies under 6 months do not have coordination to mess with them so they are healed before they could ever come out. I had mine pierced with I was 5 because my mother did not want to have it done when I was a baby- it was too upsetting to her but they got infected and I had to have it done again at 11.

 

[wheresmygoofy]

My dd had hers done three times. The first time was around 6 mths. She woudl scream everytime something or someone would touch them. About two weeks after getting them done one fell out when putting her in car seat, so I took the other one out. We tried again when she was a little over a year. Still screamed every time they would get touched. I took them out when she started to show a little infection. I decided that maybe she had an allerge or something. When she was in third grade she convinced me to try again, this time no problem. She is now 17 and has three holes in one ear and two in the other.

 

[Tinkerbell3014]

I haven't read all the posts so forgive me if this was discussed. I worked in a place that pierced ears for years. We did all age ranges. From my experience, the "best" age to get a daughter's ears pierced was between 6 and 9 months. Babies ears seem to be easier to pierce at that age. It was easier to look at both ears and line up the holes to get them even. It also seemed that there was more room behind for the back of the earring and less of a chance of irritation. Also, at this age, there were less infections and less people would come back to get the piercing redone. The older children seemed to play with their earrings more causing more infections and lost earrings (which would then cause the hole to close).

On a personal note, I do have a DD and worked there when she was a baby. I did not get her ears pierced until she was 7 and I no longer worked there. She developed an infection and we let her ears close. She is now almost 9 and still does not have pierced ears. It is a personal choice but I did not want to do that to my baby. I will wait until she wants to have pierced ears.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[LuvLDM]

I have two Dd's, they can get their ears pierced when they ask & are old enough to take care of them.
I really dislike jewelry on babies/young children, just looks silly to me.