ear piercing for babies-What do you think?

[sheila rose]

My daughter is 6 months old and was debating on whether or not to get her ears pierced. If I do it now it will be over with-if I wait till she's older then she might get scared and not want to do it. What do you think about it?
Sheila

 

[aahmom1]

I would wait.

 

[justjulie]

If you're going to do it you can apparently buy EMLA cream that numbs the ears. Up here we can get it over the counter. I'm not sure if you need a prescription in the US. Friends of mine have used it and loved it - no crying!

 

[SeaShelley]

I'm of the wait opinion also. Let her make up her own mind when she's ready and able to care for them herself. I've never understood why people want to pierce a baby's ears. IMO it looks strange to see earrings on a baby.

 

[ASFCurly]

I would wait, I mean some people don't like earrings, and how do you know that your child won't be one of them.

 

[poober25]

WAIT!!!! I had my ears pierced when I was like, 7, and was completelly allergic to all post, including gold. If your DD wants her ears pierced when she is older, she will let you know, if she scared to get it done when she's older, how do you think she'll feel know when she's totally helpless? This is my first time on this board, but, as you can tell, I feel very strongly about this issue. I hate to see babies with pierced ears. JMHO.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

My DD is 22 months old. I decided to wait. Maily because she was rolling around and I didn't want her rolling on her ears/earrings. She still had to go through the teething stage and the pulling of her ears. I did not want to have to remember to clean and turn the earrings every day. My DD would have put up a fight!

 

[caitycaity]

another who votes for wait. i cannot have pierced ears because my lobes are too small and everytime i did it they got seriously infected. when i was younger i wished i had earrings, but i'm really glad i don't now. i do, however have scarred lobes from trying to have them done.

 

[snoopy]

My mother had both my sister and my ears pierced when we were babies. At that time, in the 60's, it was considered a very advant garde (translation: hippy) thing to do.

I don't have any deep seeded resentment over it or anything. But if I had daughters, I would wait until they were older, probably around 10 years old.

 

[d.kurz]

Originally posted by SeaShelley
I'm of the wait opinion also. Let her make up her own mind when she's ready and able to care for them herself. I've never understood why people want to pierce a baby's ears. IMO it looks strange to see earrings on a baby.

Ditto.

 

[Disney Ella]

I also have wondered why babies need earrings, but it certainly seems popular enough. I told my kids that if they want pierced ears when they are 11 and are willing and able to take care of their ears then, they may get them, but not before.

 

[delikado]

I got my ears pierced fairly soon after I was born, but I think that's more of a cultural thing (I'm not from the US). I never had a problem with it (at least you could tell I was a girl in my baby pictures!), and I also never heard of any horror stories regarding piercing a baby's ears. However, it seems that more people here wait till their daughters are old enough to decide for themselves, so perhaps that would be the best thing for you to do. I mean, if she really wants them, she'll get over the fear, right?

 

[Christine]

I've really always hated seeing a baby with pierced ears--it just always seemed tacky to me. Believe me, if your daughter really wants her ears pierced when she is older, she will overcome her fears!!!

Also, in this day and age of increased allergies, I just think it is better to wait. No need to sensitize a child to some of the metal allergies that young.

 

[MICKEY88]

I think parents should wait until the child is mature enough to decide for themselves if they want holes in their body, would any adult accept it if they were told they had to have a body part peirced..what if someone knocked on your door and told you they were there for the mandatory nose or eyebrow peircing, would you comply, or insist it's your body ..your decision..

 

[laceemouse]

I know that babies sleep on their backs now, or at least that is recommended, but I always thought it would be really uncomfortable to have the earring backs stabbing you when you sleep on the side of your head. She will start rolling around and then it may bother her, and babies sleep so much are you going to be constantly taking the earrings out? I guess they get used to it but why make them? I also would be worried about infections!

 

[Denine]

Wait! I have no intention of having my DD ears pierced until she asks for them and can care for them herself. She is 8-1/2 months old now.

 

[AirForceRocks]

My daughter is 6 months old and was debating on whether or not to get her ears pierced.

Hey, if she is already debating having her ears pierced at 6 months, I think earrings are the least of your worries!! You have a little prodigy there!!

 

[binny]

are you going to hate all of us for voting to wait? lol


I, too, wouldnt do it till they are able to care for them themselves. I think its a responsibility issue really.


BTW My Granny snuck me out and did it behind my moms back when I was 14 ( she wanted me to wait till I was 16) and my mom was LIVID!

 

[wdwnutze]

I had my 10yo dd's ears pierced when she was 1. I just took her and had it done. DH wasn't thrilled about it. My 4yo dd has been asking for her ears pierced for about the last 6 months and my DH flat out refuses. We battle this out but I won't go against what he wants. I didn't get her ears done when she was little because she was very active. 10yo dd doesn't resent me or harbor any ill feelings toward me. She only wears earrings about 50% of the time at her choosing. And I don't think they looked "tacky" at all in her pictures. Everyone is different.

 

[sheila rose]

I decided to wait until she is old enough to make her own decision about it. You all have good points. I cry everytime I have to take her to get her shots-I even have to have my mom or hubby go to hold her-What was I thinking??!!!!!!! I will DEFINATELY wait until she's older! Thanks everyone!
Sheila