ear piercing for babies-What do you think?

[SillyOldBear66]

My friend had her daughter's (Olivia) ears pierced as a baby.
I decided to wait with the thought that it's my daughter's body and she should make the decision.
When my daughter was 8 she asked to have them pierced.
We went to have them done and she was scared.
Eventually she bravely sat in the chair and let them pierce her ears....BUT not before looking me in the eye and saying, "I wish you would have done this to me when I was little like Olivia's mom did!!"


Ya can't win for trying!

It was funny to hear her say that but I know I made the right decision for our family.....just as Olivia's family made the right decision for their family.
Even with my DD's comment...I wouldn't have done it any other way.

Whatever decision you make will be the right one for your family.

-Tabitha

 

[Eiblis]

Sorry I also agree with the WAIT lobby.
2 DD's now aged 13 and 16..
oldest desperately wanted hers pierced from the age of 5 I gave in for her 7th Birthday and had them done.
younger desperately wanted hers done at 7......then backed out......had them pierced when she was 10.

I agee that it is best to wait till child wants them done...

 

[MICKEY88]

another random thought, I know of at least 3 cases personally in which a very young girl pulled at the earrings and tore her earlobes, yes they grow back together. yes they have scars for life......

 

[jsmith]

Just an observation (I have sons not daughters so no personal experience) I live where there is a large hispanic population-here it is quite common for very young babies (3 months or so) to have ears pierced. Most of the people I know who have done this have experienced fewer problems with things like infection and torn earlobes than those who wait until the child is over a year. I think this is because mom controls taking care of them until they are healed, and very young children don't play with the earings and by the time they get old enough too they don't seem unusual and are less tempting.

Anyway, that is a cultural thing and if it is not something that is a part of your culture you may want to wait.

 

[disykat]

My dad is a pediatrician -because of the problems he'd seen I wasn't allowed to pierce anything until I was an adult.

 

[BounceyOne]

I had my daughters done at 2 months old, I am expecting again and if its a girl she will have hers done at 2 months also. At this age they will not pull or tug at them and they will heal up nicely and quickly.

I vote for do it if you want to.

 

[helenabear]

I know you have already decided, but I must say that I see nothing wrong with it. I know that I personally sleep with 10 earrings in my ears nightly (yes, you did read that right). When you have them on right, you don't get poked at all. I don't even notice they are there most of the time (I have 3 sets of studs, 1 pair of tiny hoops, and one set of lever back Mickey dangles... not big at all though) so I wouldn't let that be a concern since most starter earrings are put together so the post does not go further than the backing (which is how I wear all mine anyway). If I ever have a baby girl, I wouldn't be surprised if I did it to her before she turns 1 as well.

 

[marlasmom]

I think piercing any holes in any child's body is barbaric.

 

[pumba]

they didn't play with their ears....didn't change earrings with different outfis and had "less" ear infections.....had their earrings done by the nurse at the doctors office

 

[lulugirl]

Originally posted by marlasmom
I think piercing any holes in any child's body is barbaric.

I agree, I also think jewelry on a baby looks absolutely absurd.

 

[Aly]

I vote that you should do it. I had mine done at a really young age and they are still in today. I have NEVER had an infection in them, not even when i was too young to take care of them myself.

 

[MICKEY88]

Originally posted by marlasmom
I think piercing any holes in any child's body is barbaric.

I agree..

from another perspective...if a man told his SO she had to get a piercing for him, would that be acceptable..or would it be considered controlling behaviour....????

what is the difference..it's one person dictating a change to anothers body...??

 

[Betsyt82]

I figure it this way........ I feel that it is not my place to have my DD ears pierced. It should be her choice........what if when she got older and did not feel that it was my place to change her appearance. I think piercing choice is for the person who will have the ear piercing done not a mom or dad. IMHO

 

[MICKEY88]

one final thought....if anyone decides to have their childrens ears pierced, at least have the decency to make sure they have a nice pair of 14K Mickey earrings...grin

 

[cinmell]

I have a 2 year old daughter and I'm going to wait a few years before I think about getting her ears pierced. I'll probably wait until she asks me to get them pierced.

I chose not to get them for her as a baby/toddler because she would just pull at them and I was afraid of infection and that she may try to eat or swallow the earring or earring back if she got them out. I also didn't really see the need of her having her ears pierced that young.

 

[lil mermaid]

Another vote for waiting. Why does a baby need to have earrings? It looks weird.

 

[Tinks]

Hey Poober25, I too had my ears pierced at 10, took very good care of them, but I am allergic to everything...gold, silver, any and every thing I've tried! I think some people don't believe me when I tell them that! I actually got my ears double pierced...always had troubles with them and now never wear earrings. My ears itch like crazy when I do and get red and swollen. I vote do NOT pierce a baby...but to each his own.

 

[janette]

I had my oldest DD ears done at 12 mths and youngest at 3 mths. I decided after DD#1 that it would be easier when they can't mess with them and it did work out better with DD#2. Neither has ever had any problems with their ears. DD#1 is 11yo and wears earrings most of the time, DD#2 is 9 and rarely wears them. She's sensitive to metals so doesn't like them. Her holes have never closed although she goes months with no earrings.

When they were young they only wore simple post earrings. I never changed them out. My 11yo DD will sometimes wear dangle earrings now but not often.

A baby will get over it much faster than an older child and is not likely to get infections because you are the one that will be cleaning and taking care of their ears. Mine cried less getting earrings than most shots.

If you'd like your DD to wear earrings than get them done.

 

[RitaZ.]

Hey Poober25, I too had my ears pierced at 10, took very good care of them, but I am allergic to everything...gold, silver, any and every thing I've tried! I think some people don't believe me when I tell them that!

You are probably allergic to the nickel found in these metals. I had my ears pierced as a baby (cultural thing) and had problems with allergic reactions. Also had allergic reactions from any metal that came in contact with my skin.

About 1 yr. ago, my brother gave me a watch as a gift; there was an insert with it saying that the watch was Nickel-free. I decided to do some research on this and found out that nickel is what causes the sensitivity/allergy. Apparently this can be caused by the nickel found in the instrument that is used to pierce the ears and also the starter studs. This can occur at any age. There are ways to get around this now. Check out Simply Whispers.com for info.

Check out these web sites to learn more on this~

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/nickel_allergy.html

http://www.uthouston.edu/hLeader/archive/allergy/001120/


Simply Whispers

Hope this helps!

 

[faith]

Why the rush? Wait and let her make up her own mine when she is older.