Piercing 1 year old's ears?

[kjs1976]

Our daughter is 13 mos. and we've wondered if we should get her ears pierced or not. My thoughts are this; if we do it now, she doesn't remember it much and, to be honest, it looks cute. However, getting your ears pierced is a sort of right of passage. I remember making the decision on my own when I was 7 and my mom allowing it because it was my decision. She let me pick out a pair of "nice" earrings and I still have them. I have talked to a few moms who have had their daughters ears pierced between 8 months and two years old and they didn't have any qualms/regrets.

Any thoughts? Just wondering!

 

[mickeyboat]

I can only tell you what I chose for my daughters. I am waiting until they ask to have their ears pierced, and are responsible enough to take on much of the care of their ears and earrings.

Denae

 

[NY Disney fan]

I can only tell you what I chose for my daughters. I am waiting until they ask to have their ears pierced, and are responsible enough to take on much of the care of their ears and earrings.

Denae

Ditto for me.

 

[freckles and boo]

I know plenty of people who have done it and their children are fine, but the idea of piercing a baby's ears bothers me. It is a vanity issue. My girls are six and eight. They will get their ears pierced when they are old enough to keep them clean, responsible enough keep track of earrings, and aware enough to put together an outfit that requires accessories.

 

[Justanopinion]

DH and I talked about this before our DD(4) was even born. We decided it would have to be her decision on her time.
What if she doesn't want pierced ears?
For us, we just decided that it was something we wanted for her to have more of a say in.
She has asked recently, but also asked if it would hurt. When we said it would hurt for just a minute or so, she decided to wait.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I waited until my kids wanted to do it. My oldest got hers pierced at age 8, I think, she is 17 now.

My 12yodd is never going to get her ears pierced. She hates the thought of it much less the taking care of it.

So if you have a girl that never wanted them pierced you would have gone through all the aggravation for nothing.

No "right" answer here. You get to decide. One of the benefits of being mom.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Since when should "not remembering it" factor into your decision? That would make the date rape drug perfectly justifiable.

BTW, I have no problem with piercing a baby's ears.

 

[Rora]

However, getting your ears pierced is a sort of right of passage.

I agree a lot with this. It always seemed really cool to have your ears pierced and I loved going, picking out the earrings I wanted and then getting them done. I remember my mom made a day out of it--we went to get my ears pierced and then she took me to a nice lunch, it was fun!

I think you should wait because it is like a right of passage. Also, who knows- your daughter may not even like pierced ears in the long run! I know I don't. I had my ears pierced, then re-pierced, then a second hole, etc. Now I can't stand wearing earrings and haven't worn them for about 7 years.

 

[cheermom1]

I waited till my dd asked at the ripe old age of 3 yep 3? I took her in she chickened out lol, then asked a few weeks later again i took her and again she chickened out then a month later she asked again i told her at this point that IF she had it done she better NOT chicken out it was too funny. i would not have let her do it but she begged and begged to the point that I told her one last time and if she chickened out it was no from now on! she did let them do it the last time goodness all that drama geez but it sure was funny and a story I can tell all her boyfriends he he

 

[NY Disney fan]

On another slightly different topic...where is the best place to pierce a baby's or older child's ears??

 

[JEmaryland]

It's not something I would do. I would wait until the kid is old enough to actually want them. I worked at Claire's for a couple years and I really hated piercing baby's ears. They're so squirmy, it's hard to get them even. It was also really cool to have an older child (4 and up) to come in and be so excited about it and be a part of such a special experience. An experience I wouldn't want to take away from my child.

 

[scottishduffy]

I would hold off.

With babies you either do it when they are born or wait until they are old enough to want it. I had mine pierced at 2 days old and will most likely do the same with a future daughter. However, a one year old will most likely play with the earrings. If it itches her, or hurts her, she will reach up grab at it. She may be very upset by cleaning of the ears as well. This is not a good age because she won't understand it and will want to grab the earrings. Wait until she is a bit older and it will be a special day for both of you.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

On another slightly different topic...where is the best place to pierce a baby's or older child's ears??

Our pediatrician did it. They had the earrings and everything. DD was 4 months old. The Dr. had "pearl" earrings....DD looked like Barbara Bush because the earrings looked so big compared to her little head.

In my Italian neighborhood, this is the norm.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I absolutely cannot sleep with earrings in (altho I know many people can). I have 8 holes and I find sleeping with earrings very uncomfortable, even when I had just two (which I got at age 10). So personally I just couldn't do that to a baby. I was miserable during the time I had to keep them in until the holes healed.

 

[EpcotSweetHrts0512]

I wouldn't just because my mom did mine when I was a baby and they aren't even today. I don't know if I squirmed or they just grew strange as my ears grew!

 

[SDFgirl]

I dunno, I don't think there is a wrong answer here.

My mom took me to have my ears pierced when I was two, I have no memory of it. I never felt "cheated" that I missed out on a special big day or anything. And I'm glad I don't remember because I had my ears pierced again when I was 13 and - YOWZA - it hurt!!!

However, I think I'll wait until my DD's ask. It sounds kind of fun to pick out a special new outfit, have lunch, etc. Another plus of waiting is that the older girls are more capable of taking care of the piercing properly...less work for me is always a good thing!!

 

[englishteacha]

My mother worked in childcare for a long time, and she said she had many little babies whose earrings got caught in blankies and yanked. As a grown up I know my ears hurt when my earring gets caught in a sweater or on my hair. I can't imagine being a baby.

 

[monkey68]

My mom got my ears pierced when I was about 5 months old. Can't say I feel cheated about not having it be a rite of passage or anything. When I decided I wanted a second hole, she took me and they I got them done, no big thing about it. Once they're healed, there's nothing to take care of, and I would think it would be easier for you to do it than your daughter remembering to do it. What if she forgets and winds up infected? Painful responsibility lesson, IMO.

But it's up to you, I don't think it's that big a deal to get them pierced as a baby. If she decides later she doesn't want them, she can always take them out.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I had mine done when I was a baby because I looked like a boy
they closed up and I had them redone when I was 10.
Then I got them closed again and repierced them myself easily.

 

[Va-bear]

To me it's a civil rights issue - what if she doesn't want them pierced?