Piercing 1 year old's ears?

[Pigeon]

It's my child's body, not mine. She alone has the right to have it modified.

I also don't think it looks cute. I think it looks barbaric.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I had my 1st dd's done at 3 months and second at 11 months. Only waited longer for the second one since I knew she needed surgery but wasn't sure when. Didn't want to pierce them and take them right out. hey are 9 and 4 now and neither wear them all of the time.

 

[BountyHunter]

I got mine when i was 6 months. Thank god. I would have never got it done if i was older or now. I ware earings all the time.

 

[nikkistevej]

I got my DD's pierced when she was 2 months old, we never had any problems with them. She was so cute with them!!! She's 6 now, and we change them out every couple months- she doesn't bother them.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

In my Italian neighborhood, this is the norm.

It's also the norm in most Latino neighborhoods. I don't see any Latino or Italian kids needing therapy in later years because they got their ears pierced too young.

I agree with a PP. There is no right or wrong answer on this one. It's just what Mom decides she wants to do.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I wasn't allowed to get earrings until I was 16, and then I had to practically beg for them.

I took my own daughter when she was a year old, and there were no issues. She always liked the earrings, and still does. She talks about maybe getting her ears pierced again (2nd hole), but hasn't done it yet.

 

[mumto3girls]

I got to have mine done as a gift for my First Holy Communion. It was a big deal to me at the time and I remember how excited I was about it. I was a big baby about needles though was quite apprehensive about the actual procedure. I later--maybe 16 or so--got second holes in my ears.

I think babies look cute with earrings in, but think I fall into the "let them decide if they want extra holes in their bodies" camp. My middle child asked when she was 4 and we went ahead and did it. Her 7 year old sister was more concerned about the pain, but once her little sister did it people started asking when she was going to do it and she was kind of shamed into it. I tried to reassure her that it was okay to wait, but it was only about a month before she was begging. We have a third DD, who was almost 2 at the time and when people would fuss over her sisters ears she would want them to fuss over hers. It was clear that she wanted hers done as well. I think at this point she is too little to understand and have decided to wait. In the meantime, I buy her sticker earring for things like her birthday, our Disney trip, etc.


Please don't ask why thought DD was old enough to make the decision at 4 and other DD was too little at 1 1/2, I don't have a reasonable explanation for that. IMO even at 4 they don't really get that this is pretty much permanent and they will have these holes for the rest of their lives, but I did let her do it. FWIW both girls have been good at taking care of their ears and letting me know when they have needed help with that. They are also pretty good about taking care of their earrings--much better than they are with most things.

 

[ireland_nicole]

I definitely agree to wait for a couple of reasons
1. risk of infection
2. risk of injury/choking
3. the opportunity for a "big girl" important moment, and a chance to learn delayed gratification and responsibility
4. I want her to remember what a piercing feels like when one of her "friends" gets some other part of their body pierced- ouch.

As for the whole circumcision argument; My DH had to be circumsized at 38 and my son at 4. for medical reasons. Trust me, it's a lot easier on a newborn.

 

[Va-bear]

As for the whole circumcision argument; My DH had to be circumsized at 38 and my son at 4. for medical reasons. Trust me, it's a lot easier on a newborn.

It is true that circumcision is least painful for newborns (probably), like most any procedure. But the VAST majority of uncircumcised people wont need it to be done later in life. For those that do it is a shame, and I am very sorry for their pain. But, I wouldn't have my child have surgery "just in case", just as I wouldnt have them have their tonsils out "just in case", or when their teeth come in, have root canals for the same reason, etc. I would let elective surgery, or in this case elective ear piercing, be the decision of the person whose body it is. (I realize you said they had it for medical reasons and hope they are doing well, but I think we can agree that most Americans who have their children circumcised dont do it for medical reasons.) )(Oh, and I know some research has shown some benefit to circumcision, but it's not overwhelming compared to the risk of elective surgery and other disadvantages and not enough for _me_ to go against natures design.... just my opinion, ofcourse. )

 

[Tinijocaro]

I didn't have my sons circumcised either... ...their choice if they want to have an unnecessary surgical procedure later in life.

My boys have all their stuff too, I would never remove something from another person without their permission, not my call to make, especially since it hasn't been recommended by any major medical association since the 1970's!

I don't think ear piercing and circumcision are at all similar. You can let an ear close up if you decide you don't like it. You are not permanently removing important tissue by piercing a child's ears.

 

[barkley]

i say do whatever you want, but if you do peirce them don't get all bent out of shape and complain the holes will close up if you end up sending them to a daycare or preschool or elementary that absolutly prohibits wearing the jewlery (and "yes" even those simple, plain, small studds).

the preschool my kids went to went ahead and allowed little girls to wear just the simple small studds until the day when a couple little girls were innocently playing and the one little girl did'nt realize the other little girl's studd backing got tangled in her sweater until she ran off and ripped that studd right out of her ear (think sliced earlobe ).

 

[MELSMICE]

My oldest was about 5 when she had hers done - she asked. My youngest were 2 & did not ask - I wanted them done. Don't ask me why, because if I was doing it again, I would wait until all of them were older.

At that age I was the one taking care of them & it was a hassle. Plus, one of my twins ears got infected & when I went to take the earring out it literally came right through the back of the ear!!! Yup - while trying to remove the back of the earring the entire stud went through the ear from front to back!! After it healed, she had to have it redone.

JMO, but I'd wait.

 

[slo]

I don't think there's any right or wrong on this subject.

I let my DD get her ears pierced before her First Holy Communion - she was 9yrs old. This was perfect for her, because she was able to really be a part of what was going on - she loved it!!!!! My other DD will get her ears pierced at the same time.

This was right for us, but that doesn't mean it has to be right for everyone.

 

[goofyernmost]

I don't understand why anyone would think it is a good thing to punch holes in a babies body for a piece of cheap jewelry. A piece of cheap jewelry that can cause an unnecessary infection. Does anyone remember what babies tend to get their hands into?

And as a side note...to me it is anything but cute. My first thought is why? Why would a parent think inflicting needless pain to a helpless child because they think the end result would be cute is a good thing.

JMHO!

 

[Darsa]

Interesting discussion; I never would have thought to try to compare circumcision with ear piercing!

I let my DD tell me when she was ready for earrings. I discussed it with her at length after the request (she was 8 years old), explaining that it does hurt a bit, and I made a big production out of it, with lunch out and a trip to the mall and all that. And the people at the jewelry store where we had it done were WONDERFUL!! I couldn't believe how well they did, considering (to my eyes) they were just teenagers themselves They pierced both at the same time, with two different employees, because they'd rather get them both done than get one done and have her refuse the second because it hurt. They then gave her the cleaning procedure speech and the supplies that came with it as though she was all grown up, and two lollipops, too! It was a fantastic experience and one we'll never forget. She's now 13, and talking about maybe getting a second set of holes.

 

[Loverly]

I vote no, too. I would wait until they were old enough to decide for themselves. I would also worry about the child being able to get the earring out and swallowing it. You would have to make sure they have screw on backs for their earrings. Unnecessary at that age, IMO. (as a baby, my DS10 was mistaken for a girl quite often, even while wearing a blue shirt with a truck on it..didn't bother me if they said he was "beautiful". )

I am currently trying to convince DS9 to have his ear pierced. I even had an earring made for him (a pair-one for him, one for disinterested DS10) from some extra diamonds I had from shortening my tennis bracelet. (Screw ons). He is chicken, so I will wait

Why in the world would you pierce a baby boy's ears??

The only men i see with pierced ears are lower class types....I don't get your pushing your sons to wear earrings???

 

[Darsa]

I wouldn't try to tell my son to get his ears pierced, but if he wanted to, that's different. And um... 10 years old isn't exactly a baby, I think.

Additionally, my brother is 27 and has an ear pierced, and is a high end professional in a technical office building in California. I hardly consider him to me "lower-class type". There are men of all classes with earrings, and I find that to be an unfair generalization.

 

[mjkacmom]

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.

LOL - our pediatrician told us to go to Claires, even though they do it at the office. Her reasoning (she's a mom of 3) was that the folks at Claires have much more experience. I wait until my girls ask, which is NOT the norm in this Italilan neighborhood, where most get pierced when they're babies.

 

[N&B'smom]

My DD got her ears pierced at 9 months. We never had any problems and they didn't bother her at all. She never even bothered with them. She looked REALLY cute too!

She's 5 now and LOVES wearing earrings. Just got her a couple new pairs yesterday. She only wears small stud-like ones, nothing big!

 

[jax677]

My girls got the pierced around their 3rd birthday. One still wears them every day one doesn't.

My husband has one pierced ear and he is far from low class. I don't think you can make that assumption . But thats just me.