Piercing 1 year old's ears?

[Aisling]

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).

My sister had to DayCare search to find one who would take her 16 month old with stud earrings. She didn't want to take them out for fear of the holes closing up. She finally went with a SAHM to provide daycare, who allowed the earrings. This is in the Catskill, NY area.


I don't have daughters, but I don't think I'd have their ears pierced until they asked, as cute as it is on babies. But I don't think it's a big deal if it's done on a baby. I just don't personally like the idea.

 

[browneyes106]

I got my ears pierced when I was 6 months old. It was pretty common in the area I grew up to pierce baby's ears. I know there are a few states that don't allow to have ears pierced on a child under 12 months.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

For a lot of people it is a cultural thing. We have friends that are Italian and they said they got their kids done as infants because the Grandmothers like to buy earrings for the baptism.
For us it is a cultural thing too and we didn't get it done when we should have. Trying to trick a 2 y/o to get the other ear done isn't going well...LOL

 

[mjkacmom]

For a lot of people it is a cultural thing. We have friends that are Italian and they said they got their kids done as infants because the Grandmothers like to buy earrings for the baptism.
For us it is a cultural thing too and we didn't get it done when we should have. Trying to trick a 2 y/o to get the other ear done isn't going well...LOL

I'm guessing at least 1/4 of all babies have their ears pierced here. Although we waited, part of me wishes that I did the girls when they were babies. My oldest had hers done at 8, when she wanted them done, and one of them go so infected that it had to be taken out in the ER . Another dd got them done at 6, but had to take them out for soccer, and they closed up. She got them done again at 7, had to take them out for swimming, and they closed up. All of the kids who had them done as babies have no problem taking out earing for extended periods of time, and since they've had them so long, they're not prone for infection.

So, either as babies, or when they're much, much older.

 

[bluesaturn]

I wouldn't do it for the simple fact that, like others have mentioned, it's uncomfortable to sleep with earrings in. I never do it. My daughter, like a lot of people I assume, sleeps on her side a lot. So do I- and I never sleep with earrings in because it's annoying. So why would I do that to her? If she wants it done when she's older, fine. But I personally think it is a mean, unnecessary thing to do that benefits the parents more than the kid. And that is selfish, to me.

I had my ears done as a baby, and have slept with earrings my whole life. Well I only sleep with studs or small hoops, but still. I think if you have them done as a baby, it just doesn't bother you as much.

 

[karriemouse]

Trying to trick a 2 y/o to get the other ear done isn't going well...LOL

I don't want to offend anyone's culture and it's nothing personal towards this poster but this really upsets me. It hurt and she doesn't want it done. It's not a medically necessary procedure. Why would anyone inflict un-necessary pain on their child when that child clearly doesn't want it?

 

[MegaDisney]

I don't want to offend anyone's culture and it's nothing personal towards this poster but this really upsets me. It hurt and she doesn't want it done. It's not a medically necessary procedure. Why would anyone inflict un-necessary pain on their child when that child clearly doesn't want it?

Exactly!! Take out the earring, let the hole close, and be done with it. Why don't you let her decide when she's older if this is something she wants?

 

[JVL1018]

I had my daughter's ears done at 9 or 10 months, my Mom made me wait until I was 10, both ways are fine, IMO..and honestly I think it is much ado about nothing.

#1 If she decides she doesn;t want earrings she doesn't have to wear earrings, even if the holes didn't close up, is it all that tragic?
Everyone I know has pierced ears, she would not be gossiped about or looked at oddly because she has 2 pin holes in her ears.
I would love to know how many girls are actually upset that their moms dared to pierce their ears when they were little. I am betting not many. And if mine was I'd tell her to get a grip.

#2. I don't find ear piercing to be painful, nothing more than a pinch. My daughter was not in pain from getting her ears pierced.

#3 I can guarantee you that my daughter has had more pain inflicted on her because she has long hair and brushing the tangles out sometimes hurts. Should I chop off all her hair because it hurts sometimes? After all, it's just vanity.

It's just earrings. Most females usually end up with them anyway.
Get them if you think it will look cute, don't if you don't.

 

[Fintastic]

We're waiting until DD is older. I really don't like the look of pierced ears on babies and little girls.

 

[Darsa]

Take out the earring, let the hole close, and be done with it. Why don't you let her decide when she's older if this is something she wants?

I totally agree with this. Having the special day with DD and me and getting the ears pierced was a wonderful day; I would have missed that if I had had it done when she was a baby. All I had to do was wait 'til she asked me, explained the process and the fact that it DOES hurt a bit, and wait 'til she was okay with that. If she had never asked me, no big deal, they're HER ears, not mine.

 

[EeyoreFan1]

When I was little my DM did not get my ears pierced, and now I'm WAY too chicken to get it done! (I don't do well with needles, or pain..) I've always been the odd one out in that sense, and I REALLY wish she would have gotten this done when I was little.

On the other hand, if your daughter ended up not wanting her ears pierced, the hole never goes away 100%- there will always be (even if very subtlely) a mark. I also would not want to be responsible for cleaning them. With someone so young, it would make it difficult.

 

[bluesaturn]

Having the special day with DD and me and getting the ears pierced was a wonderful day; I would have missed that if I had had it done when she was a baby.

I think that is just as cultural. I don't know anyone who looks at ear piercing as a right of passage, generally because we all get it done as babies. I think the whole decision of "when" is very culturally based.

 

[PrincessBelle94]

Cleaning them could be a pain. If she were to play with them, they could get infected, which would be a nightmare.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

2 y/o DD also doesn't like it when I brush her hair so should I stop that too?

My other daughter was 8 when she got her ears done and it was a pain. I had to nag her to clean them and one of the ears would get infected on a continual basis.

It's a personal decision for parents. My only advice is that if you want to do it then go it when they are infants. It is much easier than trying to deal with a head strong 2 y/o.

 

[Ariel Mae]

I would suggest waiting, 'til she wants to have her ears pierced. The cleanup of newly pierced ears can be a tedious task, as PrincessBelle just said.

I didn't get mine pierced, 'til I was 13. I don't remember the cleanup, but just got a second piercing, at 21, and, it was a daunting task.

 

[LadyZolt]

We opted to let our DD (now 19) decide. She still does not have pierced ears. Both older brothers, though (DS22 and DS20) got one ear pierced when they were in their teens (old enough to take care of it). So I got the family where the boys have a pierced ear and the girl does not.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[goofyernmost]

How about it could be played with, pulled out and swallowed. It just doesn't strike me as a good idea. At least not for the sake of cute.