Piercing baby's ears??

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Before I had kids I worked in the mall. Outside of the store, I worked, was a "island" type store. You know the kind that is right in the middle of the walkway. It was a jewelry store and they pierced babies ears. There was usually a few everyday but on the weekend there was always more. The screaming that came out of those babies was so heartbreaking (sometimes it was so bad that the mom would leave and make dad/grandma stay because she couldn't stand it). I decided then and there that I would wait. Everyone says that the babies don't remember the pain but I bet the moms remember the sound.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I thought about this too when writing my post, but I didn't have my sons circumcised for cosmetic reasons.

I had them circumcised for health reasons. I know mother's who had sons left "natural" and they did have issues with infections, grooming issues, etc. I didn't want to take those risks or any potential risks for later in life (std, etc). I know a mom who had her son done at 6 after several infections, it was a major ordeal and he was very traumatized by it.

Not really the same thing in my opinion.

ITA. I wasn't sure if I was going to get my son circumcised. By the time I finally had a son I had met with 2 different women that did not get their sons circumcised and they had major issues. One of them had to get their son circumcised when he was much older (dr finally insisted). I think the boy was 5 or 6.

 

[DjdBrit]

For those of you who say no, they won't inflict pain on a baby for purely cosmetic reasons, do you believe it's okay to circumcise baby boys? Ear holes can close up - foreskins do not grow back (and I did have my boys circumcised, for cosmetic reasons).

No, I don't believe its ok, so I chose not to put my child though the pain of circumcision which isn't medically needed. If you don't mind then good for you I couldn't do it.... just my thoughts

No earings on my little girl either

 

[Dani C]

I too follow the belief that you should let the child decide when they are old enough if they want the piercing done. My daughter got her ears pierced when she was 7 or 8, a second piercing at 9, multiple others after that. She is now almost fifteen and still has the two on each side and the one at the top as well as her navel pierced, but in each case it was her choice and she had to care for them herself.

I did learn that there are drawbacks to waiting though. For softball, she had to put tape over piercings that could not be removed. For gymnastics, she had to take out all but one set of stud-type earrings or she would get deductions in competitions. (She could leave in the navel ring though as it was covered with the leotard.)

As for people having piercings done for religious or cultural reasons, I see no problem as (in most cases) the child will be raised in the same religion or culture as the parents and thus see it as normal.

Whatever you decide, I just hope that it goes well.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I did my daughters at 8 months. I had a lot of grief when I decided to do it alot of the reasons becasue of what was stated here. I had my mind up she was a girl and I just couldn't wait to do it. SO was it cute and adorable yes but she would of been cute and adorable without them We never had a problem with them and even if she decide she dosen't want them it is a tiny hole not some giant something she will hate The one thing about waiting is that it can be a special day she remembers. I had mine done at 5 and I still remember being so proud of my new earrings although I do remember the pain She didn't fuss very much at all when she got her done.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

My DD had her ears pierced at 7. She was so excited and proud. It made for a nice mom/daughter afternoon.

She's 8 now and takes care of them completely by herself. That's nice!!

 

[kevschickee]

You can not compare getting you babies ears peirced to giving them a tatoo or even getting them circumsized. These things are all different

 

[mjkacmom]

Not okay to circumsize for a cosmetic reason. I would never alter a normal babies body for "looks".

Would you tattoo a bady because it is cute?

Actually, I don't find tattoos attractive, and don't find uncircumsized "the P word" attractive, either. Human beings have been altering the bodies of their young since the beginning of time, for religious and cultural reasons - it's one of the things that make us human!

 

[kevschickee]

Actually, I don't find tattoos attractive, and don't find uncircumsized "the P word" attractive, either. Human beings have been altering the bodies of their young since the beginning of time, for religious and cultural reasons - it's one of the things that make us human!

I agree!! The 1st time I saw one I gotta tell ya it scared me for a second like this and took some getting use to

 

[bratmomma]

I am impressed that this has gotten to page 2 without much drama. Well done!

Just in case..

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

You can not compare getting you babies ears peirced to giving them a tatoo or even getting them circumsized. These things are all different

Well, you can't compare it to being circumcised, because there are some valid reasons aside from vanity to being circed.

Tattoo would be very similar. How is it different?

 

[kevschickee]

Well, you can't compare it to being circumcised, because there are some valid reasons aside from vanity to being circed.

Tattoo would be very similar. How is it different?

Well a piercing can be closed up a tattoo take much more to get rid of it. To me ear piercing is a piece of my culture a tattoo isn't.

 

[Motherofboys]

Well, you can't compare it to being circumcised, because there are some valid reasons aside from vanity to being circed.

Tattoo would be very similar. How is it different?

Once again, I totally agree.

A small tattoo of a butterfly on my daughter's ankle would be oh so cute (actually I despise tattoos, but play along with me ) and it would only be painful for a little bit, and if she wanted to have it removed later in life she could with only a little scarring.

How is that any different than getting ears pierced? Just b/c some cultures pierce ears? Some cultures tattoo too.

There are no known or even arguable health reasons to get ears pierced or tattoos. Both are done for looks alone.

Would someone like to share what the cultural significance of ear piercing is? I am sincerely interested in knowing, is it like a right of passage?

I realize that it is kind of off topic, as the OP did not indicate this potential piercing had any cultural reasons.

 

[ireland_nicole]

For those of you who say no, they won't inflict pain on a baby for purely cosmetic reasons, do you believe it's okay to circumcise baby boys? Ear holes can close up - foreskins do not grow back (and I did have my boys circumcised, for cosmetic reasons).

My DH had to have a circumcision at 32, and my son at 3 (they wouldn't do it at the hospital before then, we were overseas). Both had to undergo more extensive and painful procedures because they were medically necessary. So yes, I believe in circumcising little boys, for health reasons.

Ear piercing is so not medically warranted or necessary. I chose not to pierce my dd's ears for all the reasons already stated, plus, I wanted her to know what it felt like before she underwent any more radical body modification. We told DD she can have her ears pierced when she is 12; it's kind of a right of passage in our family. So far DD likes the idea of earrings, but doesn't really want holes in her ears or the care required.

 

[mjkacmom]

Once again, I totally agree.

A small tattoo of a butterfly on my daughter's ankle would be oh so cute (actually I despise tattoos, but play along with me ) and it would only be painful for a little bit, and if she wanted to have it removed later in life she could with only a little scarring.

How is that any different than getting ears pierced? Just b/c some cultures pierce ears? Some cultures tattoo too.

There are no known or even arguable health reasons to get ears pierced or tattoos. Both are done for looks alone.

Would someone like to share what the cultural significance of ear piercing is? I am sincerely interested in knowing, is it like a right of passage?

I realize that it is kind of off topic, as the OP did not indicate this potential piercing had any cultural reasons.

I don't fault other cultures for giving their offspring tattoos - that's their culture. However, I've been around a lot of babies and children, and at least here in NJ, I have yet to meet one with a tattoo. I would say about 1/3 of all girls have pierced ears here by the age of 4 - I live in a very Italian community, and many, many babies are pierced.

I think the worst part about getting your ears pierced is the anticipation, just like a shot. Babies don't have to worry about that part!

 

[Mommy2JulietJocelyn]

FWIW - My pedi told me that medically all that is required before ear piercing is one tetanus shot - all of my girls have had their ears pierced by 3.5 months old, I have had only one earring eaten and "found" between the 3 girls, no infections and found it very easy to clean because i would clean them while I nursed. I had to wait to get my ears pierced and i remember watching the girl in front of me getting it done and screaming so loud, I almost chickened out, I sat in the chair they did one side. it hurt so bad getting the first done I didn't want the second done. My mom talked me back into the chair for the second one. I remember that to this day. I did not want to go throught the same thing with my girls. I got the girls ears done young and I am ok with it. The older 2 love their earrings. The youngest does not realize they are there yet. They love picking out new earrings and getting them changed, no one plays with them. If they want another piercing when they are older we will discuss it and they will have to think about it long & hard first.

 

[chrisw127]

I have a 2 year old girl and I haven't pierced her ears. She can make that decision when she's older (10 or so) but I intend to make permission contingent on good grades, so she better study if she wants them!

 

[Chelley00]

DD got her ears pierced at 4 months. The only problem we have ever had was when she was older and we changed her earrings, we found out she was allergic to nickel and had to switch back to 14K gold earrings. She never touched them, but I bough the locking backs for them in case she did. She cried for maybe a minute when it happened.


As with anything, t's a decision you have to make, and to not listen to other people. I had so many people belittle my decision to have her ears pierced. Now she talks about how her friends are getting theirs done and they talk about how it hurts, and she doesn't remember.

 

[maraki527]

DD is 3.5 months old and DH and I would like to get DD's ears pierced when she is 6 months old (that is what our dr. recommended). After talking to some people though, it got me thinking. I have heard people say let the child decide if they want holes in their ears and the concern for keeping them clean and not infected also keeps coming up. What have all of you done in terms of ear piercing? Our first child is a boy so we haven't had to deal with this yet. TIA

I got my lo's ears pierced after her first set of shots and the doctor gave us the ok. We went to Claire's and I gave her Tylenol as I would when she gets shots from the doctor. Yes she cried, but I stuck a bottle in her mouth, just like when she gets a shot and it was done. It was easier to clean them because there was no fuss.

 

[Fintastic]

Our daughter is almost six and her ears are not pierced. I waited for a couple of reasons: A) I don't like the look of babies with pierced ears and B) I thought it would be fun to wait until she's old enough to ask for it herself, and then we'd have a mom/daughter day and make a big deal out of it.