baby ear piercing
By briennekb
@briennekb (610)
United States
October 27, 2006 10:38am CST
Many people pierce their childrens ears when they are babies. I have a daughter, 17 months old, and I did not pierce her ears. Sometimes I wish I would have. Bow that she is 17 months old, it is way to late for me to do it so I will have to wait until she asks for them, if she does. Any thoughts on the subject?
4 people like this
29 responses
@princess07031980 (5412)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I have a four year old and her ears are not pierced. She wants them done and I think she is ready for them. I decided not to get hers done as an infant for 2 reasons-one I wanted it to be her decision, and two-many of my friends' little girls had their ears pierced as infants and they all had problems with it-infections, losing earrings, baby wont leave them alone an in result tore their ears up.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
One of the reasons I didn't go my daughters ears is because I thought it should be more decision. Actually, let me rephrase that, my MOM made her opinion very clear that she thought it should be her decision.
@princess07031980 (5412)
• United States
1 Dec 06
I guess it has to do with culture as well, but I don't think it is necessary for a baby to sport jewelry. I have 3 holes in each ear, and my last set of piercings was when I was 23. A little story when I got my last piercings done... (At that time my daughter was only 1). A small little girl, probably about the same age as my daughter at the time, was about to get her ears pierced. The baby was obviously cranky, as she squirmed and cried while sitting on her mother's lap. The mother was irritated as she held the baby firmly while the "piercing lady" cleaned and prepped her ears. The whole ordeal took more than 20 minutes as I watched and the baby grow more restless. When the first earring went in, obviously the baby was screaming due to the pain, and the mother grew even more angry with the child. I decided right then and there that I would never do that to my daughter. I found it upsetting that the mother was more concerned with piercing her ears then waiting for a better time to do it. My daughter know it hurts, I have explained this to her on many occasions. I may have her get them done for Christmas this year, but I don't know yet for sure.
@hannahgracesmom (151)
• United States
12 Feb 07
I have a 13 month old. We got hers pierced when she was 3 months. She did fine, and she barely even cried. It was easier because I made sure for her that she would keep them clean. When I got my ears pierced as a child, my mom didn't have time to do it for me, ( I was 10) and mine got infected. I think it's fine for babies, and my doctor said it would be.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
12 Feb 07
Sometimes I wish I had gotten them done when she was that age. I'm too afraid to do it now since she is older. I'm afraid of her trying to rip them out.
@4monsters4me (2569)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I have no problem with people having their baby's ears pierced. For many it is a cultural thing (I know pretty much all of the Mexicans I know have had thier baby's ears pierced).
I didn't do it with my 3 girls because I think they should choose for themselves when they are old enough to take care of them by themselves. I was 14 when I got my ears pierced but I never wear earrings. It doesn't matter what kind I wear or what I do to care for them they always get infected. Last time I wore earrings was my wedding in 2000 and my ears hurt for days afterwards (and I only wore the earrings for a couple of hours).
@briennekb (610)
• United States
20 Nov 06
I have that problem too. My ears get really irritated if I wear earrigns for very long. Although I have found that real gold or silver helps.
@courtlynne77 (4839)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I got my daughter's ears pierced when she was 4 months old and we have never had a problem with them. I am glad we got them done when she couldn't remember having done it. She is a girly girl and loves jewelry, but I think if she had to get them pierced now she would only get one pierced and be too afraid of the pain to get the other done.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I hope my daughter will be a girly girl!! My sister was a major tomboy when we were young. You wouldn't have even known that she was a girl!!
@rajeshbabu (762)
• India
27 Oct 06
girls won't look good without earrings etc. so better pierce them by giving some anastesia
@Weasel_Sponge (1069)
• Canada
27 Oct 06
My mother didn't get my ears pierced until I was 5 years old, when she gave me the option. I'm not saying it's wrong for someone to decide earlier that they want their child's ears pierced, I'm just saying you don't have to do it at all if you wish, or you can wait until she asks, if she does. I guess it's up to you when you feel comfortable deciding for her, or comfortable letting her decide.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I got my ears pierced when I was 7. My mom thought it was best to wait until I asked for it.
@tamm820 (463)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I think piercing a babies ears are perfectly acceptable. Many people have different views on it, but I know I will do it with my daughter. I dont think it is necessarily to late for you to do it. I would wait until she's a little older. But as soon as she's a toddler, and is old enough to understand she cant play with them, you might be able to talk to her about getting it done. you might be able to bring it up to her, instead of waiting for her to come to you.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
That is why I won't get them pierced now. She is too old and would probably tug on them. And she is too young to explain to her that she shouldn't tug on them.
@heartsinwords (254)
• India
27 Oct 06
hi, There is a reason why elders were advising to pierce babies ears at the earliest. Thats because when they are very small it will be easy for you pierce and as they grow older it will become hard and you find i easy. But 17 months is time where it would have got hard. We pierece my niece's ears when she was 8 months old.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
Part of the reason I didn't pierce her ears is because I thought it would be to hard for me. I hate making her cry. Like when I take her for her immunizations.
@Sezara (169)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I had mine done when I was 6 weeks old and I always loved it when I was little. My mother told me that it was best to get done before 6 months because the baby wouldn't remember it. Honestly, at 17 months I'd say have it done if you still want to but be very careful about cleaning and teaching the baby not to pull. You don't want infections! The pain isn't that bad but I think infection is the largest concern.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
That's part of the problem. How do you teach a 17 month not to pull on them? I don't think you can very easily.
@breezie (1246)
• Canada
27 Oct 06
My daughters ear were pierced when she was just a few months old and we have never had any problems with them. I think that if your baby is 17 months old I would personally wait until she is older.
My neice, who is 3 just had her ears pierced a few weeks ago. She asked for it to be done. Luckily the place that pierced her ears did both at the same time, because she wouldn't have let them do the second ear. She also doesn't like having them turned or cleaned.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
That's good that they did it at the same time. I can't imagine too many kids would willingly go through that twice.
@fancyface28 (72)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I don't remember how old my daughter was she was between 5 and 9 months old. When I took her when the lady pierced them she cried for a second and since the day she had them pierced they have not bother her at all I have not had one problem with her ears they healed perfectly. She is now 2 will be 3 in December.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I've had many people tell me that their babies only cried for a second. I guess I was too much of a softy. I couldn't make her cry.
@JazzyMamaMia3 (7)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I got my first daughter's ears pierced when she was about 5 months old. I did not get the chance to get my second daughter's ears pierced due to a complicated medical history. My third daughter, I am still debating...she is 9 months old but she pulls on her ears all of the time. I think I will still get them pierced before she fears getting them done.
@briennekb (610)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I wouldn't if I were you. If she pulls on her ears all of the time, piercing them will only make her pull them more. She could really hurt herself on accident.
@mikeyr6000le (2123)
• United States
12 Mar 07
OK, so I was reading the first page of responces. It got me wondering something. Why do people force their little girls to get earings? I know a few owmen that don't have their ears pierced and they are just fine by it. One did want it done and she got them done of her own free will, not being forced to do it. I think she was in her 70s when she did it.
You may be thinking they can just take them out if they decide not to wear them. The thing about that though is won't the hole be there for the rest of their lives by the time they can decide for themselves? If you want your kids to look pretty then buy them stick ons or clamp ons.
@adawnanaaron (291)
• United States
18 Nov 06
I got both of my daughters ears peirced the day they turned 2 months old due to the fact they wouldnt do it untill after their first vaccinations. I am glad i did it then cuz they are young enough not to remember it and the dont play with them like an older child would. plus at that point of time the dont feel the pain as much it is the pop that scares them and makes t hem cry
@squeaky46lorries (59)
•
18 Nov 06
It's not too late,although it would have been easier when she waas a baby.
If you are not sure you can go through with it,leave it until your daughter is old enough to make that decision herself.
@HeatherS (951)
• United States
18 Nov 06
i got my ears peirced on my 9th birthday. my grandma and mom took me for a girl's day of shopping etc. I had ashed to have them peirced and they made it a special day for me that i will never forget :)
@shana123 (2095)
• India
3 Dec 06
ma ears r pierced wen i was 8months baby... i came to knw only wen i asked ma mom.but i got second piercing wen i was 12years old!
it was paining like nything... so i think u can pierce ur child's ear now in this young age.nothing goes wrong with dat i guess.
@albert2412 (1782)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I really doubt that most places properly disinfect the instrument they use to pierce ears. With the prevelence of the HIV disease now over one percent in the United States and most other places in the world, do you really want to pierce your baby's ears and run the risk of giving your baby a terrible disease? Your baby's life is more important than pierced ears.
