Should I have my daughter's ears pierced ?

[Katy]

My daughter, Emma, was born on 15th March. One of my friends who has a daughter a couple of weeks older mentioned to me yesterday that she is intending to take her daughter to Claire's Accessories when she is four months old to have her ears pierced. She wondered if I wanted Emma to have it done too when she is a baby.

I hadn't really thought about it to be honest until yesterday when my friend mentioned it. I had my own ears pierced for the first time when I was a teenager and then a second time when I was 22.

I can see the advantages of baby girls having it done when they are babies. It hurts them a lot less at that age, it gives them a start and means you are not worrying about when to do it and does look really cute. More and more baby girls are now, of course having it done very young and I am worried if I don't do it now, I will not know when to do it. I know it is much more difficult when they are toddlers. My friend will definitely take her daughter to have it done and it will be nice for our friendship if we go together and have both our daughters pierced at the same time.

On the other hand, I am a bit worried about making this decision for her when she might prefer to decide for herself when she is older. Also, is there a risk that as she grows up, the holes become crooked and look different in each ear ?

I am really not sure what to do. I have another month to wait since Claire's don't do it until they are four months.

I asked my husband what he thought. I know his older sister has two daughters and she had them both done as babies. They are now six and four years old and have had no problems with them and they look sweet. He says he will leave the decision to me as doesn't mind either way.

Can anyone advise me as to what I should do ? I would particularly like to hear from mums who DID decide to have their babies pierced as babies and whether or not they think they made the right decision. If you have a second daughter in the future, would you make the same decision for them too ?

Thanks for your help,

Karen.

[xXx.Lesley.xXx]

I didn't get my daughters ears done although it was a long hard decision to make.

Me and my partner would speak about it for hours at a time. I decided to wait till she is 3 or 4 then if she wants them done I will take her. I don't want to be the one that has chose to get her ears done when she might not want it.

Aye they might look cute but theres a lot more to it than that. The chance of infections, all he correct cleaning. I couldn't sit there and put earrings in a baby. They wiggle about tons and I wouldn't feel confident enough.

[AnneR]

I hate seeing young children with pierced ears. How do you know it hurts them less? Just because they can't complain? How guilty will you feel if it gets infected? No way.

[Eurynome]

Some people are allergic to metals. Even gold earings give me an inffection, which to the touch is very painfull (disturbing even my sleep). If I were you, I would wait and let her decide when she's a little older.

[joanna3535]

children do not need jewellary, they are cute enough without it, kids with braclets and necklesses look awful and like pikey kids.
Children should be naturally beautiful.
Its also taking away your childs right, injections are needed for their health and its bad enough taking them for that and seeing them cry.
Taking my child to a shop and having their ears pierced and seeing them cry would break my heart, and for what? to make them appear cute
let your child wait until they can decide if they want earrings.
its their choice, not yours to make.
Also children are very active and accidents can happen, not to mention covering them up for PE, its alot of hassle.
its a cruel act on a small baby.

[427v8]

Ewww. babies with pierced ears? WTF!

Wait till she's old enough to take care of them. So thats like 9 or older.

[Susan J]

I waited until my daughter was 13 before we got her ears pierced - it was a Christmas present for her from us - we made a big deal of it and she felt as though she was growing up.

I don't agree with babies having it done though.

Susan

[Katy]

Oh dear ! All the advice you are giving me tells me I should wait till Emma is older before I have her ears pierced. At the same time, my friend is putting more and more pressure on me that we should both have our daughters' ears pierced together when they reach four months. I also mentioned the idea in passing to my sister-in-law who had both her daught ers' ears pierced when they were babies and she was very enthusiastic and strongly encouraged me to have Emma's ears done too as she did with her little girls. I remember both my nieces having it done when they were babies and that they looked so sweet. I asked my husband about it again and he said it was up to me to decide but he was happy about it either way. He did say that his secretary at work who is soon returning to his office after maternity leave recently brought her five month old daughter to work to show people and she had a little gold stud in each ear. Some of his work colleagues said afterwards that they disapproved of pierced ears on babies while others said it was good for them to have it done when they were babies. I will decide soon I expect but I am not finding it an easy decision to make.

By the way, my name is Karen but that username was taken so I am using Katy instead. This is because before I was married my name was Karen Townend so I often got called KT instead.

Karen

[joanna3535]

well its your choice but it does look awful, babies with pierced.
Do you not think it should be your daughters choice to put holes where they werent intended?

[ali_mon_x]

I totally agree with what joanna has said in this thread. I think it's cruel and looks really horrible on babies. It looks so ridiculous, why can't you just let them look cute and innocent without mutilating their ears?

By the way, why are you letting your friend influence your decision so much? Just because her baby's having it done it doesn't mean that you then have to do the same thing. You're obviously not sure about what to do at all, and since your baby's wellbeing comes first then you shouldn't do something so unnecessary which could harm that.

[helenathena]

i would never get a childs ears pierced until they are old enough to understand and ask for it themselves.

no respectable place would do it either so you have to go somewhere dodgy like a jewelers where they arnt properly trained.

did you know the reason that indian girls get pierced young is to force them into submission, i would never want that for my kids!!

[quietgrrl]

Don't let your baby have her precious ears pierced so young! Let her grow and decide for herself. Also, you'd never forgive yourself if her ears got infected. Wait a few years.

[Mariah]

I took my daughter when she was 4 months, and totaly regret it. She cried when they were pierced and wasn't feeling ok for a week or 2 after piercing her ears. then they started to get infected and i decided to take them out. She is now 4 and you can still see the scars

my sister who let her daughters ears pierced at the same time also had trouble with her daughter. Our daughters had special baby studs but she took one out wich left a really bad scar.

Please don't do this to your child! Let them make their own decision when she is about 8 years old!

[amyswor]

We had our dd ears pierced early after discussing with our ped. She encouraged me to do it early when mommy could care for them. She said, if you want your dd to grow up with earrings and not bother them when they are older, do it before a year. She gave me some tips for moms having their infants/little girls ears pierced.

Often, I'm asked why I did our dd as an infant, I always am polite and say:

Several reasons for baby ear piercing...

1. Most people in my family have their baby girls done as soon as possible.

2. I've found that the younger the child, the better and faster they heal. Sandi has never had an infection, but our ped says the older girls (3-5 yrs old) fail to care for them. Babies don't play in the dirt, and they don't go to school. This means less germs for them to be around.

3. Babies that grow up with the earrings mess with them a lot less than young children that get them done.

4. I wanted my baby girl to look like a baby girl...this included her wearing jewelry. Everyone comments on her pretty CZ's studs in her ears.


I think earrings celebrate their feminity and femaleness. It is such a delicate enhancement and admit that I love the look of earrings on babies and especially little girls with small pearls or gold hoops peaking through their hair as toddlers. After all, what is wrong with that, she is a girl, right?

If you would like the tips, e-mail and I'll send them to you.

Amy
amyswor@hotmail.com

[Guest]

There's only one answer to this question.

DOES YOUR DAUGHTER WANT HER EARS PIERCED?

Wait until she's old enough to answer it.