Tuesday, 17 July 2012
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Tell Me Tuesday: Piercing Baby's Ears
I remember going to Claire's and getting my ears pierced, I was a "tween" probably, maybe a little younger. I definitely wasn't a baby, but I have several friends who did have theirs pierced as babies. I also have friends who have taken their own children to get their ears pierced, and they seem to be around the 6 month age mark.
So tell me: Did you pierce your baby's ears? At what age? When did you get your pierced?If you don't have children yet, would you get their ears pierced? Why or why not?
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Comments (59)
Piercing infant ears should only be done in a religious setting or purpose. Any other instance is straight abuse, and should not be done until the child is old enough to actively consent, which would be around 13, when I got mine done. It's about the right time for the child to understand that yes, it can be permanent, can scar, and most likely will hurt. There is no earthly reason to put any baby in torturous pain just for glamour.
I don't think there's anything wrong with having it done as a baby, but I think it makes a baby look a bit too grown up and they are much cuter without earrings in my opinion. I want my baby to stay looking like a baby until she's no longer one. Plus I know I couldn't do it to my own child. I was walking by a piercing place in the mall one day recently and saw them piercing a baby's ears and it made me really squeamish for some reason. In addition I would rather let my child make her own decision when she's old enough and feels ready. I'm all about people being able to make their own choices about things regardless of age (within reason for children, of course).
I had mine done when I was about 8 years old and as I recall it, I had no choice. My mom took me to the mall one day and told me we were going to do something special but didn't tell me what. At that point I remember wanting pierced ears eventually, but not yet because I knew it would hurt and I wanted to wait until I was ready. I guess my mom was tired of waiting (I think she really wanted me to have pierced ears for my First Communion, if I recall correctly, so time was running out) and she took me into a store, sat me down on a chair and had my ears pierced. She wouldn't even let me choose my own studs because she wanted something that would go with all my clothes, since you can't take them out for a few weeks. I remember screaming in pain and being all mad. But after a few minutes I decided I liked it and got all excited lol.
For those saying that ear piercing is permanent, it really is not. If you leave earrings out long enough (a few months to a year or so for most people) the holes will close. I know numerous people who didn't bother wearing earrings for long periods of time and ended up having to get them repierced when they wanted to start wearing them again. There are certain piercings that dont close (such as cartelage ones, or those ones where they stretch the lobe to hideous proportions...no offense to anyone that has those but I dislike them personally) but regular ear lobe holes do close quite easily.
I still have the studs used for piercing my ears, which have thicker posts than regular studs, and sometimes when I don't wear any for a long period of time and have trouble getting earrings in again, I painfully push those back in to reopen the holes a bit. They close super easily!
My ears were pierced when I was a baby, but I wouldn't do it to my own daughter. Now, I do wear earrings, had no bad experiences, and I'm not mad at my parents- but that's because I know that they simply didn't think about it from an individual rights point of view.
A person is the sole owner of his or her body. It's a parents' job to protect and nurture that body, not to alter to fit the parents' notion of what is attractive. It is not as severe physically as circumcision, but the underlying principle of WHY you shouldn't do it is the same. Since I wouldn't circumcise my sons, in the name of consistency, I have to refrain from piercing my daughters' ears. And, if you get them pierced that young, the holes ARE permanent. I've had earrings out for years at a time- the holes stay there and they are visible. As I said before, I enjoy earrings, but that doesn't mean that everyone will.@QuantumStorm@xanga - Yep.My parents got mine done when I was about 3 months old and I've worn earrings on and off my whole life. I don't wear them all that often now-a-days, but I like having the choice to.
I'm glad I have them pierced and I didn't have to beg or anything. :)My parents had my ears pierced when I was, like, two. Totally fine with it to this day. Less money spent on me putting holes in my body. :]
I don't think it is a bad thing, but I would want my child to be able to appreciate it at about 5 years old. I'm personally scared that at a younger age than that they may try to swallow peices or stick them into one of their head cavities. I want them to understand the responsibilities of it.
There are some little girls at the daycare where I work who have had earrings since they were infants and I always loved it and said I would have my daughters' ears pierced, but I think I've underestimated how much worry and guilt I would have for doing so.
I wish had had mine pierced as a baby. seriously. If I had a girl baby, I'd consider getting her ears pierced; I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Nor do I think there's anything wrong with waiting til the child can decide. I don't think it's a big deal or violation or something.
Yes. I would to it if it was a girl child. Fuck it. All girls need to have their ears pierced. Might as well get it done.
I have'nt done my daughters i want to let her decide if she wants them done probably around 8-12. Mine were done when i was 3 and i wanted it however becuase your ears are growing so much they are not even close to even anymore. When i was probably 5 my little brother almost ripped one out it got caught on a toy he was hitting me with so that was'nt fun and another reason to avoid having them done too young.
@Persiankitty@xanga - It CAN be permanent. Meaning, if the young child grabs at the earring and tugs on it enough, it can rip right out of the lobe. Other things can happen, like the baby squirming just right and becoming infected, which can leave a PERMANENT scar. Don't forget, not everyone heals like everyone else. Thanks for saying it's not permanent - I have permanent holes in my ears. I've not worn any metal in the holes for years, yet still they are there.
I have no issue that mine were done my holes dont close i didnt wear earring for about 4 years and my holes were fine but if my mom takes hers out for a week they start to close she has reopened the holes a few times. My little sister/cousins also had theirs pierced as babies. One of them closes easily and can only wear gold or silver like me (allergies to other metals) and the other doesnt have issues. I only have the allergy issue with piercings, my sister had to put clear nail polish and her belt buckels and buttons or wear bandaids or she breaks out.
I grew up in the piercing generation i really cant name any girl without her ears pierced, most of them had thiers done as babies. Of all the girls i know none of them really care when they were done and enjoying having them and the option to put in earrings or not to.
It should be illegal to pierce a baby's ears, and I absolutely hate seeing it.
My parent's pierced my ears when I was a baby. I kept messing with them though, so they closed up. After they closed up, my parents waited until I was 2 years old before they pierced my ears again.
My ears are sensitive to anything not pure gold though, so even though my ears have been pierced for a long time, I typically don't wear earrings. Too expensive for me to buy earrings because even those cheap earrings made for sensitive ears bother me.
I only have boys so it wasn't ever on my radar. My friend had her baby's ears pierced though, and she had it done at the pediatrician's office to keep it from getting infected. They actually told her that if she was planning on doing it, that she should do it when she was young because then it wouldn't be an issue.
It's way different than circumcision as it doesn't alter the body permanently (I rarely wear earrings currently but no one is noticing gaping holes in my ears when I don't wear them) and even if your child rips out an earring (ouch!) that closes up eventually (happened to some friends, and it healed). If you don't want your child to ever get a scar, then please wrap them in bubble wrap and keep them from doing anything at all because kids get hurt and get scars.
I think that this is just another issue where moms are getting up on their high horses and judging other moms.
No. I believe piercings have an acupuncture-effect on the body.
My aunt took me to get my ears pierced when I was a few months old.
I don't really wear earrings that often except when I go out or have to dress up.
It's not a big deal. I don't even think twice about it.
I'm actually glad I never had to go through the begging to process to get my ears pierced.
In my opinion, getting your ears professionally pierced doesn't hurt. If anything, I think the sound of the piercing gun probably scares the baby enough to make them cry more than it actually hurting them.
I think I would. I'm glad my parents did mine while I was a baby because when I would technically be old enough to ask for them is when I would be getting dirt in them or ripping them out by accident or what have you. By the time I was old enough to start getting hurt they were well healed. I think the last thing you want with a young child is to try & make them sit still long enough for you to clean them. At least when they're babies they won't fight you. My parents also had mine done at the doctor's office, which I probably would do, too.
I remember being in this store - Claire's with my daughter when a young couple walked in with their 6 month old baby to have her ears pierced. The store clerk used a "gun" to staple a new earring onto the baby's ear. The baby was so upset, it couldn't even cry - she merely projectile vomited all over her parents. My daughter and I applauded. It's a barbaric and pointless act to put a baby through.
I got mine done on my 5th birthday because I wanted them done.
I had my ears pierced as a baby. I don't remember it. It was a normal cultural thing for my mom. Now at 24 I never wear earrings.
Sometimes at the jewelry shop I see parents bringing in their babies for piercing and I cannot stand how they do it even though the baby is SCREAMING and crying. And they have to hold down the baby. Ughhh! I feel so bad. I decided I will not pierce my baby's ear! They will have to decide on their own if they want to.