Baby Ear Piercing Is a No-No for Me

on March 22, 2010 at 6:00 AM

earrings
Photo by rockerchicWhen people meet my 3-month-old daughter they often ask, "Are you going to get her ears pierced?"

The first time I was questioned I blurted out a NO! But then I realized I did that to a mom who had her daughter's ears pierced at a young age.

I didn't mean to make her feel bad, it just seemed like a weird question to me.

Is it a cultural thing? A regional thing? A rite of passage?

I just can't do it. My little girl had a bad case of diaper rash a few weeks ago and it nearly did me in.

And it's not that I don't love piercings -- I've had my septum, nostril, tongue, belly button, and ears pierced. I just worry about the repercussions for my girl.

What if her piercing got infected? What if she gets a bad reaction from it? What if she rips it out? Too many what ifs for me.

Maybe this is just the start of me learning I am an overprotective mommy.

Moms weigh the risk and decide for themselves on this topic. But for me, I'm waiting until Penelope tells me, Mommy, I want to wear earrings just like you. And after holding back the tears of joy that my little lady admires me that much, I will take her to a sterile piercing studio (that I would thoroughly research ahead of time) and then we'll go out for ice cream.

Where do you stand on the baby ear piercing topic?

About the author Michele Zipp

loves vintage and will defend skinny jeans to the death though she is highly superstitious and "death" is probably a bad word choice. She has a touch of the hoarding disease and enjoys sleuthing, the worst reality shows, and wearing high heels, even at the playground. She's an AP mom of twins, slightly crunchy but with a pedicure.

Filed Under: baby first year, bonding

Comments (22)

Cafe Jenn

on Mar 22, 2010 at 10:59 AM

I personally would not pierce until my daughter (if I had one) asked me to. My mom made us wait until we were teenagers but I think that's a bit extreme. I'd say at least elementary school, when they can take care of them more on their own.

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DreaKevAiyana

on Mar 22, 2010 at 11:56 AM

I won't be doing any ear piercing on my daughter until she's old enough to take care of them properly, and she really wants them done. My mom had mine pierced when I was about 2, and that was probably the last time I wore earrings!

Freela

on Mar 22, 2010 at 12:12 PM

I decided I would leave my daughters' ears alone until they were old enough to ask for earrings, and to be co-operative with the care of the earrings. Then we would go and get them done and have lunch and it would be a 'mom and daughter' bonding time. My almost-six year old has asked about earrings recently, but has no interest in getting them herself. Her little sister my end up with them first- she at least likes wearing the clip ons in the dress up trunk! I'm sure the time will come...

ethans_momma06

on Mar 22, 2010 at 12:44 PM

I pierced ears when I worked at Claires. Doing it to a young child (baby) is a huge no-no for me. For one, a young child is more likely to develope a metal allergy if you peirce young, two- ears grow. If you get them peierced when they are little and they look 'straight' then... theres a good chance they wont be when they get older. We had to wake small children up, because there is a risk of heart attack associated with piercing. So those are three MAJOR things for me. On top of that, I want my child to have a cosmetic procedure when THEY want it. When they can help take care of it..

RanaAurora

on Mar 22, 2010 at 7:40 PM

As an ex-piercer and a person with 20+ piercings herself, you'd think I'd be a big fan of starting early (or so I've been told). To the contrary, the people I know with lots of piercings are the LEAST likely to consent to infant ear piercing. First off, you need to get it done professionally as guns are just ridiculously horrible in a million ways (either flimsy plastic or sturdy-but-not able to sterilized metal), the earrings aren't long enough to compensate for swelling, the backs are made a perfect shape to harbor bacteria, the posts aren't sharp enough to cut a neat hole... the list goes on and on and on... Most girls who want it ask in the preschool/kindergarten/first grade area. Seriously you CAN WAIT that long. Then they're old enough to understand WHY their ears hurt, help take care of their earrings, and have a say in their own body. I've also never EVER heard a single good argument for piercing a baby's ears... and the arguments people THINK are good are misinformed and paper tigers.

StephanieSD

on Mar 23, 2010 at 2:42 AM

My mom waited until I was in elementary school. Fourth grade I think. I cried and cried, but I was a tomboy and she was determined to make me more girly. I hated my pierced ears and kept the studs in for only a day. After college I eventually got pierced and tattoed in various places, like 20-somethings are supposed to do. We're going to wait until our child is old enough to decide and ask for himself or herself.

Peajewel

on Mar 23, 2010 at 8:19 AM

For me, (also a multiple piercing Momma) my mom waited until I was older and asked to have them done. I did not understand completely how to take care of them and I messed with them so much with dirty little fingers they got infected and I had a ton of issues with them. I decided to have my daughters done when she was little because then she would not mess with them, I could clean them without her getting upset or fighting it and they never once got infected and she never had one issue with them. I make sure I buy her good earrings now and never put cheap ones in her little ears. When she had it done, she cried less than when she got her shots. I think it is pretty much a personal choice here.

unbridled

on Mar 23, 2010 at 10:39 AM

I think my sister was 11 or 12 and I was 13 or 14. We were older, but my mom wanted to make sure we really wanted the piercings and could care for them ourselves. I remember being the only one of my friends who didn't have pierced ears. My daughter is almost 6 months and I get this question all the time. I'm waiting. I know people with babies who pierced early. But I don't like the idea of putting her through unnecessary pain when she doesn't even care at this point whether she has earrings or not.

Happypancake

on Mar 23, 2010 at 11:14 AM

My DD had her ears pierced last year when she was 1-yr-old, a year ago. She cried for a whole 20 seconds and forgets they're even there now. I think they're super cute and don't regret it one bit.

vanessa5470

on Mar 23, 2010 at 11:24 AM

My mother pierced my ears when I was about 1 year old. If I ever have a girl I would do the same. We're Colombian and a tradition in our family is getting our ears pierced and receiving a pair of gold/emerald hoops (tiny ones). If one is going to a mall to get ears peirced, that's rediculous. Doctors pierce ears, find one that does. I love the way earrings look on a woman/girl. They give an air of feminity that is timeless.

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