Earlier this morning, I came across a discussion over the argument of whether or not to pierce a baby's ears. A disgruntled reader wrote to the Dear Mary Ann column at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette voicing her opinion on the issue -- she thinks it's borderline child abuse.
And you know what? I think I have to agree with her on this one. Because piercing a baby girl's ears not only seems mean and cruel to me -- it also just seems so vain and unnecessary.
Here you have this perfect little angel who is sugar and spice and everything nice -- and you want to go pierce two tiny holes through her earlobes and cause her pain simply because you think she'll look cute in a pair of heart-shaped studs?
Yes, I know putting it that way sounds a little bit extreme, but it's a pretty accurate description.
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My mother took me to get my ears pierced when I was in the fourth grade, I believe -- and I still remember how bad it hurt when that piercing gun went through my skin. And I also remember what a pain it was to keep my earlobes clean and to turn the earrings every day so the holes wouldn't close up.
If it was that bad for a fourth grader (who willingly got her ears pierced), I can't even imagine what a drag having pierced ears must be for a baby.
And that brings us to the whole problem of ear pulling. Aren't parents afraid that their poor baby girls are going to reach up to itch the fresh wounds on their earlobes -- only to accidentally pull out the earring and hurt themselves further in the process? (It could happen.) Or what if they get infected?
More from The Stir: There's NOTHING Cruel About Piercing My Baby's Ears
I know it's fun to have a little girl and dress her up and all that, but piercing her ears before she even knows how to stand up just seems so ridiculous to me, in addition to being pretty inhumane.
Heck, it's bad enough when we have to take our babies to the doctor to get a shot, and that's necessary for their health. Why on earth would ANY parent subject their little one to having needles stuck in her for the sake of vanity?
What do you think? Is it wrong to pierce a baby's ears?
Image via yoshimov/Flickr
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Comments 353
Oh, hush! Better to do it when they're young so they don't remember and you don't have to constantly remind them to clean it because you'll be doing it for them.
My DD's cousins were constantly on my case about getting her ears done. I say, let her decide if/when she wants them done. Yes, it's a pain to remind them to clean it, but it's HER decision, not yours. Plus, your baby could wind up with lots of ear infections like my little cousin who had it done early in life did. She had like a dozen ear infections by the time she was a year old.
Wow really?
I get sad at the doctors when I have to get my baby her shots because I know it causes her pain. To put a baby through pain for beauty reasons? In my mind is messed up and a bit sick. Plus what if she turns out to be a tomboy and hate the earrings?! these are things people need to keep in mind while hurting their precious babies to make them look 'cute', well guess what? they already were cute.
you're an idiot! my dd had her ears pierced when she was 3 months old and didnt even wakeup when thy did it. you sound bitter, whats wrong? couldnt afford to get your baby's ears done so now you are on a soap box crying to the world? get over yourself.
While I'm not for infant ear piercing ( I believe all procedures for cosmetic appearances should be made when they child can voice their opinion)- no way do I think it borders on 'child abuse'.
I pierced ears (former Claires employee over here!) and there can be a lot of issues with infant ear piercing. One being that, because their earlobes have only begun to grow, the piercings may become lopsided as they get older. They do have a greater chance of messing with them and creating a problem. They can develope metal allergies.
For some, the benefits of piercing younger out weigh the risks.