Ear Piercing...

Both of my girls had their ears pierced at 8 weeks old. I think that is how old they have to be to do it. And if this next one is a girl, she will too

I feel that it is a decision for her to make for herself when she is old enough to know that she wants pierced ears.

Totally individual and I dont think badly about people who decide to do it but if you are asking for opinions then personally I think it is unnessesary pain and problems for the sake of what...fashion?

We decided to not scar our daughter and leave the decision up to her to make when she is old enough.

But each to their own...

Hi J.! I personally don't agree with this. Little girls with tiny butteflies or angels in their ears are cute. But think about it...you're causing your little girl unnecessary pain. She may only cry for a few minutes and she may not remember the pain later on in life but more and likely she's going to cry when you have it done. Why do that to her when it's not necessary? Shots are necessary not piercing her ears before she can even have a say in it. This is just something YOU want not your daughter. Give her a chance to grow up and have an opinion of her own. Then if SHE chooses to have them pierced, let her. But let it be her choice what holes are in her body not the choice of someone else. Just my opinion!

We personally decided not to do it. There were several deciding factors in it. One was what has been said, what if she didn't want it later in life. The second was that it seemed a little cruel considering my daughter slept on her side. It has to be sore for a little while, and all she did was sleep and nurse, both of which she'd be on her side for. The third is that if we wait until she is 3, 4, 5... it will be a big deal and she can decide. Then it can be a large reward for her.

Hope it helps!

My daughter was basically bald the first 1.5 years of her life, and only upon her 2nd Birthday I am now able to put her hair in some skimpy pigtails. Because she was mistaken as a boy for a while (yup, pink dresses and a “baldy bow” defiantly scream BOY), I was constantly asked if I was going to get her ears pierced. I have not, and won’t, until she inquires about it. I have such fond memory of going to get my ears pierced at 8 yrs old. My Gran who lives in Scotland was over for a rare visit and she took me – it was a huge and special thing and we made a whole day of it. Then at 13 I went with my Mum to get my second holes. Plus, the ears/lobes grow, so although the placement of the studs looks “right” at 3 months old, they’ll move and be uneven 20 years down the road.

~J.

I agree about it's totally up to you. My daughter's pediatricians office actually does this, so that's soemthing you should check. That's probably the cleanest and safest way. I got my dtrs pierced when she was 4 months. She cried for about 45 seconds and that was that.

I think they are adorable on little girls, but I also plan on waiting until she is old enough to want them. I don't think badly at all of people who get them done though; they sure look cute!

As has already been said, to each their own. But since asked, I agree with the last post. I chose to not have my girls' ears pierced until they decided that they wanted them pierced. They are really cute on baby girls but it is a choice that they should get to make about holes in their body.

Just my opinion!

Its a personal preference. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. My niece's ears were pierced when she was a baby and she had no problems with them getting infected. She's 15 now and I think they are still pierced. I think some moms do it because they don't want people mistaking their daughter for a boy when they are really young and bald. But it doesn't matter what you do, I had my daughter dressed all in pink one night and at a restaurant someone my husband knew called her a boy. As far as I know you still have to care for them the same way, so if you're up to it I'd say do it.

Hi J.,

In my own experience...piercing early (about 4-5months or whenever your doctors office sys it's safe) was the best way to go for me. I got my ears pierced when i was an infant and never had problems, and I just dd the same with my daughter at the doc's office. My little one always pulled on her ears and touched them constantly Until we got them pierced. I know parents who have had the opposite experience too, so I guess it really is just up to you. I found it easier to clean and take care of an infant's peirceing...if I did it now (15months) I just wouldn't be able to take the running around, figgity, arm flaling that would go along with it. It's hard enough to try to keep her still to change her diaper...but this is just one mom's opinion.

Hello J.,
I had my daughters ears pierced when she was 4 months old. Her doctor did them in his office. My doctor recommends if you are going to do it when there little do it before they have the ability to keep grabbing at the ears, once they can do that he said to wait till they were like 5 and could understand not to play with them.

J.,
It's totally up to you. It is better to do it early so she doesn't get the urge to pull on the earrings or rip her ear. If done early she will think they are part of her & will not want to mess with them. I do know the stores in the mall will start piercing baby's at 2 months old. They also require you to bring in the baby's shot record so they have to have their 1st set of dpat shots before they will do it. Another thing to think about is if you wait for later then she may only let the person pierce only 1 ear. It does pinch a little. Or see if the store has the ability to have 2 people there so they can do it at the same it. Good luck! I'm sure it will work out either way for you.

Hi there! My name is K. and I have a 10 1/2 month old daughter. I am very favorable to ear piercing on babies, however, my husband and I have decided not to pierce our daughters ears basically because in the society we live in, little girls grow up so fast anyway, that if her ears are already pieced, what will she have to look forward to doing when she gets older? So, when she is 8 or 10 or whenever she asks for it, we'll let her get them pierced, but it will be a special treat for her.

Hello J.,
It's absolutely safe to get your baby's ears pierced, but doctors often advise waiting until a baby has had two doses of the tetanus vaccine (in the DTP shot) usually at 4 months. Please make sure the procedure is done with sterilized equipment. In fact, it's better to have your baby's ears pierced at your pediatrician office, where you know the conditions are sterile. If you decide to get it done at an earring shop, choose one that specializes in infant piercing. Afterwards, swab the earlobes daily wth alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and call your doctor if you see redness or swelling, or if your baby develops a fever. Make sure the earings are made out of precious metal (allergy) and there are specially done secure backs / closures (chocking hazard) Using front snaps or button down onsie woluld be ideal to dress and undress the baby to avoid discofort by squeezing the baby's head (ears) through fitted basic onsies. Lots of Luck and Success!

What would be the point of this?

I pierced my daughters ears when she was around 4 months old, and 8 weeks later, one of her ears became infected. the back of her earlobe swelled up and pus and blood kept pouring out of the infection. It was very painful for her. Not to mention I was a nervous wreck when I first got them done, making sure they wernt poking her in the neck or getting caught on her bibs or anything. After the infection was cleared up, I never put them back in. I will wait until she is old enough to care for them herself and knows not to touch her ears.

Hi J.,
I have 2 daughters and I was asked by every relatitve and friend we had (even strangers), if we were going to get her ears peirced. After the question was asked over and over, I got to thinking what if she doesn't want her ears pierced. So my new answer was she will get her ears pierced when she can ask for it. I'm so greatful I didn't do it because one of my daughters does not want hers' pierced and the other one wanted it done at age 3. So my 11 year old still wants nothing to do with it and she has thanked me several times for not doing it when she was unable to make that decision.
I hope that helped and good luck with your decision.

K.

All I can say is it's up to you when to pierce your daughters ears. Both of my girls were around 2 yrs old when they got theirs pierced. But I have seen plenty of babies newborn and up with em as well.
In otherwords, there really is no right or wrong answer here, it's all up to you.

I don't see the point in piercing a babies ears. You put them through the pain just so they look cute?? Sounds a little selfish. Plus, then you have to worry not only about their hair but their earrings and spend more money on different earrings. My neice had her ears pierced as a baby and she kept messing with them, I think she actually got one out somehow so they had to take them out. Then my sister in law pierced them again when she was 3 yrs old. My neice would pitch a fit when she tried to turn the earrings that she finally had to take them out again. Now at almost 7yrs old and getting her ears pierced twice she will need to do it a third time down the road. I think babies are beautiful with or without earrings. I have a 25 mth old and 6 mth old girls and neither of them have their ears pierced and I no future plans too either. Kids this age don't care if they have earrings, it is all for the parents. I want my children to feel empowered and able to make their own choice about it when they are ready instead of me forcing it on them.

Hi,

I agree with Fiona and similar posts. I would not pierce them until daughter wants to.

Parents already decide everything for their kids when they're infants... why not leave some things for them to be able to decide on their own?

Hi J.,
I have gotten all 3 of my daughters ears pierced. My last who is now 13 had hers done when she was 3 months old at the pediatricians office. They marked both ears and the doctor did one ear and the nurse did the other at the same time. This way it was only 1 "boo boo". She cried for a minute and that was it. No worse than getting her shots. And of course little girls look so cute with their earings in. All will go well!
V.

I had my daughter's ears pierced when she was three months old. Granted, my father is a doctor, and he actually did the piercing in a sterile environment in his office. However, he pierced mine when I was two weeks old using a syringe at home. I don't think there's anything wrong with piercing at an early age. Some do recommend that you wait until they have a few rounds of vaccinations, but waiting too long may lead to greater trauma. If you can find a physician who will do it, I would recommend going that route. I have no empirical proof to say that the piercing places in the mall are less hygenic or more dangerous, but I have a personal preference of going to a Dr. when holes are being put into my child! I think it's hard finding a pediatrician who will actually pierce ears, but it might be worth investigating.

The choice is yours, but I had my daughter's done when she was 6 months old at the pediatrician's office. It's up to you..I don't think having it done early is a problem, but I'm one of those who's had their ears pierced since they were a baby also. I think it's very appropriate and beautiful when a girl has her ears pierced. Pain is not an issue so don't let anyone make you feel like you're torturing your child. She will certainly do worse things as she gets older. And I agree with those that say if she doesn't like it when she gets older she can take them out and let them close. Good luck and it's a tough decision, but take your time think about it and I don't know how religious you are, but praying about something like that always helps me.

I think it makes it easier in the long run. My pediatrician does it in his office and I had my daughters done there. Two nurses came in and both ears were done at the same time.