Ear Piercing for Infants

[Itsabtme]

DH & I just returned from Grocery Shopping at WalMart...DH was unloading the cart and putting things on the conveyor while I stood there and watched...(normally I would help, but my foot hurts)...anyway he looks at me and says "looks like somebody needs a nap"...I look up and say "who Me?" he said, "No, that baby, can't you hear her screaming?" I turned around and we were near the jewelry counter. I said "No, that baby just doesn't want holes in her ears!" Honestly, I am so used to children screaming at WalMart that I had just blocked it out....I usually want to scream while I'm there too! But, she was angry and I don't blame her. I just don't think that it is right to do that. Granted, she is so young that she'll probably never remember the trauma, but still. Maybe I'm just old school...I didn't have my first set done until I was 12 and then I got them done again when I was 21.

I thought it was cute for a long time, but now, after watching.....not so much. Now I think that the child should be given the choice which means waiting at least until they can TALK.

[knitgal]

I agree! I think that one should be allowed to make their own decision about getting holes in their ears. I got mine done when I was 7 and although I loved having them, they kept getting infected and I was very sensitve to metal, so I could only wear gold earrings. I wanted to wear fun earrings, but no such luck. Also, back then you used alcohol to sterilize your earrings, apparently they don't do that anymore. Eventually they grew in because my ears hurt all the time. I got mine done again when I was about 20. Even at 20 it hurt...I'll admit it. I'm lucky now because I've grown out of my sensitivity to metal, but I'm still careful about what earrings I wear. Since babies can't make the decision to get holes in their ears, it's up to the parents, who ultimately don't have to suffer infected piercings.

[iza]

I had my ears pierced when I was an infant. I grew up without any serious issues and I don't hate my mom. Honestly I'm glad I had it done back then.

[rosefields]

In my culture (Mexican), our babies have thier ears pierced as infants. But I do believe it is personal choice to be made by the parent(s).

[Ingrid]

It IS a very strong cultural thing, but jeez--take them to the doctor to have it done--not freakin' Walmart!!

[The.Knitter]

I agree! I had my daughter's ears done when she was three months old, BY A DOCTOR!!! I had my granddaughter's ears done when she was three months old, AGAIN BY A DOCTOR. Now both can wear clip ons or pierced earrings whenever they chose to. It is a personal choice, but it looks so cute on the little girls to have pretty earrings, dainty ones. I never put cheap earrings in their ears. Both have had no problems. Walmart, geez!!!!!!

[Itsabtme]

It IS a very strong cultural thing, but jeez--take them to the doctor to have it done--not freakin' Walmart!!

Thank You! THAT I would agree with. I do understand that it is done in some cultures. I was afraid to post this, because it is quite controversial, I just felt so badly for that baby. She couldn't have been 6 months old and then to see her poor little angry red cheeks when she and her mother were leaving, just broke my heart.

[rissa]

A dear friend of mine had their little girl's ears pierced by a tat/piercing place. They are sooo used to doing piercings and have to be super clean and professional. They paid a whole lot more than they would have at WalMart but...they are glad they did. Yeah...Walmart is far from the best place to get it done.

I had mine done at 2nd grade, and to be honest, I wish I had them done as a baby. It didn't hurt horribly, but I played with them all the time and as a result they got infected so many times.

Its a hard decision to make as far as when to get them done, if at all. That would have been hard to see tho.

[The.Knitter]

I take no offence from your comments. Nor do I hope you will take any from mine Jeanette.

My doctor said the best thing to do is get them done before they are one or after they are ten years of age. That way there is no "playing with" the earrings and much less chance of the child trying to pull it off and swallow it. When they are very young it is just a "part" of them and they never bother with them. This is what I did and I know my daughter didn't bother with them, nor did her daughter.

I waited both times until the child was sleeping to have it done and it never bothered either one at the time, or since (thankfully).

I have to stress that I did NOT put cheap earrings in their ears. I kept the ears good and clean and rotated the earrings often.

I can see that a wide awake child would be traumatized by such goings on, especially because they have to sit very still for a minute, which is more the problem than pain would be. It doesn't hurt to have it done. It is how the situation is handled at the time, and by the parent, that is the problem IMHO.

[DianaM]

In my culture (Mexican), our babies have thier ears pierced as infants. But I do believe it is personal choice to be made by the parent(s).

Yep. Mine where pierced the day I was born.