3.5 year old piercing

In some cultures this is normal. In the 1950’s, on the birth of her first DD, my DM was given some beautiful Sapphire, Ruby and Diamond baby earrings for her. They had a special fastening for safety, and they are still in their box now, as my DM didn’t have pierced ears, and wouldn’t entertain the thought of allowing her daughters (or sons) to pierce their ears until they were old enough to choose.

And if they are not white British?

Common as muck.

Shouldn't it be the child's decision when she's old enough to understand and tolerate a painful, completely unnecessary cosmetic body modification?

OP, if they were white British I'd think they were thick as pigshit, common as muck, and probably don't deserve to be parents. Children aren't dolls.

Too young to consent and to be aware of what it entails. Disgusting

Too young. Also I'm judgy and I think it looks chavvy common.

Why do paediatricians pierce babies' ears, it's not a necessary medical procedure?

Same reason my dentist does botox I imagine, because there are enough people willing to pay for it.

To answer the OP, I freely admit to judging people who subject infants and small children to unnecessary pain in the name of vanity. I don't say anything, because there's no point and I accept that it's none of my business. I don't accept any of the justifications that have been given for it on this thread, cultural or otherwise.

@Jifmicroliquid or their belly button, nipple or worse? Why ears okay but nothing else (although in my mind ears not okay either). And why only girls?

Those who don’t see the problem with it, what would you think if a person had a baby’s nose or eyebrow pierced? Would that still be ok?
Or if you think that’s wrong, but think ear piercing is ok, why is it any different?

Why would it be wrong to do this to a grown woman who didn't consent but fine to do it to a baby? Can someone explain the religious reasons?

Well a culture that makes its the norm to decorate female bodies just after birth without their consent to ensure the process of sublimating those female bodies to the male gaze really really early is hardly the correct one either is it.

Whacking a piece of metal through a non consenting human's body purely for decorative reasons can't be swept under the carpet for cultural reasons. Or should we all turn a blind eye to female circumcision because 'culture' .

Yes I would massively judge, it's completely unethical to do this.

Depends on culture. In my culture (South Asian), perfectly normal to pierce ears at 3. People do it for cultural/religious reasons.

FGM is done for “cultural” reason and there’s plenty of opposition to that ( even the more minor versions) and if you’re going to ask an opinion on a U.K. site with a largely British membership you’re going to get the British cultural position on it. The fact that something is practiced in Spain etc doesn’t mean it’s therefore automatically ok from a U.K. perspective.

Oh and to add I didn’t get it done when DD was a baby because I don’t really agree with making the decision for them. I was happy to let her have it done when she asked at 6 though!

I honestly have no idea. I’m not a paediatrician. If I had to guess probably a combination of money making, because America, and if a lot of people are going to do it anyway (especially the Hispanic population because it’s more cultural) then better done by the doctor than a teenager in Claires 🤷‍♀️

And why stop at ears, why not other piercings?

I'm actually not sure. I didn't have it done as a baby so definitely not mandatory. My mum did, however, and is permanently scarred as the earring caught while she was playing (as a child) and was ripped put. That probably partly influenced her decision not to do it to me, and I'm glad she waited until I decided I wanted it done of my own volition.

@TropicalTrama But why, it doesn't do anything for health and the baby is not giving consent, so why do it? It's a completely unnecessary procedure. Why do you have it done?

Our paediatrician in the US did it too, it’s not just a Spanish thing. I mean if you’re going to do it then surely that’s better than Claire’s?!

Why do paediatricians pierce babies' ears, it's not a necessary medical procedure? If you move to Spain and become a Spanish citizen, does the doctor have to pierce your ears, if not, why do Spanish babies have to have it done? And why it is only baby girls?

Cultural procedures that require holes being put into babies or bits being cut off should be banned.

Prom I think you have taken the comment ‘I think it looks cute’ and tried to dig a little deeper than necessary

Generally I’d say too young but in some cultures it’s the norm.
id say about 8 is right (although my dd tried at 9 then about 13 and older and they only ‘took’ at 18 when a uni friend did them).

I used to think it was a bit chavvy, but nowadays I don't really care. Not what I'd do with my DD, but whatever.

In the countries that do it from birth in the hospital, can anyone explain why?

I admit I heavily judge anyone who has a baby or toddler with peirced ears. Maybe I just don't understand the cultural significance, I thought it was about the look of it which obviously is very sad.

Exactly this.

As for the babies in prams sporting gold studs, they didn't beg anyone did they?

Yes I judge. It's vile.