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Original poster

Baby ear-piercing

205 replies

cherryred · 19/01/2011 09:57

I know this topic has been talked about before but I feel so shocked at having witnessed a baby having her ears pierced that I'm bringing it up again.
I was in a branch of Claire's with my 10 year old when it happenned, the baby was quite young and absolutely howling in shock and pain. My daughter started crying too, she couldn't believe anyone would needlessly want to hurt their baby in this way. I left feeling that this really shouldn't be allowed to happen, ear-piercing doesn't benefit a baby in any way, it's as if some parents don't realise that babies are real people with feelings not just little dollys to dress up. Ok rant over! Angry

OP posts:
mrsscoob · 19/01/2011 12:31

I had to force myself to pick up the phone and book in my sons immunisations, and when he actually had them, seeing his little face turn from happy to shock then pain made my heart break a little! To actually put my child through a worse pain, through choice for something that isn't necessary I find incomprehensible.

queenofthecapitalwasteland · 19/01/2011 12:33

Can this not be the next mumsnet campaign? As a heavily peirced person my mum made me wait until I was 13 before getting my ears peirced and it was another uear before she let me get them peirced again Grin
I cannot bear seeing babies with earings knowing how much it must have hurt without the understanding to realise why your lovely mum would inflict this on you Sad
It disgusts me that any teenage, part-time employee at Claires can be responsible for something that can be a permanent part of someone's life?

Grandmar · 19/01/2011 12:34

Absolutely

Stangirl · 19/01/2011 12:35

I think it horrible that a parent wants this done without a child being old enough to give consent. One mum I know who had her baby pierced said it was so people would know her baby was a girl.

queenofthecapitalwasteland · 19/01/2011 12:36

oops, just need to point out that I'm the human pin-cusion, not my mum Blush

and I meant year, not uear

tyler80 · 19/01/2011 12:36

I guess part of the reason I can't get upset about it is because ime it doesn't hurt at all.

chicaguapa · 19/01/2011 12:42

It's a cultural thing too though. In Spain, girls routinely have their ears pierced in hospital after they are born and it's the chavs who don't have earrings!

I asked DD(9) if she wanted her ears pierced (wasn't offering, just curious why she hadn't been bugging me about it) and she asked me why she would want holes in her ears? Grin

rockinhippy · 19/01/2011 13:05

& Portugal & Parts of India & no doubt other parts of the world too chicaguapa

a few of DDs friends have them done since babyhood for this reason & couldn't be further removed from "chavvy" I can argue the toss with her better on those too, as its THEIR Culture not ours, still surprises me the Schools allow it though, as it CAN be dangerous when they are rolling around all rough & tumble

TandB · 19/01/2011 13:17

I don't understand why people talk about ear-piercing as though it is something necessary that has to be done sooner or later so might as well get it done now.

Pierced ears are not vital to health and well-being. My ears are pierced from when I was 14. I haven't worn ear-rings for about 15 years. I now have two pointless holes in my ears and I don't suppose everyone is loking at me thinking "ooh look, a woman without earrings. how weird."

sims2fan · 19/01/2011 13:22

When I was at primary school earrings were banned. One mother kicked up such a fuss, saying studs should be allowed, not fair to take them out, holes might close up, extra expense to have them done again, etc, that the Head caved and said, ok, studs are allowed. The very daughter of that woman was involved in an accident during PE a few weeks later, and I'm not quite sure how but her stud ended up ripping through her ear. Noone could really argue about being allowed to keep them in after that, so studs were banned too!

MoonGirl1981 · 19/01/2011 13:23

I thought until recently it wasillegal to pierce ears of an 'under16er' and assumed these pierced babies had been done at home.

My son goes to school with a few boys with gold earings in one ear. It is chavvy. And permantely scarring a child is a tad odd.

I didn't know until reading this thread that it hurt! How horrible! I used to cry when my son HAD to have injections done and I knew he'd be upset. Baffles me that someone would deliberately injure their child (and then laugh at their tears).

Did no one call the police and report an assault?

MarniesMummy · 19/01/2011 13:28

Cherryred - Sometimes ear piercing can be a cultural thing.

I don't think a lot of parents sit down and think about what they're doing when they then get their DC's ears pierced.

I don't think it's worth the rant, more that discussions should happen.

MarniesMummy · 19/01/2011 13:32

Sorry, just seen that other posters have pointed out that it's to do with culture too.

Also, I have many, many ear piercings and they don't hurt (to be done) unless they are done with a piercing gun.

If my DC's want when my DP caves and lets our DC's get their ears done, I'll be taking them to a proper piercing studio to get it done with needles. Painless and precise!

Clockspotter · 19/01/2011 13:32

You are def ANBU. Dont understand it at all myself. Who cares about your baby being mistaken for a boy fgs? DD is always even now at 2 1/2, especially when by old dears and ESPECIALLY when dressed head to toe in pink Confused.

When I was young my Dad told me that if I got my ears pierced he would get a tattoo. That put me right off.

He said that I was attractive enough as it was and didnt need jewellery to make me more so; sweet comment, but calculated! Once I was 18 and, in his eyes, old enough to decide for myself(!) I didnt want them done and have never given it a 2nd thought since. Most people dont notice.

LOL at Jeanvaljeans post tho Grin.

LifeIsButtercream · 19/01/2011 13:43

YANBU

I used to think 'each to their own' - I had mine pierced at 13 and don't remember it being painful (at first, but within a few hours it became clear that I reacted to pretty much ANY type of metal being put in them, even my solid gold sleepers) - now I have two more useless holes in my head!

But a few weeks ago I was in a shop where a young baby (9m max) was having her ears pierced, and the cries broke my heart, proper screaming. The assistant who had been helping even seemed visibly shaken when she came to serve me, the mother just jiggled the baby and said something along the lines of "aw, now you look pretty! Like a princess!".

I could never inflict pain on my DD for no reason, children should have the right to choose whether they have a piercing or not.

ohnoshedittant · 19/01/2011 14:01

YANBU it's AWFUL. I can't believe that it's legal tbh, we have all these mad health and safety rules, but punching a hole in a baby's ear is perfectly fine?!

KirstyAllsoap · 19/01/2011 14:05

YADNBU

I can't believe anyone can defend it. I don't give a stuff if it's cultural or fashionable. It's vile.

Rocky12 · 19/01/2011 14:20

I think it should be BANNED. Cultural or not... Of course we will cave in in the UK, we always do when the words 'cultural and religious comes up' dont want to offend etc, human rights etc.

Btw - I have pierced ears but not until 18. Very nice they are too but they were very sore when done. Why a mother would want to punch holes in their BABIES ears is beyond me.

FindingStuffToChuckOut · 19/01/2011 14:25

oh the horror! makes me shudder. Nuff said!

TemperTrapped · 19/01/2011 14:26

I had my ears pierced when I was about 1. Obviously, I don't remember it. When I was growing up and other friends had theirs done, I would be glad I couldn't remember it hurting or having to mess around with them. I had worn ear rings for such a long time that taking them out for PE and Gymnastics wasn't an issue, even at primary school.

MirandaGoshawk · 19/01/2011 14:34

IIRC babies have to be over 3 months before their ears can be pierced.

A friend who gave birth in Saudi was thought very odd for not getting her DD's ears done straight away, in the hospital. Poor little babies.

YummyorSlummy · 19/01/2011 14:37

Yes! A mumsnet campaign! We are not in Spain or India, it is not part of our culture and imo it is abusive and cruel to put holes in a person's ears without their consent. I couldn't bare to see my child in pain for the sake of vanity.

begonyabampot · 19/01/2011 14:41

i don't like it and am surprised it's actually legal for shops to do it. begged my mum to get mine done when I was 5 and they often became infected and very sore so don't like it for those reasons alone.

Saying that, it is often cultural and all the people here saying how revolting it is would probably have a totally different view if you were from that culture. i do think it should be illegal in the UK though for children below a certain age of say about 8 or round about.

YummyorSlummy · 19/01/2011 14:49

I've posted about this in campaigns to try and generate more interest on the matter.

pascoe28 · 19/01/2011 14:54

I think it's done as a way of letting the rest of us know whom to avoid later on in life.

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