To think pierced ears on a baby look horrible.

[Tealady1983]

So on fb tonight and a old school friend had pictures of her 3month ish baby with her ears pierced am I the only one that think this looks awful and that it's a bit cruel?

She'll also be getting braces if her teeth are crooked

You really can't put this in the same bracket as ear piercing.

Not having your ears pierced does not make you feel self conscious in the way badly aligned teeth can/do.

Not having your ears pierced does not give you jaw issues or eating problems.

Not having your ears pierced will not cost $$$ in later years the way that orthodontics does/can/will. And it isn't harder & more painful to get your ears pierced at 20, like it is for braces to work.

Not passing comment on the other stuff, but you cannot compare what is, in most cases, a medically necessity with a fashion statement.

Happy we've had mutilate. AGES ago infact

I agree with you OP, I think it's cruel and I don't understand why someone would willingly cause pain to a baby for cosmetic reasons.

I'm derailing slightly to point out that having teeth straightened is not merely a cosmetic procedure that can be compared to ear piercing. My teeth were so crooked it made it difficult to eat. I couldn't bite into food properly, my teeth didn't meet for the most part when I but down, and we're extremely difficult to clean as a result. I had years of orthodontic work to get straight teeth and now I can eat normally. It felt amazing just being able to bite into an apple properly. So no, not at all comparable to ear piercing that cannot be said to particularly benefit a child.

Princess not sure why I need to read up on the law. .

You are in Britain anyway perfectly within the law to have your babies ears pierced. I would prefer the law to protect your child from
Such unnecessary practises inflicted by you until she was of the age to consent herself, maybe 10 or some age thereabouts but that's just my opinion.

I am sorry if comparing ear piercing to FGM and circumcision causes you distress.

Indeed it's an absolute fact that ear piercing is not the absolutely despicable amd wicked proceedure that FGM is nor is it as invasive and dubious as circumcision for baby boys.

However I am afraid the fundamentals are similar, you are choosing to inflict pain and a permanent change to your child's body without her consent or cooperation for absolutely no medical/health benefits whatsoever.

My main objection is that it's slapping a gender identity on a child before they're even walking and talking, and a gender identity that is all about being "pretty". It's like dressing them all over in pink, only more so - as soon as anyone sees the baby they can tell it's a girl.

YANBU to think it looks awful and i do agree its cruel to put an unsuspecting child through it.

If a person took a severely handicapped adult into Claires and plonked them in a chair to have holes poked in their flesh would that be deemed acceptable?

To be honest though there are worse things (illegal things) happening to children which would be better dealt with first.

"Handicapped"!?

Oh dear.

I don't like it. I think it's pointless, it's not cute, it's not pretty and it's certainly not done for the child's benefit. Children aren't dolls to dress up and make look 'pretty', yet some people seem to view their babies in this way.

Being a nurse I've seen a fair few children with infections, and why you'd put something in their ears they could very likely pull off and swallow or worse, inhale is beyond me. Why these things can't wait until their old enough to decide themselves, I don't know.

I will and do think less of someone who has their babies ears pierced, they may not care of course but that's how I feel.

I think most adults with disabilities have the capacity to make their own piercing decisions Squtter

My ds (he's 3) wants his lip pierced like mummy. The silly law says ear piercing would be okay, but nothing else. How weird is that?

Seriously weird Beyond. Do they not sell screw on lip rings for 3 year olds then?

I am too tired. I will just have to say it myself... Why stop at piercing? Why not just get your baby a tattoo? BINGO!!!! Do I win?

Yeah the mumsnet bingo game is faintly amusing. Played it for years too under my various name changes.

Still I think this topic is too serious for that and I too as a trained nurse saw far too many babies/toddlers in casualty and admitted with ear infections and ripped lobes so it is a serious topic really.

I have zero interest in calling anyone chavvy or in any religious/cultural/ traditional argument either. None washed with me.

As a disabled adult who takes herself off to get bits and bobs pierced, who do i sue? I could do with the cash (perhaps i could take ds on holiday to a country that would let me pierce his lip?)

Getting another tattoo done today too. Better not tell them i'm disabled or they might refuse to do it as i'm clearly not of sound mind.

My DS wants a tongue bar like mummy too, apparently that's also frowned upon

I think it's becoming more unusual, from what I've read, to find places that will pierce tiny baby's ears. People who work as piercers have posted on here before saying they'll fob parents off until they stop trying, because they don't like to put a piercing gun up against the head of a tiny, upset, wriggling baby - and cause it pain.

I'd never dream of piercing a baby's ears, not merely because in my opinion, it looks awful, but also because it's fucking dangerous. When they get to the age of grabbing everything they see/feel you bet their earrings aren't going to be spared.

Won't look so pretty when their earlobe's split in two.

Beyond, I think you're taking that previous poster's post the wrong way. I don't think she meant to offend although I can see she put it clumsily.

I don't like to see babies & small children with pierced ears.
I don't like character clothing either. Personal choice.
This is one of the threads that is always going to go tits up.

Two months ago Princess started a thread on ear piercing herself. I think there were 9 pages of her getting bashed.

zzzzzzz, I think people are concerned that a baby will feel pain. Unnecessary pain.

I think it's a bit tacky on babies, but I mostly mind my own business.

My ears were pierced when I was a toddler. I have no memory of getting it done, and have always worn tiny studs. No harm done.

I'm no particular fan of the practice, but 'dragged up'? Really?

Fideliney -

entitled
cruel
'a bit JK'
abusive