Babies and piercings

[AJ279]

I saw someone today who had an 8 month old little girl with her ears pierced. Am I alone in thinking that it's wrong to do that to a baby?

I know it's only a quick procedure but I'm a bit shocked that people still do this. AIBU?

Why do you care so much? If you want to pierce your children's ear, pierce them. If you don't want to pierce them, don't pierce them.

To the people saying "stuff culture"....philistines. Just because people don't do thanks the way you'd do them doesn't mean they're wrong.

Would I pierce a child's ears. Probably not but I had my ears pierced at 5, my own mum at 2 and we're both well educated people.

To those who think it looks "council"...you think that's an insult. Some of the most intelligent folk I know hail from Glasgow council estates (not places you'd consider salubrious) and probably had their ears pierced from a young age it's an old and boring insult.

All those posters saying it's okay for culture but not fashion - I would say it's part of white working class culture.
So why is it okay for other cultures but not that one?

My ears were pierced at 3 mths and would def do my daughters only thing that has put me off is the lack of places to get it done properly and safely, in my county they are usually done in hospital before baby comes home, so safe and sterile.

But you don't own your children. If you want to get your own ears pierced, or not, that's up to you. You can't make that decision for another person.

The whole argument about 'culture' etc is a red herring. Hurting people for no good reason is wrong whoever you are. I don't believe anyone can fail to see that really.

I struggle to understand why anyone would deliberately inflict something painful and unnecessary on their baby it baffles me.

I live in a council flat btw

Yes exactly. Let them decide what they want to do when they're old enough. I can't comprehend anyone putting holes in their babies.

FGM is part of some cultures, as is breast ironing (notice how most of the unnecessary pain inflicting procedures are aimed at girls?), does that make them okay too?

It's grim. Utterly grim.

Babies are beautiful, perfect little ceatures. Why do they need metal stapled to their bodies? Why would any parent subject their baby to something that will casue them pain for no reason other than vanity.

I think dismissing it as a "parenting choice" diminishes the act of casuing unneccesary pain to a small child. People are putting metal posts through their babies skin to make them "look pretty", or "becasue they're a girl".

The cultural argument doesn't wash either: FGM is cultural, male circumcision is cultural. Neither are acceptable practices.

I am glad I didn't get dds done as a baby. She would have taken them out and eaten them.

Ds asked if he could have his done aged about 10. We went to a piercing place and he chatted with the staff. Decided it was better to wait for the school summer holiday as they would have time to heal before school rules kicked in again.
He hasn't mentioned it since.
If he wants them (or one) doing, I will take him to a decent place. He will be the one asking for what he wants. I will be with him, if he needs consent, but it is his choice. Same with dd. If she wants earrings, she will have to be the one to ask.
Each to their own, but not something I would do to a baby.

Had my ears pierced at 10m
No you didn't. You didn't rock up in your pram and request ear piercings before your first birthday. Someone else made the decision that you should have it done before you were old enough to make an informed choice.
That's wrong imo.

I am bewildered by anyone who would intentionally inflict something painful on their baby because they think it looks nice. It doesn't. And saying its 'cultural' does not make it any more ok. I think it's ridiculous and yes, abusive. And I judge the people who do it as severely lacking in intelligence and empathy.

Abusive to pierce a baby's ears? I really wish people wouldn't throw the word "abusive" around. It diminishes actual cases of real abuse.

It's not my taste to pierce a baby's ears but I honestly can't be arsed to look down my nose at those who do.

Let's not resurrect the abuse argument. It's ridiculous. Done by professionals and cared for appropriately It's not abuse. If you disagree go take your case to social services.

There are a lot of white, middle class, British women out there who can't think beyond their own cultural norms to understand that while they might find it distasteful, it's a practise that means something and has importance to others from different backgrounds.

What's wrong with being judgemental about this then? I'm happy to admit I judge people who inflict unnecessary pain on babies.

Im working class through and through but think piercing your babies ears is fucking disgusting. Its nothing short of selfish

it gives me the heebie jeebies. I just always think of them ripping them out of their ears, or swallowing them or something.
I dont think it looks nice, I dont get the attraction at all. my youngest is 9 and still isn't allowed her ears pierced because I dont like it.

It's not to my taste but then again, neither is very long hair or Uggs on children.

I think quite a few primary schools don't allow earrings so it seems a bit pointless to pierce a child's ears before they've got to secondary.

The word cultural us being bandied about here, but can anyone specifically describe to me in detail what the cultural significance and importance of ear piercing on small babies is? What does it mean? Why us it so important that it's ok to actually hurt your baby? I'm going to need something more than 'it looks pretty' (which it doesn't) Specifics please.

It's not the done thing for my background/culture, but others see a value in it. Fine.

The fact that someone sees a value in something doesn't automatically make it fine. Some cultures see a value in FGM.

I try not to be judgy when I see babies with them, but I don't like it and I would never do it to my baby. I don't really care if it's a cultural thing, it's completely unnecessary, painful, they are prone to infection and the chance of them getting ripped out or falling out and the baby swallowing them. To compare it to putting baby girls in dresses is just ludicrous.

My son was circumcised, does that rob his choice of not wanting that when he was older???

Erm, yes, of course it does SteeloJames. But if it was done as a medical necessity that's very different from if it was done for purely cosmetic reasons.

I think it should be illegal for SO MANY reasons. What if the earrings come out while your baby is napping and she swallows one? It's just not worth it, totally pointless.

FGM is a cultural thing, does that make it ok?

My two girls got their ears pierced at about 8 they wanted them done, understood the risks etc. Now neither of them have had earrings in for ages. It's also a pain as for PE at school you either have to take them out or cover them with plasters.

Have also heard a mum telling her toddler off for fiddling with her earrings as they were infected.

When you ask people why they have it done they can never give an answer other than me me me or say its so they don t feel it when they are older. I have a very low opinion of parents who pierce their babies ears.

And don't get me started on chipping off bots of babies bodies in the name of culture or religion or because it's seen as cleaner or daddy wants him to be the same as him!

If Daddy had his finger chopped off would you do the same to all sons just do they look like Daddy?