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?

The thing I'm always struck by on mumsnet is the lack of respect British middle classes have for British working class culture.

Beautifully illustrated on this thread by the comment that piercing is ok for 'cultural' reasons (by which was meant other ethnicity) but not for 'fashion' reasons.

Throwing around words like 'a bit council', 'chavvy' etc. It's all value judgement. I'm betting plenty of the people who are being berated think clothes from Boden/Joules/etc are hideous. It works both ways.

I urge everyone to watch Grayson Perry's documentary on taste and the class system. It's hugely insightful and empathetic.

Laurie, that Grayson Perry documentary was excellent 👍

Where I live, pediatrician a pierce babies ears along with giving vaccinations. Apparently mums rub breast milk on the piercings to make them heal.

If I had a daughter I wouldn't have her ears pierced as a baby. I will gladly take her to get them pierced when she is older and has decided she would like that.

DM didn't have our ears pierced until we were between the ages of 11 and 15. We decided we wanted them pierced at different ages and were happy with clip-on earrings despite seemingly every other girl we knew having pierced ears much earlier.

Piercing a baby's ears is just awful, couldn't give a flying fuck if it's cultural or for fashion reasons, it's just vile.

Yanbu

"My 17.5yr old daughter wants her ears pierced. I've told her it's fine as long as she has somewhere else to live sorted out for afterwards"

This is horrendous. I'm totally against piercing babies. But to talk about chucking out your daughter over something so silly when she is old enough to have bodily autonomy is revolting.

Dot if I was your daughter, I'd go and get my tongue pierced to spite you..

I'm shocked people take their kids to Claire's and let teenagers with a gun poke holes in their kids.

reductress.com/post/were-piercing-my-babys-tongue-heres-why/

Both of my girl's ears were pierced as babies. Could care less what anyone thinks. HTH.

My dd won't have pierced ears until she's old enough to sign the consent form for herself. It won't be done at Claire's' by a barely trained sales assistant wielding a piercing gun.

Her ears, her choice.

I'm not knocking people in council houses, there are thousands of reasons people are.

I also don't think it's fair to assume it's 'council house'.

However, people aren't sure what's wrong with living in a council house, nothing is wrong with it, but it's not everyone's life goal is it? I think most people plan on getting a place of their own

Also, I won't get my child's ears pierced, but if they ever asked me, id let them, no matter what age, they can be 3... However, it has to be something they ask for

Favabeans

It is a bit council, having your babies ears pierced

Jesus fucking Christ

Not something I would have had done to my babies. Horses for courses though I guess.

I have left the choice to my three DDs. So far they have reached the ages of 20, 17 and 13 with none of them yet showing any interest in ear or other body piercings. Their choice entirely.

Lakiey what? Like posting snotty comments on threads? Apparently not, was just wondering what other peoples opinions were.

Cultural reasons, fashion reasons, whatever the reason for piercing a baby's ear.....I just think it looks cheap Sorry not sorry
My DD is about to turn 1, and it's never occurred to me to pierce her ears. When she's old enough to ask me if she can have them done, and old enough to understand she has to clean them and understand that it's going to hurt - fine. I will take her to have them pierced and buy her some pretty earrings.
My sister and I both had ours done at the age of about 8, after begging our mum for ages. I took mine out after a week because my hair kept getting caught on them and have never re-pierced them. My sister kept her's.

I come from a council estate in Stoke. Am now middle class living in Harrogate.

Still hate babies with their ears pierced. When did Claire's Accessories become a cultural thing?

I've had eleven piercings in my life and frankly couldn't care less if any of my DC ever want piercings. But it will THEIR choice to have it done when they are old enough to walk into the piercing studio with me and can read and understand the after care instructions for themselves. I don't mind signing the consent form, but they have to be able to do the after care properly and appreciate that what is probably a large, burly, tattooed man, is going to shove a 4 inch long hollow needle through their skin. Oh and don't forget basic barbell piercings till it's healed!

I reckon that'll put them off until they are at least 11!

Piercings on babies are wrong, piercings with a gun are wrong. Since no right minded piercer will do a baby anyway it should just be left until they are big.

AJ279

You are clearly bored and need to find a hobby or something, I'm not sure if your head is just full of air or what, but unless your new you will know these threads never end will. If you ask me your just trying to start a heated thread.

Not everyone has a comprehensive knowledge of all the threads that have gone before, Lakiey- why not ignore the thread if you've seen it all before?
And YANBU, op- it's a horrible thing to do to a baby.