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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

For those who pierce their baby's ears...

645 replies

Username7654321 · 29/11/2017 16:47

Would you see it as okay to pierce their nose? Eyebrow? Tongue? Why is it okay to stab a needle through the ear lobe, when presumably most people would be horrified by any other piercing on a baby?!

OP posts:
00alwaysbusymum · 01/12/2017 10:54

And also many of these cultures that pierce babies ears would also be horrified at doing things like controlled crying as in my culture that's equivalent to child abuse

JacquesHammer · 01/12/2017 10:59

I'm sorry I really really disagree with it hurts

It's a needle through flesh. Of course it hurts.

Having it done in Claire's will have added blunt force trauma to the equation, not to mention dubious hygiene practices.

By all means say you wanted to get your kid's ear pierced but at least have the gumption to admit you hurt her for vanity purposes.

Beansonapost · 01/12/2017 11:10

@DeleteOrDecay

calm down, plenty of others here who can answer your absurd question.

I was more interested in the OPs response.

So what do anti-piercers make of cultural scarification on children? Especially scars made on their faces. Is it the same as penile mutilations and ear piercings ?

I'm obviously here for a laugh, in case you haven't noticed. People should really MYOGDB...unless it can't be helped l

Rebeccaslicker · 01/12/2017 11:13

If only those suffragettes had MTOGB and let other women carry on as they were, eh? If only people who campaign and protest for things to bring about change for the good would just shut up. If only scientists would just stop trying to interfere with things like people's health. What a lovely peaceful world that would be ;)

DeleteOrDecay · 01/12/2017 11:21

I'm perfectly calm but it's clear to see you're just being goady at this point so let's leave it there.

BarbarianMum · 01/12/2017 11:25

Don't think I'd equate this to the suffragette movement. More like the missionaries. Save all those misguided souls by pushing our values down our throat whilst simulataneously rubbishing their culture and screwing them over.

(Totally refusing to listen to any opinion other than your own, especially those who tell you they are quite happy with the things they've experienced and you haven't, is a really important part of this so please disregard this post).

Rebeccaslicker · 01/12/2017 11:28

Sure because you speak for everybody in that entire culture. Even when those cultures aren't yours, they just have some of the same practices.

Meanwhile don't listen to a word about how it comes across to other people, just blindly follow what your ancestors did because their parents did it to them. Why would you want progress or change?

sugaredstrawberries · 01/12/2017 11:34

Missbax if I'm to be honest, I don't think they hurt very much at all. I've got my lobes done twice, once with needle (age 21) and the other with a gun (age 5). I've also had my cartilage done (did not hurt to pierce but granted the healing time was ridiculous for that area and 9 months later I took it out as I was sick of the damn thing) and I also have my daith done. The only one that hurt more than a scratch was the daith but not the actual piercing itself, it was because I was pierced with the wrong size needle so the earring itself was very hard to get through afterwards due to the opening being to small. So IMO they don't hurt very much at all, in fact it hurts more when I stub my foot on the end of the bed, now that hurts Blush

BarbarianMum · 01/12/2017 11:34

Self determination. The right to decide and fight for our own priorities. Respect.

But when we need you to tell us what to do and think we'll call or something. We have phones now.

Rebeccaslicker · 01/12/2017 11:38

Blah blah my priorities are doing what my gran did blah blah because her gran did it...

Not a remotely convincing argument.

sugaredstrawberries · 01/12/2017 11:39

Jaques I'm sorry to be rude but is it really that much of a deal? How many times a day does a child hurt itself? And before you say not intentionally I've known children to deliberately vomit and bash their heads against a wall to get their own way Shock it's a prick, just as the one in the heel when they are born, it's hardly life altering.... some of you are making out it's this atrocious pain that's indescribably vile and causes so much harm Hmm again, not taking sides but some arguments against can be massively OTT.
I agree with OOalwaysbusymum I'm afraid.

MissBax · 01/12/2017 11:40

I also have my lobes done twice - with a gun when I was 10 (and able to understand that it would hurt, but I consented), and with a needle when I was in my twenties.
And the needle bloody hurt. Every time I knocked my ears or leant on them, for a few weeks.

sugaredstrawberries · 01/12/2017 11:42

Missbax fair enough but for me, it did not hurt and knocking the lobes didn't really bother me that much, I've felt many things which are much more painful. It was a little hot and that's about it.

Username7654321 · 01/12/2017 11:43

As PP said. If you don't see a problem with it, fine. It's still legal. But atleast have the balls to admit that you don't care that you caused pain to your child purely for vanity.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 01/12/2017 11:43

it's a prick, just as the one in the heel when they are born, it's hardly life altering

Are you really comparing ear piercing to a test with medical merit??

It's permanent body modification. So yes without consent it is a big deal.

Rebeccaslicker · 01/12/2017 11:44

But sugared - they were YOUR lobes. And it was YOUR choice.

That's the point here. When it's done to a baby or young child, it's not.

If I took you into a shop and chatted away in a foreign language of which you understood some of the words but not the full meaning, and then pierced part of your body, what would you think?

MissBax · 01/12/2017 11:44

sugared - so we can accept that people feel different levels of pain? And we can't predict whether a baby will or won't find it a bit painful / a lot painful / upsetting / scary / other. So why risk it, for no real benefit?

JacquesHammer · 01/12/2017 11:44

Not to mention the fact that Claire's don't pierce properly and there's a very good chance your kid will grow up with wonky holes.

Rebeccaslicker · 01/12/2017 11:45

What would you think if you did the only thing you could do to show you were scared and upset, which was to cry, and I just did it again to the other side of your body anyway?

DeleteOrDecay · 01/12/2017 11:45

But atleast have the balls to admit that you don't care that you caused pain to your child purely for vanity.

This. There's really no skirting around it, it hurts. Some babies will cry, some won't, but a needle through the skin is bound to cause pain to some extent.

Lots of denial going on on this thread.

Username7654321 · 01/12/2017 11:47

Sugared, you also say "knocking the lobes didn't really bother me that much"

Which means that they did bother you somewhat. This was probably lessened by the fact that you knew what the pain was, why it was there, and the fact you wanted them.

A baby doesn't have that ability of understanding or acceptance when they feel burning / heat / pain.

OP posts:
DioneTheDiabolist · 01/12/2017 12:30

It doesn't need to be a crime to report it to SS. Surely if you think a parent is cruel and abusive, it warrants investigation.

QueenUnicorn · 01/12/2017 12:33

I'm sorry to be rude but is it really that much of a deal? How many times a day does a child hurt itself?
???? So we can hurt babies because they hurt themselves?
People are causing babies pain for jewelry. It is what it is. Some people are OK with causing their baby pain for jewelry, so people see it for what it is.

Yes it's been done for years, back to times when people were burned at the stake and gladiators were around.....

Rebeccaslicker · 01/12/2017 12:33

Yes Dione, I'm sure the total strangers in Claire's accessories are going to hand over their names and addresses for a full report to be made. Well done for reiterating your brilliant point...!

EMSMUM16 · 01/12/2017 12:50

"So what do anti-piercers make of cultural scarification on children? Especially scars made on their faces. Is it the same as penile mutilations and ear piercings ?"

?? Is this a serious response?? Obv that would not be legal.
I predict that the age of being able to get your ears pierced will go up to an age where someone can make a proper informed decision AND be able to independently do the aftercare - its just a matter of time.

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