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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Poor wee screaming baby forced to get her ears pierced!

208 replies

Rumpel · 09/11/2007 20:26

I heard a wee baby screaming today and passed by Claire's shitey accessories to see a LO of about 12 months, bright red and hysterical having her ears pierced whilst her Mother just stood like a doughball watching. It made me red and and very, very sad.

I think piercing babies ears should be outlawed in this country. No freedom of choice for baby is there?

Not because I think it is chavy (which I do) but because it is not the child's choice, they have more chance of infection, scarring, tearing, hole closing up etc.

The more times you get your ears pierced = the more scar tissue= more complications. I had a client once whose lobes were split into 3 different pieces because of this - please I implore you - let it be your child's choice.

OP posts:
mummyofgirls · 20/11/2007 21:48

Rhubarb hun - whether you agree with a particular vaccine or not, any parent giving their child a vaccination is doing so becasue they believe that it is the best interest of the child, medically. Ear piercing in small children is for cosmetic reasons only, not for medical intention and that's why I think you cannot compare!

mummyofgirls · 20/11/2007 21:48

Rhubarb hun - whether you agree with a particular vaccine or not, any parent giving their child a vaccination is doing so becasue they believe that it is the best interest of the child, medically. Ear piercing in small children is for cosmetic reasons only, not for medical intention and that's why I think you cannot compare!

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 21:48

They do look common.

But when I was in France it was normal. If you had raised your objections there you'd be looked at as if you'd lost your senses. But then they still give painkillers in suppository form for bloody everything - even for kids! Yuk!

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 21:49

But hunny hun, some mums will dress their kids up in Christmas pud costumes this year because they think it looks cute. I think that is a damnsight more cruel than putting shiny things in their ears.

Pain or no pain.

Lazarou · 20/11/2007 21:50

How the earrings look is not the issue for me, it's the fact that a mother would stand by while some bored schoolgirl with a saturday job in claires accessories sticks pins in her distressed child.

oliveoil · 20/11/2007 21:50

I think it is the norm in Spain too

I will still stand in judgement

off to bed now due to old age

x

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 21:50

Doubt it would be a schoolgirl, but hey ho.

paolosgirl · 20/11/2007 21:51

I think that's the point I'm trying to make. The whole vaccination thing comes down to parents researching the whole issue carefully and making a choice about whether or not they feel that the available information is compelling enough for them, for the good of the child's health. Speaking as someone who had meningitis as a child, and who is now partially deaf I wish I'd been lucky enough to have been vaccinated, as it might have been the right strain to have protected me.

There doesn't appear to be the same level of thought or consideration given re piercing. "It looks nice". WTF????

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 21:51

Aye OO, some mum from Spain got a roasting on this very thread for daring to put forward the opposting viewpoint.

Shame we can't all just live and let live.

huggies?

mummyofgirls · 20/11/2007 21:55

Sign the petiton though ehh?

paolosgirl · 20/11/2007 21:56

Go onnnnnnnnnnnn, Rhubarb

I'll sign your one banning kids from wearing Christmas pud outfits

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 21:57

Errrrr, dunno.

I think there are bigger issues to tackle, like child abuse, poverty, etc.

Lovely chatting to you though!

Lazarou · 20/11/2007 21:57

Yeah, who gives a toss, let's talk about porn.....

mummyofgirls · 20/11/2007 21:57

me too.............in fact I'll start it for you!

paolosgirl · 20/11/2007 21:58

Rhubarb What ARE you doing over there?!

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 21:59

Where? Over where? Porn?

Lazarou · 20/11/2007 22:00

I like it, and you?

Rhubarb · 20/11/2007 22:05

Can't see nuttin'

emjhill · 21/11/2007 09:28

Lazarou

TBH im not sure why i gave in!! i think we call so many xpats out here for not taking in the spanish way of life learning the language etc etc my children are in spanish schools and i am learning etc and when i had my little girl (who is classed as spanish) i just thought am i being abit hypicritcal? she would have turned out the only little spanish girl in her class without her ears peirce and i know its a long way off but bullying is something i think a fair bit about! also i didnt want to spend the whole time trying to explain that in the uk its not the thing to do untill they are older! its strange if i was in the uk i wouldnt have even given it a second thought as i did think it looked really common (hence why i have got her almost invisable tiny tiny diamond studs) but i do think she looks pretty now and not at all common (maybe down to the stud size and not draping her in 10 gold chains and tracksuits!?!)
Injections is one thing most deffo! I would give my child 10000 injections if it meant there health being protected! MMR inc!!

mummyofgirls · 21/11/2007 09:52

Lazarou - thanks for this. Although I don't agree with ear piercing in young children, I think your posts ad really good perspective to this discussion. Do you mind if I ask how the midwife pierced your DD's ears if it didn't appear to hurt? With a needle or gun? Did she use any numbing gel or anything like that? How did you keep her still?!

mummyofgirls · 21/11/2007 09:53

I mean emjhill - sorry!

MadamePlatypus · 21/11/2007 11:22

Hindus have an ear-piercing ceremony for babies in their first year (Karnavedha). I think that wearing ear rings is supposed to give acupunctural benefits.

I wouldn't have my daughter or my son's ears pierced because I don't think it looks cute, and, knowing them, it would be highly likely that they would have some kind of earring related accident. However, I think you have to recognise that for some people it really is culturally and religiously important.

emjhill · 21/11/2007 14:25

Hi mummyofgirls

she used a peircing gun so was over very quickly and used a numbing cream (the same like when you have an injection in your hand and they cover it with a clear plaster) she put it on when we first got to te clinic and then did my check up and checked up on grace then when she was about to do it grace had fallen asleep she did it with the gun and grace only woke when she was doing the 2nd ear! and i think that was down to the noise! and if im honest me jumping alittle!! grace just looked up at us! (i was holding her) i really dont think it hurt her im not a mean mum i would NEVER want my children in pain on purpose but was assured by the MW and alot of my friends that have little girls that they acted the same way when theres were done (we have one very old matron (mw) here that has been in the vilage for about a million yrs) so has done alot of my friends little girls that are in my 4yr old boys class!
Sorry for rambling!!!

mummyofgirls · 22/11/2007 08:55

emjhill - that's interesting thanks!

Emprexia · 22/11/2007 10:00

onebat - i'm still waiting to know what you think tongue piercings mean.