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Original poster

Just saw a 4 month old baby get her ears pierced - why????

216 replies

TambaTheDragonSlayer · 18/01/2006 15:48

Why on earth would you get your babies ears pierced???

Woman walks into Claires Acessories with her 16 week old baby and asks how old they have to be to get her ears done. Answer 4 months but must have had her jabs. Ok mom replies, lets do it.

Poor screaming baby has pain inflicted on her uneccesarily so mum can show off her oh so fashoinable baby.

Why????

I was so [shocked]

I could never cause my baby undue pain and discomfort. What makes people do this??

OP posts:
Hattie05 · 18/01/2006 19:05

Mercy and Custardo

Do your comments imply that your babies have pierced ears?

Blossomhill · 18/01/2006 19:08

Mercy - they are babies fgs not ornaments!

spykid · 18/01/2006 19:08

makes me
inflicting pain and looking trashy, nice combo

charliecat · 18/01/2006 19:11

Looks awful and why it would occur to a mum to want to do it to a 16 week old baby is beyond me...hmm...wonder what claires would say if I went in with a borrowed baby asking for its nose to be pierced lol

FrannytheQuinoaEater · 18/01/2006 19:19

Personally I don't think it should be allowed until the child is old enough to give consent. I don't have a problem with piercings and tattoos etc, it's a matter of personal choice, but I think the person having them should at least have a say in the matter.

spykid · 18/01/2006 19:20

Here here

MerlinsBeard · 18/01/2006 19:28

i agree with teh consent thing. I would never ever pierce my children (if i had girls that is!). I'm not adverse to piercings, i have my own ears done and my belly button but imo it look shorrible.

I can't believe that someone would pierce a babies ears never mind the mothers wanting it done in the first place!

makes me and that inflicting pain is seen as ok

and yes i disagree with circumsicion too

serenity · 18/01/2006 19:29

This is another one of those subjects on MN I'm afraid.

I personally wouldn't pierce DD's ears that young, I'll let her choose to make that decision herself. However, I think saying it's disgusting (and common? oh please!) is a bit of an overreaction. Seriously, don't you think the assumption that someone who pierces their babies ears would then go on to tatto them is just a teeny bit silly?

Nike hair swoosh? It'll grow out in a couple of weeks calm down, probably just as valid a statement as dressing your child in nothing but mini boden, gap etc....... neither of which is my cup of tea tbh.

Hulababy · 18/01/2006 19:34

I don't like it and I do think it is cruel to inflict pain on such a little baby.

I had my ears done just before Christmas and have to say that actually it DID sting/hurt - 3yo DD was with me and vowed she would have hers done only when she was 100! And what about the looking after - I had enough to do when DD was a baby to be messing about cleaning earrings and twisting them every so often each day so they didn't heal up.

IMO jewellry is for older teens/adults, not children. Babies and youngchildren are beautiful just as they are.

munz · 18/01/2006 19:40

lol hotmama - trust me my girls (if I have any) will be getting taken to the shop by me when they ask or are at least 10, I chose to get mine done at 10, and mum reluctantly agreed, but it was my choice, I had to be responsible for them. so my girls will be the same if they want it done they'll look after them theirselves. DH still likes the look - but it's one thing i'm not going to budge with. don't think MIL would seriously get them done tbh, irt's just she think's it looks cute.

Roobie · 18/01/2006 19:43

Never mind the question of taste/desirability -what about practically? Surely a small baby crawling around is at risk of yanking one of the things out or getting it caught on something?

munz · 18/01/2006 19:44

well quite esp if they're little creoles. can't be good.

Mercy · 18/01/2006 20:02

HattieO5, see my post of 4.01.p.m, The answer is no. my dd has not had her ears pierced (she is 4.9)

Roobie, studs are used for babies, I would have thought not much chance of them being pulled out.

I was trying to point out there are different reasons for piercing in other cultures.

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 18/01/2006 20:06

I have to smile at threads like this.

With most things on mn "Cultural" differences are "ok" - and if you try to suggest otherwise you're set on by a pack of virtual hounds.

As has already been mentioned in some parts of the world (interesting common in countries where attachment parenting is the "norm") it's a cultural thing. And circumsision is both religious and cultural.

Why can we not just accept this?

FWIW - no I don't particularly like seeing babies ears pierced, but I don't stand and make sweeping judgements about the reasoning behind it unless I know the family concerned.

SnowmAngeliz · 18/01/2006 20:10

My sister used to work in Claires Accessories and i avoided the place after seeing a woman getting her baby's ears periced, the woman was standing behind giggling with her hand over her mouth while the baby suffered absolutely needlesly.

I find it disgusting and think it should be illegal.

You shouldn't smack parents but feel free to mutilate!!???

SnowmAngeliz · 18/01/2006 20:12

My sister had an HOURS training to do this btw. They have a system in place where one member of staff stands either side and shoots the gun at the same time because it's less TRAUMATIC foir the baby!

hotmama · 18/01/2006 20:17

Sorry, IMO the cultural argument is a cop out! If you are going to pierce a child's ears then they should be old enough to understand that:

  1. It is going to hurt,
  2. They have to be responsible for the hygiene issues (I can remember having to dab on dettol)
  3. They want to have them done.

I don't think many 16 week olds fall into this group.

I was 11 - and had to beg my mum.

at that mum laughing in Claire's Accessories - sick cow!

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 18/01/2006 20:20

why should the cultural issue be a cop out???

munz · 18/01/2006 20:22

SA that's discusting, perhaps the issue is also with claires policy??

hotmama · 18/01/2006 20:24

I think people use it as an excuse not to challenge practices that some see as wrong. I know it is not the same thing but imo female circumcision and male circumcision (come to that) are 'wrong' just because they are accepted practices in some cultures doesn't mean they are right.

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 18/01/2006 20:25

sorry - I know this is "off topic" - but just been looking at info about ear piercing on Wilkipedia and found the Hanky Code ! You learn something knew everyday LOL.

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 18/01/2006 20:27

Are you serious - comparing male and female circumsision?? They are worlds apart - and even in cultures where both are practiced female circumsision is stamped out (perhaps not as quickly as we might hope it is - but the 'popularity' is dying down).

hotmama · 18/01/2006 20:27

LOL - that is funny. The stuff you can find on the net.

fuzzywuzzy · 18/01/2006 20:29

female circumcision cannot compare to male circumcision, it's more like female genital mutilation, women tend to lose sensation and everything, not the case with men who are circumcised..... And it's a world away from ear piercings....

hotmama · 18/01/2006 20:29

I purposely said I wasn't making a comparision with circumcision per se. Just using it as an example of a cultural practice that is 'common' but not necessarily 'right' - just my opinion.