Would You pierce Your Babies Ears?

[jellybrain]

There was a phone in on Radio 2 at lunchtime asking the above question. A woman had been in a shop and seen a parent holding down a clearly terrified child (6 months or so) who was having her ears pierced, she was quite justifiably horrified. Those in favour argued their babies looked cute. One woman said her daughter had very little hair and people mistook her for a boy (she had ears pierced at 2) er whats wrong with a dress, something pink or just girls clothes if you're that concerned?
As you can probably guess I am against it babies and toddlers can't give their consent. It made me mad to hear parents saying that their dds looked cute or really pretty . Yes babies are cute but, they aren't fashion accessories . Of course there is a safety risk too.
Ok rant done over to you lot now.

Rachel, female circumcision is mutilation with long lasting effects. I've worked as a nurse in gynae and have seen women needing ERPC's (where a suction catheter is passed via the cervix into the uterus to remove embyonic remains after a miscarriage) the surgeons have struggled to perform this operation as the woman's vagina has often been stitched so tight that they can barely pee.

Sorry to be so graphic, but you can in no way comapre ear piercing to female circumcision.

i dont think the child is permanantly damaged and i dont think the asking their permission or opinion argument holds up either - you dont ask them what clothes they woudl like - what food they would like etc etc. you just buy what you think is nice or right for them.

i didn't do it. becuae i personally dont think its a thing for babies but more a thing for 8 year olds junior school age.

but i dont think its mental or physical long lasting abuse and i am not horrified when i see a baby with earrings.

Hunker,

why would they get them ripped out at school?

but its not a class thing, its just that they look bloody ugly, imo! I know doctors with foul taste, I'm sure they'd consider having their kids ears pierced.

Whatever clothes you choose for them, they're not painful and don't leave a hole in their ears. And there's no risk of infection. And they have to wear clothes, they don't have to get their ears pieced.

Its not female circumcision, but I can see the analogy-its unecessary pain with (however small) risk of complications.

it really annoys me thats its seen by some people as ok for an asian/african child, but not for a white child? surely if you hate earrings on babies, its for the same reasons wether the child is asian/african/white?

Oh, no reason, no that's never happened, excuse me, it's not possible for an earring to get caught on a jumper or fellow classmate and be ripped out, of course it isn't.

Noooooo

Years ago whilst in ' Claires Accessories' I witnessed some parents trying to have their ears pierced of a tiny newborn. The poor little might was wiggling around on her mums lap with some 18 year old girl hovring above her with a gold ear studd saying "Well, this is the smalles one we've got but it's going to cover her whole ear.".

I have always regretted not saying something.

Surely putting a whole into a baby that will likely be more painful than a small burn or cut should be as illegal as that, even though the intentions aren't cruelly motivated.

yeah, actually, I agree, it should be illegal to do any piercings under say 8 or 9. Certainly not tiny babies.

Suprised how strongly I feel about this. I really think its wrong.

the pain isn't that much imo. and completely over dramatised.

i know they have to wear clothes - its the choice argument i was refering to when making that analogy.

yes there is a risk of infection but small. and can be cured.

i dont think there is anything wrong with holes int he ears.

who said it was a class thing? i missed that post.

Nope. Don't like the look of it and don't like the idea of inflicting unnecessary pain.

theres a blog on it here. sensible advice from a guru i trust \link{http://blog.myspace.com/theperfectparent\genie}

Custy...

pmsl at Custy and the blog!

Here in the U.S.A. pediaticians pierce babies ears. They advise before 6 months or not till they are about 10. Have just allowed 10 year old daughter to get it done ( not sure I think it was a good idea, but its done now) they pierced both ears at the same time - which worked pretty well for us.

no I wouldnt.

ive come on here for some company, its the only thread with action and no i wouldnt its a bit east end aint it?

east end?

Which parts do you come from lanismum?

east end of london

There you go then, you will know all about baby girls and ear piercings, very east end.

but its ok for all the asian baby girls in bethnal green

aah Bethnal Green, how i miss the bus fumes and the broken pavements. Sniff, getting a bit more up market now and I aint talking about the Roman.

hoxton?

have you lived there all your life?

yup, you?