When to pierce your child's ears?

[PrincessBabyCat]

If you have kids with pierced ears when did you pierce them? Did it cause any problems?

We want to pierce our baby's ears maybe at 4 months so she doesn't play with the earrings and cause an infection, and has had a couple rounds of vaccines.

Doctors have recommended waiting until at least a month, but it might be difficult if she can't hold her head up. We're currently playing with the pros and cons of when to do it. I had them done at 4 years old but I kept fidgeting with them and it caused some problems, my cousins that did it at 6 months were all fine.

I'm not particularly interested in a moral debate on this, more a practical weigh in. Thanks. :)

I let DD when she was 11 and old enough to do the aftercare and understand that she couldn't get them caught on things while playing out and old enough to understand that it would hurt.

Why is it a cultural thing? I remember reading that hundreds of years ago sailors wore an earring to cover the cost of their funeral.

So, what is the cultural reason?

Ears are still growing until the child is 11, so if you have ears pierced as a baby the hole may end up too low in the lobe. So, fork practice reasons ears shouldn't be pierced younger, but it depends how fussy you are.

Sorry but I'm with everyone else here. Earrings on babies is awful. She can have them when she is old enough to want it.

I just remember being in Claire's accessories watching a months old baby have it done. They'd managed one. She was sobbing her heart out. Why would you deliberately inflict pain on such a small child? You wouldn't let a doctor unnecessarily stick needles in her!
Neither of my girls will be having it before they leave primary school.

Why can't you wait and see IF your child wants her ears pierced?

Haven't a clue. I was just being an arse.

in Spain it's a cultural thing to do them at birth, you won't see a girl without them and if you do everyone will think they're a boy, even in bright pink dresses sometimes!

I don't see why people are shooting you down, you obviously want to do it, there's no point, you've decided you want to. I considered it a while back before pregnancy and decided that I wouldn't unless I was living in Spain, for some of the reasons mentioned by others. But I would do it earlier rather than later so they don't play with them if I were you, or wait until they are old enough to ask for it.

Of course it's a cultural thing. It's just so popular in some cultures, it's the no and any baby without pierced ears will be presumed to be a boy.

Ah, sorry should give some background (and this is really all I'm going to say on a moral front). For my husband it's a cultural thing, my family just does it so they're spared from remembering the pain. Also, babies will get them done at once and sometimes with numbing agents, which is better than when they're older and get one at a time with just rubbing alcohol. None of my cousins have felt upset about it and still love wearing earrings. I wasn't traumatized either, nor did I wish they were never done. My mom made me wait even though I badly wanted them, and I wish they had just done them earlier. Earrings just aren't a big deal in our area or in either our families.

We're not from the UK, the schools here only have the rule no hoops, but studs are fine. I'm not sure I want to make her wait until 10/11 as that's sort of late in the game. If we don't do it as a baby, is that really the next best mature age where they will be able to take care of them?

It's bad enough taking your child to have a vaccination, let alone something like an ear-piercing which is totally unnecessary. It hurts and makes them cry and looks awful on a baby. Also, they often rub their ears when they're tired, or get their fingers tangled up in the earring so it tugs - that can cause unnecessary pain too!.

Wait until she is old enough to decide for herself.

When I had mine done at 15, the jeweller had a rule that he wouldn't pierce anyone under the age of 15. My own daughter was 13 or 14, I think, and we discussed it at length.

My personal view is that it is actually child abuse on a baby so young. Controversial view that clearly not everyone will agree with, but it is what I think.

My daughter has never mentioned it, but I dont think anyone in her class or year have them done. If she was keen, I'd probably aim to wait until at least secondary level and probably 13.
It is a cultural thing. In some areas all the girls seem to have it done and want them done. In some areas, girls seems to wear big hoop earrings or aspire to that.
In other areas, its no earrings or a small pair of studs or pearls. People like to fit in with their peers. It's all just another form of being in a 'tribe'.

Sorry - x-post there.

you should wait until the child is old enough to decide if they want a hole in there ear

I think 10+

I also want to take my DD to a piercing studio if and when she wants her ears pierced. Now I know about the issues with piercing guns, there's no way I'm letting one near my child.

Aren't you the ear cancer poster?

Aren't you the ear cancer poster?

Yes, and the mods have already scolded me, worry not.

So so wrong... Please don't do this to your child.

10 ish (years not months)

It's bad enough taking your child to have a vaccination

...

.... I'm just going to go ask my family... I can see we're not going to see eye to eye on this.

We'll have to discuss it more with each other. Thanks for your thoughts.

Well, I'd wait until someone is in their teens personally for these reasons...

It gives them the choice.
As mentioned previously, if your baby sleeps on their back and is sick, much of it will end up in / around the ears which could lead to infection.
It would be uncomfortable for the baby when sleeping with their head on one side and I wouldn't want to risk it interfering with sleep or causing discomfort.
Avoids the risk of the earrings getting caught and pulled and causing pain when playing as a child or fighting and then needing to be re-pierced or risking scar tissue.
If they decide to have the piercing when more mature, they can go to a proper piercing studio and get it done with a needle and BCRs rather than a gun and studs (much less chance of infection, easier to maintain and a more pleasant experience).
Gives them a chance to remember the experience - piercing, when done properly, can be an enjoyable experience.
Gives them a chance to be part of the experience and understand the cultural, social and historical elements (if they're interested - I certainly was and have enjoyed all my piercing and tattooing as they have commemorated important events in my life and I planned and arranged them all myself).

Just my opinion of course but hope some of it may be useful in helping you decide.

Just because they don't remember the pain doesn't mean they don't feel the pain.

16 seems good to me

I don't believe in ' it's a cultural thing'.

It's horrible and tacky.