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. :)

The OP is clearly going to do it.
Most of us wouldn't do it, but will allow our daughters to do it if they want to at some point.
Most of us will think the baby looks ridiculous. The OP may love it precisely because it is a statement against the rest of us. Or she may genuinely like the way it looks.
In the end, it won't do irreparable harm and the child can grow up fine.

I should have it done immediately after birth. That way they won't know anything about it, can't fiddle, and will look lovely.

I had mine done as a toddler, never bothered me in the slightest.

And you remember that clearly, do you, msbumble?

What a ridiculous post.

Please please dont do this- it is cruel to inflict deliberate unnecessary pain- plus it looks terrible on small children

I think you should wait until the child is old enough to express an interest in wanting it done and can take good care of the piercing themselves. Ideally, the later the better.

Having said that as a 3 year old (I kid you not) I begged and begged and begged my Mum incessantly until she finally relented on the condition that I was not allowed to cry when I got it done (obviously she had warned me how much it would hurt). Mum still remembers the look on my face when I had it done, apparently I pursed my lips and steadfastly refused to cry. The memory of the whole thing is quite clear in my mind and I don't remember it hurting that much if I'm honest. Mum still finds the whole episode hilarious (mainly because it shows how stubborn I was from a very young age!).

I would wait til she asks and not make her wait long after, I was made to wait years, from when I was about 4 until I was 11 and about to start secondary school and then when I was 13 I pierced my own ears 4 time's and when I was 16- 18 I got lots of alternative piercings though none on my face :p not saying that's a bad thing, I still like the piercings but in hindsight piercing my own ears was a bit of an infection risk and I was probably fueled by a. money and b. not wanting to wait longer than 2 seconds :p

How lovely.

I was late at 3 and howled the shop down, my sister was 18 months, I howled the shop down for her, she wasn't bothered. My cousin 9 months, crying lasted a minute or 2. My daughter was 2, tears again lasted a minute or 2. None of us had any problems with infections etc from fiddling. IMO there is less chance of infection when they are little as the parent is in charge of aftercare. When it is left for the older child to manage their own aftercare there is a higher chance of infection as they don't always clean regularly or for long enough.

That's ok then.

Pierce at birth as I said

BUT WHY

WHY HOLE-PUNCH YOUR CHILD'S EARS???

Think about it. The child looks at you, 'why have you done that, Mum?'

What answer do you give that would mean diddly squat to a child ?

Interesting post Princess. I think, if you really want to do this, you must talk seriously with your GP and follow what they advise. I'm wondering if you are part of the traveller community because, as you've probably discovered by your post, not many folks will share your view that ear-piercing a baby is acceptable. Your choice somewhat conflicts with mainstream views so you must be aware that this unconventional decision will probably single you and your daughter out in real life too. Good luck with whatever you decide.

16. Let her choose for herself.

She had them done but now chooses not to wear earrings at all.

I just don't like the idea that you 'do' decorative things to anyone else's body, I think it ought to be a personal decision.

Sorry that's not what you wanted to hear OP it's just my firmly held belief.

It should be banned for under 11/12's... It's barbaric. (And looks shit.)

It's cruel and selfish until the child can decide for itself,and have an understanding about what is involved.

I am x always very about the hysteria over this on mn. Don't get me wrong for my own dds the summer hols after year 6 is the earliest.

But in the grand scheme of things really?

When they can choose for themselves. My DD was 7, as were lots of her friends. One poor little girl in her class who was desperate to have her ears pierced had to wait until her 10th birthday.

Calm down people!
My DD had hers pierced at 7.5yo. She had been asking for c18 months, and a fair number if her friends had had it done.

DD, who is a total wimp about pain, said it hardly hurt, she's been great re cleaning them with my support, and they actually look nice tbh.

I'm not one for babies getting piercings, but there's an awful lot of scaremongering and hysteria on this thread.

Why don't you skip over to Nethuns, you may get a more balanced debate over there, they are more chavvy open minded!

Pierced ears on babies looks common and will label you as a certain type of person. If you want to be seen as classy or sophisticated or educated then don't do it. Otherwise you will be seen as the very opposite.

toby, Mumsnet would be a pretty empty forum if we banned every topic that didn't cut it in the grand scheme of things

monkey, I salute you for being honest enough to say what the rest of us have been too coy to say ourselves

Pierced ears look shit on babies and small children. Hope this helps.

I had it done for my DD when she was 2 weeks old. It's per tradition & we were in another country where it's quite routine. Simple gold wire, hand piercing. She didn't cry much, just a couple of minute & didn't fidget either. It healed in 2-3 days & I was able to put gold hoops which she's had for 7 years. Infact I never took them off until the school requested removing for swimming last year. Doing it early is definitely less problematic.

It's common here to allow DD's to do it in the Summer holidays between primary and secondary. A sort of rite of passage.

My DD is now 14 and refuses!

She likes to be different .