Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Peircing babies ears- how young?

138 replies

kayjaybabe · 21/01/2012 12:58

i want to get my DDs ears peirced she is 5 weeks old but conicidently today was my due date (5 weeks premi) im not sure if that makes a difference.

What age do you normally get their ears peirced? As i dont want to do it when she is too young but i dont want to leave it to late as the later the more painfull for her!! :)

OP posts:
SuchFunSuchFun · 21/01/2012 13:57

I would say to anyone thinking of having it done, at least wait until they have had their first lot of jabs. The anguished howls created from something (IMO) necessary might make you think again.

I nearly cried when DD had her jabs :(

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 21/01/2012 14:04

Kayjaybabe - to answer your question seriously, I would not consider getting a child's ears pierced until they were at least 11 years old. A baby honestly doesn't need their ears pierced - they are utterly beautiful just as they are, with lovely, flawless skin, and it should stay that way for as long as possible, I believe.

There are some very real downsides to a baby having their ears pierced - firstly, I know it's obvious, but it will HURT your baby, and you will have to care for the piercings as they heal - putting on antiseptic and turning the studs/sleepers, and that will hurt too. I had to hold my first baby whilst the doctor tried to take a blood sample from him, and he was screaming in pain and struggling - and let me tell you, it was a horrible experience for both of us. I had to do that to my baby, for the sake of his health, but you don't need to inflict this pain on your baby.

Secondly - as someone has already said, studs/earrings can be hazardous when children are playing - if it gets caught on something, or another child accidentally grabs hold of it, it could tear right through your dd's earlobe. This would be a serious wound that would require stitching up - and that would be horrible for you and especially for your little one - the doctor would have to numb the area with local anaesthetic, and that would be bloody painful for your child, until the numbing took effect - and when it wore off, your child would be very sore until it healed, and would probably have a nasty scar on her earlobe.

To be honest, as I have said, babies are beautiful just as they are, and you can dress them up in lovely outfits if you want to adorn them even more - you really don't need to put jewellry on a tiny baby.

And think of this - if you wait until your dd is older, it will be something that you and she can go and do together - something you can share - you supporting her whilst she has it done, and then helping her to choose her first earrings. It might sound a bit weird to say this of something that involves pain, but it could be a special occasion for the two of you.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 21/01/2012 14:27

When it comes to making holes in babies then the cultural argument is a load of old toffee. Just something people use to justify it. Doesn't make you any less stupid than those who do it so babba can wear giant gold hoops before her first birthday.

Mummyinthedark · 21/01/2012 14:51

I can't believe all the sniffy outrage here.

Surely, surely the OP just has troll written all over it?

Jog on, everyone (although mildy amusing)

ameliagrey · 21/01/2012 16:10

Kayjay you really need to brush up on your spelling and use a few full stops in your posts. Are you meaning to write in "text speak"?

duchesse · 21/01/2012 16:16

OP- in short, never. Certainly not before the age of 16.

ragged · 21/01/2012 16:16

I only clicked to watch the Bunfight.
Don't really care what OP does.
Popcorn anyone?

CupOfBrownJoy · 21/01/2012 16:50

ameliagrey posts like that add nothing...

ameliagrey · 21/01/2012 18:05

cup
Oh touchy!

If someone wants me to comment on their post, I don't want to have to try to decipher their English first.

Ample · 21/01/2012 18:19

Teens. My dd would have to be around that age (assuming she will want to).

I'm Grin at I no alot of mother that have got their childs ears pierced early.
I think that says so much, OP.

MollieO · 21/01/2012 18:23

I was tempted to post - don't do things you can't spell Grin but refrained as I thought it was a bit rude.

Not sure OP is a troll but it does seem a bit misguided. Her later post saying that she hadn't said it was ok is in contrast to her OP saying that she didn't want to leave it until it is too late. Clearly thinking about doing it soon as if not why ask now if the plan is to wait until her dd is 13 years (which is when I did it for a bet with my dad and when my found out she was furious!).

MollieO · 21/01/2012 18:24

should have written 'when my mum found out'

Gingefringe · 21/01/2012 18:27

Agree that this is a troll - surely the spelling and grammar give that away!!

zeeboo · 21/01/2012 18:28

Ear piercing on babies. Never.

And know is spelt know. No is spelt no. They aren't the same word.

trixymalixy · 21/01/2012 18:32
  1. Years, not months.
cheesesarnie · 21/01/2012 18:35

dd begged for years to have her ears peirced-'all my friends have them done etc'.
when she was 11 i let her because she could care for them herself.she has been ott careful.

but on babies-no!i felt bad enough letting dd get holes punched in her ears aged 11,i couldnt imagine doing it because i liked the look of it and she was too young to care!

LydiaWickham · 21/01/2012 18:38

Just don't. Look, you might know other people who've done it to their child, and you might come from a family where earrings on a small child are accepted, but, to the wider community, it looks common. It looks like you put appearance ahead of your child's wellbeing.

You might not be, so think about why you would consider this to be a good idea? Why does she need her ears pierced? It will hurt. Wait to see if she actually wants them done (I know a couple of adult woman who never felt the need)

I had mine done as an 11th birthday gift, old enough to take care of them myself and be past the rough and tumble playing where they could get ripped, but fully healed before 'big school'.

Verso · 21/01/2012 18:41

Definitely a troll. Now kicking myself for even clicking on the link! tsk

suebfg · 21/01/2012 20:12

Is this a joke?

Littlepumpkinpie · 21/01/2012 20:34

As a mum my DD asked for hers to be done when she was five or six. I refused her request at such a young age and told her that she would not be able to go to swimming and Taekwondo for eight weeks while they healed. I told her to wait untill she was a little older. Once she turned 11 I let her have them done.

NannyPlumIsMyMum · 21/01/2012 21:18

Ooh no sorry.
Babies are beautiful . Without earrings .

FunnysInTheGarden · 21/01/2012 22:31

OP is not a troll, just a young mum. You only need to do an advanced search to know that.

cheesesarnie · 21/01/2012 22:45

no matter what age the mum-piercing babies is is wrong.

suebfg · 22/01/2012 06:31

Well, it's beyond tackiness to have a young child's ears pierced - you may as well put a big banner up above your head saying 'chav mum'.

joshop · 22/01/2012 08:37

So, any objections to me getting ds's nose and eyebrows pierced? He'd look so cute with a little mohican too! I was also wondering about a tattoo with 'mum' on it but dh is insistent it should say 'dad'. And before you all get on your high horses, he is nearly 4 months old now.