Ear piercing for 6 to 9 months old daughter

[blueblackdye]

I'd like to have my daughter's ears pierced between 6 and 9 months of age. Could anyone recommend where to go in Cental London ?

DoctorAngee -- the phrase 'IMO' (or 'to me') should be used in all cases where pronouncements about how something looks are being made. 'Tacky' is in the eye of the beholder.

'Scarred' -- are you talking about emotional or physical scarring, Fuckity?

Some people here would have an apoplectic fit if they visited any parts of the world where people of hispanic heritage live, including large areas of the US.

Go to a professional piercer who has had the necessary training and knowledge of anatomy and blood borne pathogens. And they use a needle not an unhygienic gun.

Good luck with that never gonna find one that will do such a thing to small children and for good reason

Absolutely mathsanxiety. As stated in my previous post we were considered VERY odd for not getting DDs ears pierced at birth, when living elsewhere. Also for not shaving her head (to encourage hair growth)

What we consider normal/abnormal is very culturally defined.

I just cannot resist [deeeeeep sigh] -
missbopeep Southern Europe is in the Northern hemisphere.
Ignorance can be remedied, but as for your profoundly racist, if ignorant, comment . Many people do not seem especially civilised in this thread.

The fact that this is in Style and Beauty suggests to me that the OP was not looking at it for cultural reasons. Happy to be corrected.

OP, it is neither stylish or beautiful, to pierce your tiny baby.

I had issues having mine done as a teenager, non of which stemmed from bad pierce hygiene, the idea of inflicting that on someone so small, awful.

It doesn't hurt the baby less if its culturally acceptable.

Dd1 hasn't asked for earrings because none of her friends have them (thankfully). I'm not allowing it until secondary school (less playgrounds) and if her dad ever got it done without my consent so help me god I will kill him.

Female circumcision (and male, also an unnecessary abuse of a child) is considered culturally normal in some places, doesn't mean I'm going to direct you how to get it done.

It's at best ignorant to draw parallels with ear piercing and female circumcision.

There is some unpleasant casual racism/ xenophobia on this thread.

It's not ignorant to draw parallels actually. One is obviously far worse, but both involve mutilating your baby for no reason, without their consent.

Why are you so invested in promoting this?

Having or not having a child's ears pierced is really a tiny decision and a tiny part of the overall job of raising a child. It is often culturally normal. There isn't a parallel with FGM. The risks from ear piercing are small, there are not long term health and functioning.

Many people in other cultures would see normal aspects of child rearing in this country as being harmful or unkind to children. For example, sending them to bed alone, eating separate meals, being kept indoors under close supervision all day.

Some of the things I have read on this thread have genuinely nauseated me.

Whether it is culturally normalised or not, it comes down to the same thing; punching holes in your baby for the sake of aesthetics. And whatever way I look at it, that is a shit thing to do.

And, yes, maybe the risks are small, but I'm not in the business of taking unecessary risks with my babies.

Hugely accepted and expected in Eastern Europe too.

DH's grandparents still keep asking when we are going to get 2yr old DD's ear's pierced, despite me saying never. All his nieces and cousins have theirs pierced at a couple of months old and I've never seen any of them suffer infection or ripping of ears, I think they use tiny hoops so avoid sleepers.

It's not abuse and I've never seen any problem with it. It most certainly cannot be compared to female circumcision or other horrendous things done in the name of 'culture'

In this country it's seen as chavvy and unacceptable, people fuel each other up and wind each other up about it. Each to their own. As poster's who have had it done are stating it really hasn't caused them any issues what so ever in life.

here, here, FlowerBloom I couldn't agree more with you - some of the child rearing practises we adopt in this country are totally against other cultures believes.

What about parents who don't let their children play and get dirty for aesthetic reasons? Or make them wear restrictive clothes, which my opinion means any kind of dress rather than trousers or shorts. Or grow their daughter's hair long, even though it means agonising detangling? Parents do make all kinds of decisions for aesthetic reasons, many of which are not in the child's interests in the least, but which for widely accepted where ear piercing here is not.

missbopeep What do you mean "more civilised"? Agree re casual racism on this thread.

There is some unpleasant casual racism/ xenophobia on this thread.

If by that you mean that people aren't bending over backwards to sing the praises of ridiculous 'cultural' practices then you need to head to the dictionary to check your definition of the above terms.

some of the child rearing practises we adopt in this country are totally against other cultures believes.

It's not like choosing to co-sleep or formula feed or send your child to nursery. It's about inflicting pain for no reason other to improve the way that a small baby looks. However you dress it up, it's unnecessary.

Well, I'm glad you have the confidence to call every single in parent in South America, Italy, Spain, the Carribean etc, etc, 'wrong'. Seems a bit unlikely to me but there you go...

My little girl wears comfortable clothes, comes home from the park covered in mud and has short, manageable hair. She is a child, not a doll, and I would not truss her up in restrictive clothing or keep her pristine any more than I would stab a needle through her ear. I imagine the vast majority of mothers on here feel the same so that is a weak argument.

Nothing anyone will ever say will convince me that piercing a baby is ok, and actually makes you a really great parent.

FlowersBrown - by your logic therefore we can't call all the parents in countries that practice FGM 'wrong' then? That logic doesn't seem sound.

For God's sake, why would you want to do that to your daughter?? Is she not beautiful enough? Would a pair of holes in her ears make her more lovely? Yuck. Piercing the ears of babies and young children is revolting, cheap and tacky in the extreme. Don't do it. Absolutely horrendous idea.

It is a common thing in many cultures and to criticise it is just plain weird. MN loves this sort of thing though and people come out with some corkers about abuse and pain etc.

Of course FGM is wrong. But I don't think many people blame individual mothers for it. It's a cultural norm that needs to be changed. Most mothers are, I'm sure, aware that there are major downsides to the practice, but could it be that it is so crucial for marriage that they feel powerless to stop it.