Do you think I'm a mean mom?? (ear piercing on babies)

Oreobaby · #1 October 30th, 2010, 10:00 PM

I got Rayanne's ear's pierced yesterday, and I was surprised at the overwhelming response that some people have, (some good, some not so good) And I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are here, and reasoning.

I got them done for a couple of reasons. I always wanted my ears pierced, but my mom would not allow me to get them pierced till I was 13. At the time, I thought she was just mean. (lol...all my girlfriend has pierced ears) Lots of people said, well, why don't you wait till she asks for them.

The problem with that, in my opinion is that once she asks for them, she will more than likely be in school. Rayanne doesn't even know she has ears, let alone the things that are in her ears. She doesn't play with them, she doesn't touch them. They just sit in her ears. I clean them 3 times a day so they don't get infected, but by the time that she can play with her ears, they will be healed. If she doesn't like them when she is older, and doesn't want them, then she can take the earings out. There is nothing saying she HAS to wear earings. Anyway, just curious what everyone elses thoughts are.

SassyMama · #2 October 30th, 2010, 10:07 PM

I don't think you're a mean mom!

I got Siera's ears pierced for her first birthday and, to be honest, I kind of wish I would have gotten them done sooner. Girls in my family get their ears pierced at a really young age - I think mine were pierced at 6 months - so, to me, it was just normal to get hers pierced also. No one's ever questioned me about doing it or said anything mean (to my face, at least). I don't think it's weird when parents want to wait to pierce their child's ears, either. Different strokes for different folks.

MommyPoky · #3 October 30th, 2010, 10:10 PM

I'm not against people doing it, but I don't think I would. If Josie wants them pierced, I plan to let her when she's old enough to take care of them. Like 8 or maybe 9. I see it as something for her to look forward to and get excited for and feel grown-up. My mom never allowed us to pierce our ears, and I felt like I kind of missed out on that experience. I don't even know if it's that big a deal to kids, but I felt disappointed.

PiXiE*DuSt · #4 October 30th, 2010, 10:24 PM

Nah, your not a mean mom! I'd rather get them done early when they won't remember the pain. When their older and have it done they'll remember it and cry just like a baby would & prob be scared to ever get it pierced again if it gets infected or something.

downunderchick · #5 October 31st, 2010, 02:50 AM

we will wait until Bella is old enough to decide for herself and take care of them herself.

Its completely your decision, no one elses.

Christine-MA · #6 October 31st, 2010, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oreobaby

The problem with that, in my opinion is that once she asks for them, she will more than likely be in school. Rayanne doesn't even know she has ears, let alone the things that are in her ears. She doesn't play with them, she doesn't touch them. They just sit in her ears. I clean them 3 times a day so they don't get infected, but by the time that she can play with her ears, they will be healed. If she doesn't like them when she is older, and doesn't want them, then she can take the earings out. There is nothing saying she HAS to wear earings. Anyway, just curious what everyone elses thoughts are.

I don't understand why it's a problem that she doesn't get them until she's in school? Because that will be years from now.....or because she won't take care of them?

I plan to wait until she wants them, and I can explain to her the process of the piercing, how she has to keep them clean etc. And I think I'd make a fun day "girls day" of it.

Celry · #7 October 31st, 2010, 05:59 AM

I don't think you're mean. I 100% won't get my girls ears pierced any time soon though. I am allergic to just about every metal and can only tolerate wearing platinum earings or the ones they use to pierce with. I am not buying my babies platinum earings

Once they ask we'll be piercing.

I think piercing is like anything else you do with your child. As long as it isn't abusive then it isn't any other person's business to comment on it.

#8 October 31st, 2010, 06:56 AM

I definitely don't think it's mean, but I will say that my mom got my ears piereced when I was an infant and by the time I was a teenager, the holes were not in the center of my lobe anymore because my ears had obviously grown and changed....so I ended up letting the holes close up because they looked silly, but I still have the spot on my lobes from where the holes used to be

Oreobaby · #9 October 31st, 2010, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christine-MA

I don't understand why it's a problem that she doesn't get them until she's in school? Because that will be years from now.....or because she won't take care of them?

I worry that there would be more of a chance for them to get infected by playing with them ect.

I don't really know if this is the case, I just thought it would be a less chance of infection when she can't play around with them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celry

I don't think you're mean. I 100% won't get my girls ears pierced any time soon though. I am allergic to just about every metal and can only tolerate wearing platinum earings or the ones they use to pierce with. I am not buying my babies platinum earings

Once they ask we'll be piercing.

I got Rayanne the 14 k white gold ones because grandma is allergic to the fake metals...so didn't want to take a chance that way.

MommaLee · #10 October 31st, 2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emcooper

we will wait until Bella is old enough to decide for herself and take care of them herself.

Its completely your decision, no one elses.

ditto.

Sam914 · #11 October 31st, 2010, 09:20 AM

I wouldnt say its mean but i plan to wait i think until my LO asks. I got mine when i was 9 and it was a fun experience going to pick them out and everything else so i would like to have that with a daughter. By the time i got mine i was plenty old enough to take care of them and my mom told me ahead of time if i didnt take care of them we would take them out and wait until i was older and try again

KCMomma · #12 October 31st, 2010, 09:31 AM

I agree that it's your decision, with that being said, my MIL was chomping at the bit to get Paige's pierced so when she was just 5 months old I let her take her. She had them pierced for a while and then she kept pulling them out and we even caught her eating one of the backs one time. So we took them out, then one day we went to pick her up from my MIL's and she had earrings in again...she bought some "real" earrings with screw backs and she hasn't messed with them since. I don't mind the earrings, but understand when people say they will wait till they decide. My aunt and uncle took me when I was like 2 and they are still pierced and in the right spot today. Got any pics?

DogMomForNow · #13 October 31st, 2010, 10:20 AM

Hi! I don't have a baby yet, But wanted to chime in. I pierced ears for 5 years at a store called Claire's, and this could really go either way. I pierced babies and pierced adults...I really enjoyed piercing babies. I have had so many young girls come in, and walk out with just one ear pieced because after the first one they absolutely refused to do the other one. I've been kicked, hit, had kids jump off the chair and hide and been screamed at (all by the younger girls) refusing to let me get near them after I did the first. We were able to do both ears at the same time as long as two associates were working and we weren't busy. I would recommend having this done for younger kids. Defiantly a personal decision, I just wanted to share my stories! Happy Halloween!

Servilia · #14 October 31st, 2010, 10:23 AM

I think it's fine

My mom had mine pierced as a baby and I was so cute (at least I think so

). I don't know what I will do with my baby.. maybe wait until she's 3 or 4? I certainly don't think you did anything wrong!

Hoosier Kitty · #15 October 31st, 2010, 10:34 AM

You are not being a mean mom.

It's entirely your decision.

Me, I wouldn't pierce my baby til she's old enough to want to do it.

KDD · #16 October 31st, 2010, 11:26 AM

Who cares what other people think? I always said that if we ever had identical twins that I would either get their ears pierced with different earrings or get their initial tattooed on the bottom of their foot so we could tell them apart!

Celry · #17 October 31st, 2010, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDD

Who cares what other people think? I always said that if we ever had identical twins that I would either get their ears pierced with different earrings or get their initial tattooed on the bottom of their foot so we could tell them apart!

That's funny. We did nail polish, but surprisingly, most moms can tell from pretty early on which baby is which. My husband and a bunch of other identical twin fathers I know are a different story. Males tend to be much worse at telling which kid is which.

Oreobaby · #18 October 31st, 2010, 12:13 PM

The only picture I have of her so far with her earrings is on my FB and is a mobile upload, so isn't that great, but you can see it here....

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It was taking about an hour and a half after she got them pierced...as you can see, she's fine.

The pictures I get of her in her halloween costume will have her pierced ears.

Lex&angels · #19 October 31st, 2010, 12:32 PM

Honestly I don't like it, especially in newborns. I think that any non-essential body modifications should be a personal choice (my sister, for instance, never wanted to get her ears pierced)
But beyond that, I don't see any reason why not in "older" babies who have a better immune system. It REALLY bugs me when parents do it to their newborns though. I never say anything though. I don't like it but I mind my own business.

hearts.0nfire · #20 October 31st, 2010, 12:41 PM

You are not a mean mom at all. I haven't quite decided if I will get Darcy's pierced as a baby or let her wait until she's 9. I had to wait until I was 9 and I remember I hated it since I felt like I was the only one without them. Oh and that picture of her with her with her earrings is very cute.