Ear Piercing for a 3 Month Old?

Personally I think it looks ridiculous. As they grow you can tell by their ears and by the way most parents raise their children when this decision is made. As she gets older teaching her to make her own decisions with her body is an important lesson and piercing her ears or whatever, tattoos etc is all part of that. Someday she will be a teenager so think longer term than preschool!

I got mine done when I was 5 for my birthday. My daughter got hers done when she was about 5 months old at the mall. She is 3.5 now, and loves getting new earings. It was a good age because she didn't freak out...
a lot of the moms who say don't do it, or let her make the choice for herself probably circumsiced their baby boys, I imagine that is a lot more painfull and ireversable. if she doesn't want earings when she gets older she can take them out, but I have yet to meet a girl that doesn't want her ears pierced. just keep the earings small so she can't pull on them... most pediatrician offices will pierce a babies ears for you too.

I absolutely would not. First, it is painful. Second, there is a risk of infection. Why rush this? I had my ears pierced when I was six, and asked my parents.

If you want it done then do it - getting it done this young is really for you, not the child. Personally, I always think it looks common and cheap, not pretty. What if your daughter grows up to be a tom boy and does not want pierced ears? She will have a dent in each ear if she lets them grow over.Let her decide if and when she wants it done...

Why would you want to pierce a baby's ears?!?!?! It is pretty ridiculous. I have a daughter and feel like it's her decision whether or not to have holes in HER body. Plus, then when she is old enough, she can be responsible enough to clean and take care of them...why would you want to do all that on top of all that you do for your child? Earrings are for older girls and grown ups...not for babies.

Hi A.,

I have 2 daughters, one is 3 and a half, and other is 7 months.

I am going to wait until they ask me to have them pierced.

I agree that this is a personal choice/opinion.

On a side note, in the past month, I have seen two little boys (toddler age) who had earrings in one of their ears!
Again, personal choice. I guess I would wait until they are not only old enough to not only ask for earrings, but understand the concept as well.

Have a great day!!!!!

R. =)

My 2 cents- I am against it and think it looks bad (pierced ears on babies is one of my pet peeves!). But- I'm 30 and think they look bad on adults, too! I guess- go with your gut (mom's are good for knowing what's best)- but remember that it is cosmetic and think about the example it sets to your little one.

We chose to pierce our daughter's ears at her 1st birthday. I wanted to do it earlier, but never got to it. We chose clares, and like the other poster mentioned, it was quick and easy. No problems, but now at 3 she can take the earrings out herself so we have had to change kinds.

My main reason was to get them done before she was too scared. We never had any allergy or infection. my step daughter had hers done at 8, and it was a big dramatic event for her. so in our family that was avoided with my daughter getting hers done early.

Its personal choice - in a lot of cultures, they pierce them in the hospital so you can tell immediately if the baby is a boy or a girl. Here, its up to you.

I love the look and mu daughter loves picking out her earrings every morning. Do what you feel is right for you and your child.

A.,

I used to work at a place where I pierced ears. We pierced children as young as three months however, in my experience they always end up coming back when they are much older to have them redone because they are not even. As they grow their ears change and most often the piercings are uneven by the time they are five or so. Just thought I'd give you some input. Good luck with your decision.

DeeL.

We have two daughters and both of them got their ears pierced when they were two months old. We had no problems with either of them getting infected and neither of them pulled at the earrings and they never fell out (they have those kind of backs that are very hard to come off). Both of them cried for less than a minute. For our first daughter, they did one ear at a time and she did great. For our second daughter, they did both ears at the same time, with two ladies doing the piercing and that worked great too--I would suggest this method for a baby. I have also heard of pediatricians doing ear piercing but our didn't. You will just have to call around to see who can pierce baby's ears. Most places just want the baby to have their first round of shots. It might help to have someone else with you too so one can hold your child and one can take a really good look at the mark on the ear before they do the piercing. I liken it to getting another shot, which I am not a fan of putting my child through, but they will survive and cry just for a minute. I might sound like a mean mom, but that is just what my husband and I chose to do and we were happy with our decision. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.

In our family, we say that you either do it when they're too young to mess with them or you wait till they're 4-6 and can obey your instructions to not pull at them etc. I'd say go for it if you want to and get it over with.

I would wait until she is old enough to tell you she wants it done. My Mom had mine done at 2 years and I was fine (no infections) but aparently, I'm told, I screamed a lot even though I had been promised a doll if I was good lol. I found it bad enough taking my little ones to have shots so ear piering would so much be worse than that. At 3 months old her immune system is still very immature and the risk of infection is really not worth it.
I can't believe that Doctors offices pierce ears but if you do decide to do it that would be the best place to get it done.
Have a wonderful first Christmas with your little one.

I say don't do it and here is why. I got my ears pierced at 12. To this day (36 yrs old)I still do not wear earings because no matter what I put in my ears they bother me. I have no known allergies nor do any family members. You just never know what is going to bother you.

I concur with other posters that it is for you and not for her at this age. Yes she will look cute, but it is just one other thing that you have to take care of and God knows we are so busy taking care of little ones any way.

Good luck making your decision.

Personally, I would never put a hole that can't be reversed in my child's ear or anyplace else. I know other people feel differently. It's just my two cents worth. :)

S.

Hi A.,

I have a 3 month old too (9-13-08) and was glad to see you ask that question!! From reading your responses (wow....some are pretty rough!)...I decided to wait. The person that swayed me was the one who actually did the piercing for years....and could tell when they were done too early. My niece is 5 and just got her's done for Christmas, she begged and actually helps take care of them.

We dress them in girly stuff, so no one will ever think they are boys!! I think to avoid more work (they have so many little areas to watch and take care of) and to avoid worrying every time I pull a onesie over her head, I'm going to wait! Good luck with your decision!

Merry, Merry Christmas!
J.

My parents gave me a rule which I am holding up for my children. When they are old enough to ask to have them done and old enough to take care of them, I'll take them. I didn't have my ears pierced till I was 16, and although they seems "old" my some standards, I think it was the best choice.

Hi A.,
I say do it. We had our daughter's ears pierced at 5 months. We went to Claires. They double teamed her and she cried for about 15 seconds and then was fine. She never played with them and now that she is 2 1/2, it is just 2nd nature to change her earrings. Really, what little girl doesn't want their ears pierced. If she decides later that she doesn't want them then she doesn't have to wear them. Who is going to look for little dents in her ear lobes where holes were? Come on! You do what you feel is right! Merry Christmas!

I took my daughter to the dr. for her regular visit and he pierced her ears. He did a great job.

I had my 2 babies done. One at 4 months, one at 6 months. 4 months was better because she wasn't able to roll over yet, so the 6 week healing time went better because she wasn't hitting her ears on the floor when she rolled. I had both of them done at Claire's at the mall. They turned out perfect. I made sure to ask if the girl had done it alot of times. I know friends who had waited until their daughter got older, and then they dealt with infection, because they touch them with their dirty hands, play with them, argue over letting you clean them, longer hair getting caught in them, and so on. Definitely get them done before she can roll. And just keep them clean, they heal great when mom's in charge!!!!

I pierced ears for 3 years. When older girls would come in to have second and third holes I could always tell which ones had them done when babies. Their ears are going to grow a lot. Even though they are straight when a baby once they are 8 or so they might not be. I suggest waiting even though I know it looks cute to have them done.

My husband and I have agreed that our daughter can have her ears pierced when she is 10, if she wants to. She is currently 3 and piercing them now or when she was younger would be for us and not for her and we are not prepared to put her through any unnecessary pain for our pleasure. As the previous poster noted, the location of the hole will change as she grows and also, don't we have enough concerns with our kids when they are young without adding a possibility of them getting an infection from pierced ears? I would ask myself, what will my daughter get our of having her ears pierced? it's certainly not something she wants or needs right now.

Sorry to be so negative, I have just never understood why anyone would want to make changes to such a pefect little body.

Whatever your decision, it will be the right one for you and your family.

Have a Merry Merry Christmas.

My pedeatrician's office does it might want to check with yours If you want her ears peirced get them done I don't see any problem with it My daughter had hers done when she was 2 years old

My daughter's pediatrician did it at her 4 month well visit (that is when they have had all of their necessary shots that will make the piercing more safe). I haven't had any problems, she's 18 months now.

A.,

I know you have received a lot of responses on this matter but let me add one more on the side of not piercing your babies ears. I am 51 years old and NEVER had my ears or anything else pierced for that matter. Leave that decision to her for when she grows up. You may find she might not want that done at all like I did.

S.

It's a personal choice - either you're for it or against it.

I pierced both of my daughters ears at a young age. As long as they've had their first shots they can get it done. I checked into places that would do both ears at the same time. You can buy screw-on backs at Wal-mart for a couple of bucks to replace the other backs so they don't fall out (they work with any post). And my girls only cried for a second.

At this day in age I figure my girls will at least want their ears pierced some day anyway. And by doing it at a young age will prevent them from playing with them and getting infected. I never had any issues with either daughter. Oh and buy their ear cleaning solution (it doesn't sting and is better than alcohol or peroxide, which isn't recommended anyway).

I got my daughter's ears pierced when she was 3 months, and had no problems. She was asleep when they did it. She cried for about 30 sec. and fell back asleep. She never tried to pull them out or even touch them. I am glad we did it when she was a baby, because she was not aware they were even there. We went to Claires in Westland Mall.

With two daughters I experienced the good, and bad, side of it. We pierced our first daughters ears as soon as Claires would allow us to, I think around 12 weeks. She cried until she was carried outside the store and then stopped. We were able to care for them easily, didn't get any infections, it was the picture of perfection! Our oldest didn't get her ear's pierced until she was a little older, I think she was closer to 6 months, she was a more challenging child with a few health problems so we wanted to wait until she was a little older. She ended up pulling them out, so we put in a circular earring, thinking it would be harder for her to pull them out. Not so, she managed to pull them out - without opening them up (needless to say it was a mess). She didn't get them repierced until about 3 months ago and she's now 3.5. Her ear healed up fine, and she was begging for them and promised to not pull them out.

I guess my best advice, given my experience, is to take into account the temperment of your child. I would also advice to do it sooner rather than later.

Check with your pediatrician's office. Ours does ear piercing.

Personally, I waited until my daughter was old enough to tell me herself that she wanted her ears pierced. But that's just me.

We had our daughters pierced when she was 2 because she wanted it. I wanted to get them done when she was a baby but my husband was insistant that we wait. We actually asked strangers their opinion; who had piercings, when they got them done, etc. The majority of women who had piercings got them done very young and they didn't regret it. When we finally got my daugters ears pierced was soooo scared after she had it done and I can almost guarantee she won't get her ears pierced again. On the other hand I was with my niece when she got hers done when she wasn't quite a month old. She's now almost 16 and you CAN'T tell she had them done as a baby. We went to Claire's for both my niece and my daughter and they do very well. They do both ears at the same time, so if you are planning on getting them done you might want to call before you go to see if they have 2 people there to do the piercings at once. Good luck in your decision and make the decision for you not from other people's opinions! Happy holidays!!!!

A.,

I have seen several very young babies with pierced ears. Your daughter likely would not understand why her ears were stinging when you rubbed on alcohol or peroxide to keep them from getting infected and when the gun first shoots the earrings inside her ears, but I wish that I had gotten my granddaughters pierced when they were as young as your daughter. I have found by asking questions that babies don't pull on their earrings because they don't know how to reach their ears when they are so young. My granddaughters kept pulling theirs out at three years old and one I had to allow to completely heal up. The other one left hers pierced but never wears any earrings.

I say go for it. It looks so pretty on babies and only hurts a tiny bit for such a short time. Being that young they also heal very quickly.

Claires in the Westshore Mall in Holland, MI and the Holland Walmart store did piercings. I don't know of any in our area, but many places that sell pierced earrings pierce them for you and you just have to buy one of their pairs of piercing earrings from them for the fee. The earrings vary in prices, so it depends on how much you want to spend for the earrings. I saw them as low as $10 and as high as $80 or $90.

L. C.

A., I had my daughters ear pierced at 6 months. Took her to Clairs in the mall. She did great, never had a problem. I took very good care of them, turned backs everyday and used a non alcohol cleanser everyday. Go for it, looks so cute.

Don't. It's a choking hazard. An allergy risk. Risk of infection.

I have 2 little boys so i'll never know much about ear piercing. However, I think it it soo cute! I know... I know... it's a little painful and people think it's "cruel" to put your kid through unneccesary pain for aesthetics but seriously... it barely hurts. and in response to another's post. It doesn't hurt to clean them. It's a prick and then it's done. Good luck deciding!