Ear piercing

[Chrisada]

I think I said this in Jenn's previous thread but I do think it's cultural. I had them from birth along with all cousins etc. I was shocked when I met girls who had to wait. I don't think she'll be mad at you for getting her ears pierced but who knows what kids will feel half the time . Good luck with your decision. It'll be fine either way!

This for me too. I think I was six weeks. I never new ear piecing was even a big deal.

[Michele]

I meant to reply. We had them pierced. It's been just over a week and we haven't had any problems yet. I went to a place that has over 20 years of infant piercing experience and they used a sterile needle. It was a pretty busy place and one lady had her granddaughter with her...5 generations had been pierced there. I thought that was kind of neat. Anyway, I'm happy with our decision. Thank you everyone for your opinions and experiences. I'll post a pic later. I can't do it from the iPad.

[houseelf]

I think I said this in Jenn's previous thread but I do think it's cultural. I had them from birth along with all cousins etc. I was shocked when I met girls who had to wait. I don't think she'll be mad at you for getting her ears pierced but who knows what kids will feel half the time

This is something we have experienced. Some of our closest friends are Indian and their three of their daughters have pierced ears. We're not permitting our daughter to pierce her ears until middle school even though she complains that her friends already have it done.

Conversely, our daughter plays with Hello Kitty makeup (glitter lip gloss and nail polish type stuff) and their girls are absolutely prohibited from wearing any type of makeup, even play makeup. I'm so glad that you all shared your experiences first because it gave me such a better perspective about all this. We are both striving to protect our daughters from poor societal gender conditioning in our own way. Anyway, just another reason to be grateful for the iMSN.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Reviving this thread because we are 90% getting A's done, but I need some BTDT advice Is Claire's ok? Remember that we live in a smaller college town, so there aren't a lot of options! I was talking to my MIL about it, and she said she would wait because it might make her more fussy...is that true? Will her ears be sore beyond a few hours? What about nursing - will it cause difficultly/discomfort for her to lay on her ear while nursing?

I'm probably over-thinking this TIA!

[Auspicious]

Your peds practice might do it--worth asking anyway.

[Michele]

I didn't notice any problems with Phedre's nursing or fussiness. I do kind of wish I had done it a little sooner than 3 mo bc she was strong enough to want to move her head for the second ear. The place in Dallas did it with the needle and angled slightly down. It was also placed very high up on her ear lobe. Totally not the position I would have done it had I done it myself. Because of that I would caution against using someone who doesn't pierce babies a lot. Their rationale was that as you grow and age, the gravity effects on earrings causes the hole to sag. So they pierce it to anticipate those effects. Of course YMMV and everyone has an opinion.

[Michele]

You could look into the local tattoo piercing parlors. They generally have good sterility and guidelines. Some will do infants ears. Obviously go with your gut.

[Pollyanna]

I say stay the heck away from Claires because well, you're letting a young girl who really doesn't know what she is doing place a permanent item on your child. I would check with your ped or your hubby can do it. Dh did dd's (she was much older though and asked to have her ears done). We used the same kits that doctor's offices buy (http://corenps.com/shop/). These kits come with 6 pairs of earings but I am pretty sure you can buy individual sets on other sites.

[weeniegeniewife]

You could look into the local tattoo piercing parlors. They generally have good sterility and guidelines. Some will do infants ears. Obviously go with your gut.

I agree with Michele. Tattoo/piercing parlors would do a much better job than Claire's.

[v-girl]

We went to Claire's with E. The manager was an adult and that was who did it. She was 2 months and didn't cry. My sister used her ped's office. My advice on that is to make sure they do piercings regularly or at least test the piercing gun. It got stuck on my niece's ear. Traumatizing for my sister and the baby.

[Vanquisher]

I don't know. I'm waiting for Alexia until she's probably 10. However, I think I'd just do it at Claire's or maybe have dh do it. I figure Claire's probably does ear piercings so freaking often. I got my ears pierced at the mall when I was a kid, and they are even, and well-placed. I don't know about having the pediatrician do it. A piercing parlor would probably be a good option, but I don't know how many infants they do.

Yipes. I have been burying my head in the sand regarding this for a while now. 2 more years, and I'll have to dig up this thread.

[diggitydot]

We've had very good results at the Piercing Pagoda. It's a kiosk kinda place at the mall, but they were exceptionally clean, sterile, and professional.

[Pollyanna]

Heidi, it was really easy to have dh do it and made the whole event even more special. Dd was very proud to say that her daddy pierced her ears.

[Michele]

I think there's a big difference between piercing a 10 year olds ears and an infants ears from an anatomy/growth stand point and from a compliance stand point. A 10 yo should stand still for marking, should look at you so you can see evenness, and should be still(-ish) for the actual piercing. Marking a baby's ears and getting them to look at you so you can see if they're even, and then following up piercing that same spot....I think it takes more finesse. But I think Phe and I lucked out with that place in Dallas. It was kinda sketchy at first, and the lady was super opinionated, but Phe's ears look great.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I don't think DH would do her ears himself. Too much squiggling I emailed one of the peds residents I know, but haven't heard back yet. I would have to check into a place like Claire's more - I'd be ok with an experience like V's. The gun sticking is super scary