Whether or not to piece your baby’s ears is a personal decision, one that may be deeply routed in cultural norms and personal preferences. We’re not here to convince you one way or the other, but rather to inform you of the various pros and cons so that you can make the decision that is right for you and your family.
So you have a little girl and you’re thinking about piercing her ears! So fun! But maybe you’ve found yourself wondering whether or not baby piercing is something you should do now, or if it might be better to wait until she’s old enough to have a say.
Get ready, because this is just one of the many parenting decisions yet to come that will be met with all kinds of opinions if you start asking for advice on what to do. Heck, even if you don’t ask for advice, people are likely to weigh in!
Ultimately, the decision is yours alone to make. In many Latino cultures, as well as India and Arabic countries, baby ear piercing is simply a given; it’s what you do. And even if it’s not cultural for you, you may find yourself leaning towards those cute little baby ear studs. Before you opt to pierce (or not to pierce) though, let’s equip you with some of the pros and cons to consider.
Piercing Pros
- It can be easier to keep newly pierced ears clean if your baby is still too small to mess with her accessories.
- There is no denying there is something precious about little pierced ears.
- There is little risk to baby piercing.
- Your baby won’t remember the pain of getting her ears pierced like she may if you wait.
Piercing Cons
- Your baby may grow to wish she didn’t have her ears pierced at all.
- There is something to be said for waiting until a child is old enough to experience the excitement of making this “big girl” step.
- Earrings may be more likely to snag and pull on little ones who are still in the crawling and exploration stages.
- Lost earrings could become a potential choking hazard.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) official statement on baby piercing is that the risk factor is low. Even still, they recommend waiting until your child is old enough to assist in taking care of those piercings themselves.
Like most Mommy War topics, this is a decision only you can make. You know your values, and your family’s values, as well as the culture your child is going to be growing up in. So make the decision that feels right to you, and then don’t allow outside forces to sway you in that decision.
If you do decide to go with piercing, though, be sure to let your pediatrician know—especially if your baby is still fairly young. The risk is low, but they may be able to equip you with knowledge about what to be aware of, and it’s possible they can even make recommendations about where to go for sterile piercings.
Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2015. All rights reserved.
