Does anyone else feel its cruel to pierce a babies ears?

Question

When I was a child my mother didn't have my ears pierced until I was old enough to ask to get them done, which was around 7. Even then she made arrangements with the store to have 2 employees with piercing guns do both ears at the same time. Very good thing, cause I probably wouldn't have done the second ear otherwise. I have decided to do the same with my daughter, get them done if and when she asks me to. Reason why I ask this is because I saw a woman and her husband at Wal-Mart yesterday getting their small baby's ears pierced. I was horrified when I heard that little baby scream. Why do parents do this at that age? I know that a baby or small child can't be asking for their ears to be pierced. It seems like the parents are doing it for their own reasons, like having people comment about how cute it looks. Is this why some parents are doing this? It seems very cruel to put a baby through unneccesary pain just for beauty.

For anyone responding: I realize the pain only lasts for a second; if I slapped my husband in the face so would that. That doesn't mean it makes sense. My question is what are the reasons that a parents would choose to do this.

I realize I am about to start a huge debate but here goes. For all the people who commented the majority do not give a real, intelegent, straight forward answer, except for the couple who said it was because it looked cute or to tell a girl from a boy. Pain inflicted on a baby or child that is unasked for and is done solely for the sake of people saying "Oh, how cute. Her earrings are so sweet.", is unnecessary no matter what way you look at it. If anyone had a child with medical problems and had to see them undergo I.V.'s and injections for the sake of their health would probably agree that piercing a 3 month old ears because it is cute is cruel. Maybe they would grow up never wanting to have a piercing. Shouldn't they get to make this choice when they are old enough. That would be like putting a tattoo on your 2 year old cause "it looks cool and they would probably get one anyways. This way it hurts less." A needle hurts at any age!

Answer 1

I think it is cruel to pierce a babies ears. I have a 15 month old daughter and people have tried to convince me to get her ears pierced but I don't think that is right. It's like subjecting her to pain that she doesn't need to feel. She's a baby - she doesn't need earrings!! When she is older and if she wants to then we can make a special day out of it.

Answer 2

Ok, everyone has their own opinions on whether or not a baby should, or if it is cruel to have their ears pierced. The fact remains, it is a choice some parents will make without knowing whether or not this is what the child would have chosen. It's not as cruel as a pregnant mother smoking cigarettes are doing drugs. It may not be something you would do, but it's not cruel. Cruel would be getting their belly button's pierced. When we are infants, the cartilage in our ears is a lot more flexible then when we get older. In the old days, many mothers would tape their babies ears to stop them from popping out. I know this to be a fact. Ask your grandparents, in the old days, they would mostly use a light weight (hairdresser) tape to hold the baby's ear down or hold them down for a while, so many times a day, so they would have nice ears. The reason this is done when they are infants is because of the softness of the cartilage. It is actually more painful when you age and your cartilage hardens. Of course an infant is going to cry, that is the only way they can express themself. We just say, "Ouch!!" However, they are unable to verbally communicate, so they cry. It may seem cruel, but you should check out your local National Geographic to see what other cultures do to their children for beauty, or just because it's tribal custom.

Answer 3

I don't think that it's necessarily cruel, but I don't agree with it. I think that piercings should be the child's choice, and it should be made at a mature age. While the parents may have the best of intentions, it's the kid's body. Also, little kids tend to chew on things and if the earrings come loose, they might eat them and choke on them. Larger earrings can also get caught on stuff and pull the baby's ears, which can be quite painful. Finally, babies are not able to keep their ears clean and watch for infection, and parents may forget to do so between all the other responsibilities of having a child.

Answer 4

I quite agree. I am appalled when I see two year olds with pierced ears. I don't think it looks cute at all. It's bizarre and, to me, indicates that the parents think of their child as a doll to be dressed up however they wish. I'm sure these people think the child is their property, somehow.

Every child is a person in their own right from the time they are born (actually, before that too). Only they have the right to say whether something cosmetic is done to their body when they are able to decide. One has to be over a certain age to have a tattoo. I think the same law should apply to body piercing (including ears).

Answer 5

I'll tell you how I feel about the whole situation. I have 3 daughters and the very first one I got her ears pierced when she was 6months. I don't like the sound of my innocent baby crying so I did feel cruel for doing so. But I thought that she would look so pretty with them pierced. Than I started to think, "What if she doesn't want her ears peirced later?" I know I can take the earrings out and let her ears close, but I just paid 65dollars to get them done. It would be a waste, if I took them out, but at the same time what if she don't like them?" This raced in my head for 2 years. When I had my second daughter, I decided not to peirce her ears, and let her decide later. Well around that time, I just decided to let my oldest daughters ears to close so later she can have the choice. Well now I have 3 daughters and I have repeirced my oldest and just peirced my second oldest. I've decided not to make a choice for them. (When I did get my oldest daughters ears peirced, we ran into a few problems, like them getting snagged on a blanket or on my shirt or a towel. So in a way I think it is cruel, but than, I think its wonderful. Its for show anyhow. And all parents should decide at that time whether or not to get their kids' ears done.

Answer 6

it all depends on how you want to look at it my daugther is 4 weeks old in the only reason hers are not done yet is cause her ears are to small to do right now i don't think it's cruel I'm not doing it so people will say aw your baby is so cute cause as her mother i think she is the most beautiful baby in the world but most mother thinks that of there kids as far as the girl boy thing every one will know my daughter is a girl cause she only has dresses n girl clothes that there will be no mistake in knowing her sex but i Rather do it while she is young and wont be able to remember the pain like when she gets her shots i Rather get them when i need to instead of waiting tell she older in feels the pain more that my opinion i know other have different feeling on the issue

Answer 7

I don't think it is any more pain than when I got my sons circumcision. Or a child getting a shot. If I have a daughter I will get her ears pierced just as my mom did for me. I do remember any of it. And I've witnessed my niece getting her ears pierced at a young age and she didn't cry. Yes there is pain but as a parent you can pick who you want to do it and take care it as it needs to be in order for it not to get infected. BUT I FEEL it is ONLY up to that parent and what they feel is good for their child. Who am I to say they are right or wrong.

Answer 8

Yes, it's cruel and pointless. It may only hurt for a second, but babies stay upset for a long time when they experience something painful and unexpected. They trust their parents and don't expect you to hurt them. There is no way to prepare them to anticipate what will happen. After the piercing, the earrings may pull out and cause bleeding, and the earlobes may get infected. Wait until the child is older and wants to get her ears pierced, and is old enough to take care of the piercings herself until they are healed over. Is that not the sensible and humane way?

Answer 9

Hun, what's the difference between doing it when they are babies, and waiting until they ask for it???
The truth is, when I had my little girl, and I went through labor and withstood the pain of delivering her, I will NOT have anyone tell me how long I should wait to have her ears pierced. That's why she's MY baby. If you want to wait for yours, go ahead. My parent's didn't get my ears pierced until I was about 10.
Is it hard? Yep. I got my daughters ear's pierced when she was 2 months old. The truth is, I'm so glad to have a girl after having 2 boys, and I love doing anything to her and with her that is girlie. Yes, it is a way for people to know she's a girl, and not mystake her for a boy.
But, I will tell you this much...since I did feel a little bad for doing it as young as she was, we had them done together. She got her first hole, I got my third hole. We both did it together, I wasn't going to let her go through it herself!
Look, just b/c you don't understand something doesnt' give you the right to judge it. That's all I'm saying.
Besides, it's not like it really hurts. It's just a little sting.

Answer 10

no its not to show off its because in the end they will usually have them done anyway and it also depends on the age i got my ears pierced when i was only 12 hours old and i have a video tape of that and i didnt cry because my skin was so new and soft and wasnt very hard so i think it depends on the age i say or the first day they r born or when they ask u 2 never do it at 4 when they dont ask u or something

i like having my ears pierced when i was younger i dont have to feel the pain now that i am older and also they never close up because the wholes are like permanent on my ears