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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
s/o unpopular opinions, about ear piercing
So for those who wouldn't or don't agree with piercing infant ears, if your opinion is based on not wanting to cause unnecessary pain, what's your opinion on circumcision? Anti as well?
I don't have children yet and personally don't have an opinion either way on ear piercing, but I don't think that I would if I had a daughter. I'm just curious whether the logic is similar?
Re: s/o unpopular opinions, about ear piercing
I'm not a fan for several reasons.
1. taking care of a baby with pierced ears -the cleaning, changing, etc-seems like an unecessary added thing to add to my "to-do" list.
2. The possiblity of infection
3. I feel like it should be a choice for the kid. Also, kind of like a right of passage/reward for kids at a certain age. It's a good way to help start teaching responsiblity, the child has to clean daily, keep track of earings.
4. I just don't like the way it looks.
One of my BFF's 2 daughters have their ears pierce, they are 2 and 6 months. I don't judge her for it, it just wouldn't be for me if I had a daughter.
I don't understand why someone would punch holes through their baby's ears. To me, as I said in the UO post, "it's cute" is a ridiculous reason. There are lots of things we can do with babies that are cute that aren't a semi-permanent alteration to a body. Ear piercing isn't necessary for their health and well-being. It's purely aesthetic. And I think it's ignorant. I think it should be up to the child to decide if/when they want their ears pierced.
Note: I realize it's cultural for some, and while I still disagree, I'm less vehement.
And yes, I'm also anti-circumcision. If our child is a boy, he will not be circumcised.
DH wouldn't let me pierce DD's ears. She has no reason to have them done, I just wanted to. I know it's silly and DH was absolutely 100% against, not up for discussion. I know a girl who's DH was like mine and she still did it...i would never do something like that.
I also don't think circumcision and piercing ears can be compared. They are total ends of the spectrum, IMO. I do not think that logic is similar.
Ear piercing is just for vanity. I don't get piercing a child's ears when they may not want them pierced. It's not about pain really. It'll hurt a bit no matter when you do it. Why not wait to see if they really even want pierced ears? (For the record, I have 9 holes in my ears - I love ear piercing. But I decided on my own whether or not I wanted those.)
Circumcision is not really the same thing because there may be other issues involved (religious or cultural). I don't have a strong opinion on it either way so I left the decision to DH and DS is not circumcised. I am happy with that decision.BFP#1: 01/10, M/C 6w -- BFP#2: 06/10, M/C 5w -- BFP#3: 09/10, DS born June 1, 2011
BFP#4: 07/12, M/C 5w3d -- BFP#5: 12/12, EDD 08/18/13
Decorate This
1. When I was 8, I got my ears pierced. I followed the hygiene instructions exactly and my ears got infected. At one point, my dad had to hold me down so he could pry the earrings off my ears because they were stuck. Apparently, I am allergic to everything except, gold, sterling silver and plastic. I would not want to put an infant through this.
2. I'm not anti-circumcision per se (we're Jewish), but I can see how some would view it as an unnecessary procedure.
I don't view them the same way, one is purely for body adornment and the other has potential hygienic benefits, or supposedly it does.
I dont think you can really compare circumcision with ear piercing because ear piercing is done purely for beauty/vanity and plenty people circumcise for religious and or/health reasons.
I am anti-baby ear piercing (however I agree there is a cultural component at work here and in some cultures it is the norm) so I don't feel too strongly about it. I wouldn't do it to my baby girl, but whatever.
I am somewhere in the middle on circ.....If it had been 100% up to me I probably would have left them intact but DH is very pro-circ and it was important to him that the boys have it done. I can really see pros and cons on both sides of this argument.
I don't have kids but I have strong opinions on this matter.
Like pp said, taking care of a baby is a lot of work and that's just one more completely unnecessary task that I would have to worry about.
I have sensitive ears so yellow gold and stainless steel are the only things that don't bother me. I wouldn't want my child's ears getting infected for obvious health reasons.
I think they need to decide it is something that they want and prove they are responsible for taking care of it.
DH and I are also extremely anti-circumcision as well but for different reasons.
I won't pierce C's ears until she is old enough to take care of them on her own (or with little help from us) and she asks for them herself. I was in 5th grade when I got mine done for the first time. I remember going with my mom and we made it a whole bonding thing, went to lunch afterwards and also got ice cream. Still makes me smile thinking of it.
I really don't have an opinion on circumcision. If LO would have been a boy I would have left that decision up to DH. After all I don't have a pen15 so I don't know what it's like to be circ vs. uncirc ... personally, hygenically, etc.
I mostly think earrings on baby girls look ugly and weird. But ditto PPs-it's something that she should decide for herself and be able to take care of herself. I got mine done in 5th grade (I think?) and it was a really big deal. I wouldn't want my (future) daughter to miss out on that "rite of passage" just because I wanted her to look "cute" as a baby. Plus, it's a lot of extra work when you already have enough work taking care of an infant!
I am 100% for circumcision (sp?) though. I think it's an entirely different issue than ear piercing and my (future) son would be circ'd. The issue of pain (for either situation) is not really a factor for me.
Circumcision is a part of the central covenant of Judaism. Please don't compare it to piercing a baby's ears.
I realize that wasn't necessarily the intent, and that for many it *isn't* done for religious reasons. But still. It honestly should not be a part of the same conversation.
lovelylittleworld
BFP#2 1/12/12 ~ Missed M/C 8w2d
I never really knew there was such hatred toward ear piercing. I don't have kids, but I did get my ears pierced when I was little and I don't see harm in it. I respect others decisions to not to it to their children, but from my personal experience, I enjoyed having my ear pierced when I was little. I got them done with I was around 2.
Re: circumcision, I don't see it in the same realm of piercing ears. IMO.
Sorry to post and run, I ended up in meetings all afternoon. I should have included in my post, "For those who are not Jewish...." because I know that it's religious in some cases. I guess the question was intended for people who don't do it for religious reasons. I personally don't have strong opinions about piercing or circumcision, I was just curious about whether someone might choose not to pierce ears but would be OK with circumcision.
lovelylittleworld
BFP#2 1/12/12 ~ Missed M/C 8w2d
I periced my DD years at 10 months. She did not even tear up and was find in 30 seconds. She is now 4 and loves to pick out her ear rings. The care was very little and she never bothered them. I am fine with my what I decided and if we have another daughter will likely do the same.
I also had my DS circumcised- it was a long discusion between my husband and I and we agreeded it was best for us.
Kira's ears are pierced, we did it at 8 months at the pediatrician. My ears were pierced soon after my mom brought me home. We are italian and its just what we do.
I'm probably jinxing myself but we've had no issues with her earrings other than her losing them.
It took 2 attempts at ear piercings AND a terrible reaction to a set of braces before my doctors finally figured out that I am severely allergic to nickel. I can't repierce my ears because I have too much scar tissue from having the backs of my earrings pried off where the skin tried to grow over them.
Evie will not be getting piercings until she is old enough to decide for herself. If she chooses to get them, we will go to a professional piercing artist (not the mall!) and she'll get bars or hoops made from surgical grade steel. Once the holes heal correctly, if they heal correctly, then she can wear whatever earrings she wants.