Showing posts with label Piercings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Piercings. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

To pierce? Or not to pierce? That is the question.

I'm going to take a moment to discuss the often controversial topic of ear piercing. While this may not seem like a hot topic, when the ears aren't attached to your body, it becomes a hot topic. There are pro-piercers and anti-piercers, and I find myself somewhere in the middle. When your daughter is an infant or even a toddler, the decision to pierce her ears is made by you, the parent. Personally, piercing Bella's ears are not something I plan on having done any time soon. Bella's ears belong to her, so how do I know she would even want them pierced? And honestly, what is the point of having a 3-month-old with pierced ears?!? I just don't get it. 


Since Bella was born, I've been asked many, many times, "When are you going to get her ears pierced?" I usually respond, "When she asks me to get her ears pierced." Those cute, little ears aren't attached to my body, so what difference does it make to me if they are pierced or not? I made the decision and asked my mother at the age of 7 to get my ears pierced. Together, my mother and I weighed the pros and cons of getting my ears pierced. I was the one responsible for taking care of my ears, rotating the studs and cleaning my ears. Obviously if I needed help, my mother gladly assisted me, but I was responsible for my ears. 


I'm not totally against infants, toddlers and children having their ears pierced. As a woman who has her ears pierced, belly button pierced and a tattoo, I'm not completely opposed to modifications made to the body. I wear earrings every day, I wore a belly button ring until I was about 12-weeks pregnant with Bella and I love my tattoo. But all three of these modifications were decisions made by me. Our pediatrician won't pierce a child's ears unless they verbally request it and have the permission of the parents. Now that's smart!


So for those of you who actually care, here are my pros and cons of ear piercing before the age of 5.


Here is my list of reasons to pierce an infant's ears:
1. She won't remember the pain... Right?
2. Cultural... Certain cultures are pro-piercers, I can appreciate and respect that aspect. 


Here is my list of reasons to not pierce an infant's ears:
1. Those ears aren't mine to pierce... Why inflict unnecessary pain?
2. It's dangerous... What if the earring gets ripped out on a blanket or by a friend?
3. Ears grow...  Those lobes are so little! How symmetrical will they look in 20 years?
4. Hygiene... How does a 1-month-old take care of freshly pierced ears? 
5. It looks tacky... A 1-month-old with gaudy gold studs? Umm, no thank you.


Needless to say, for me, the reasons to not pierce Bella's ears significantly outweigh the reasons to pierce Bella's ears. Maybe I am an anti-piercer, but so be it. If and when the time comes, Bella can ask me to get her ears pierced and together we can make a decision. Until then... Bella's ears shall remain un-pierced. And her belly button shall remained un-pierced and her skin shall remain un-inked... until she's 30! 


Ultimately the decision is up to you, and hopefully, your child... it's just some food for thought. =)


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella