I had them done for both my girls at 1 week old. I brought a bottle and after they made the hole and I popped the bottle in their mouth right after. Some people want the kids to decide when they are older but I don't know any girl who didn't want it done.

Marieskids,

This is something I held off on with my girls because I had such problems with pierced ears once I hit the teen age years.  There's no knowing I guess but I wanted to be careful plus I'm one of those unusual women who would like a plain earlobe without a hole in it.  Oh well, can't change the past so I have one pair I wear all the time.

 It sure it cute on little girls though...

Smiles, 

Auntie M. 

We are holding off on getting our daughter's ears done until she is old enough to care for them. I work in a peds er and I have seen a few cases of infection and tearing, it has completely turned me off to the idea.

I'm sorry, I just don't get the ear piercing thing...seriously, why would you want to intentionally hurt your baby for purely cosmetic reasons, when they can't understand it?  Are the earings comfortable for them? (NOT!)  Are they safe to wear, considering the way that small children play? (NOT!)

I just always have the impression that people who pierce baby ears are doing it for their own vanity/insecurity/ignorance, obviously not to benefit the child...

Sort of tacky to me...

Most girls always want their ears pierced. It is much easier and less painful to do when they are little. I strongly encourage when they are babies. It is just like getting an immunization. A little poke and you are done.  I waited with my daughter and it was awful. She totally over-reacted. I told her be careful what you ask for in the future. I now tell all my friends do it when they are small.

with my girls we waited til they asked for them saved the isseus of infections at a young age and it was something they were excited to do and shwo off to all there firends teachers  now saying that my oldest had a HUGE problem twice with her ears the first being the backs of the earings got stuck inside her ear (she slept on them and they were the locking type well they locked to tight and overnight her ears swelled up and as I say it the ears skin ate the earing backs)  so after surgery for both ears to remove the earing back she was told to wait 6 months and she did that and got them doen again  well come to find out she cant take 10k gold so that was another huge problem her ears were so painful the Ped pulled them out and told her to wait for a few months and if she really wanted them to try again and keep in waht ever was pierced and to get those in the futrue  and this time around the THIRD piercing they have been great she cares for them wondefully and understands she cant have the cheapy earing s so values the ones she does have,..

on to my second daughter I tried so har dto get her ears pierced for 2 darn years but she wasnt up for it and hubby told me it was wrong to force her even if she said she wanted the earings in  she had to be able to sit and do it herself before she coudl have them.. well last year she decided on her bday she wanted them and sat though it but once we changed the earings a few times she got bored with them and actually wanted them out.. so out they came  then back in after repierceing now they are out again as they bothered her during dance class (hwo I dont know LOL)   so basicly with all my two older girls went though I think I will tough it out for the 3rd daughter and make her wait till she is atleast 7 then she can go and do it 5 and 6 jsut wenrt old enough to understand they arnt toys to play with all the time..  but again depends on the child I guess..  

I woudl have done it as babies if it hadnt been for my hubby saying "why would you choose for them to put a hoole in there ears whats next a tattoo of something you thing wil loko cute on them"  and hes right I was only wanting it as I thought it was cute to have earign matching the clothings and  I thought they looked cute on babies  thankfully many paresnt for infants with earings spoke up to me and told me all the issues with them as young kids so that helped me.. nothing like having them pull them out of there ears when having ear infections or the one that got me not to do it was the mom whos daughter nearly choked to death on an earing that fell out  I could go on with all I heard but for every bad there are good and its every mom AND DADS decision to make  if hes with you on it then by all means pierce away if hubby isnt then respect him it will be worth it the day he grants them approval and goes with them to get it done with you both.. 

I had mine done when I was 10 or 12, and I had infections and problems with them.  And now I'm not happy with how they were done.  Honestly, the lady at the sales booth when I was 18 and in college did a better job with my 2nd piercing than the lady at the jewelry store my parents took me to.  We're going to wait to have my DD's ears pierced until she both wants it and is responsible enough to take care of cleaning the holes properly, dealing with infection, not losing earrings, etc.  Probably when she's 12.   I'm also allergic to anything not plain metal - no paint, no plastic, etc, just gold, steel and silver.  I don't want my DD to be dealing with that - it was very painful and gross.  I know people think pierced ears look adorable on babies, but that's for your benefit, not the baby's.  People should get body art because they choose to, not because their parents choose it for them.  It may not hurt more than a vaccination, but do you really want to make your baby suffer any extra pain when there's no real need for it?

I have 3 daughters... ages 13, 7, and 4.  So far only my oldest girl has her ears pierced.  I let them tell me when they are ready to do it...and if I know they'll be responsible about cleaning their ears.  She also got her second hole on her 13th birthday.  My 7 year old watched her...and decided she's not ready yet.  LOL  =)