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Piercing infant girls ears

How early is too early to pierce a girl's ear?

Parents of infants have several reasons for piercing their infant girls ears. One is tradition. Some families have simply always done so, and the activity gets passed down from generation to generation. Another reason is to differentiate definitively between baby boys and baby girls. Parents can become frustrated if their baby's gender is incorrectly assumed. Others fear it will somehow "damage" their baby girl to be mistaken for a boy. They believe piercing their infant girls ears will eliminate that confusion in a way that clothing can't always do.

A third reason for piercing infant girls ears is to teach babies about hygiene and cleanliness at an early age. Baby girls as young as two and three can be taught how to clean out their pierced ears or even choose earrings to use. If their ears are pierced at four months, the mother or father will of course have to be responsible instead, and this is something parents occasionally forget about. Keeping the baby's hands off their ears is another important factor. They will be unable to take care of infections or other dilemmas that often crop up as a result of piercing. On the flip side of the coin, lots of parents would never dream of piercing their child's ear. They think it should be the child's decision to make (or not make) when they are older. Others believe it looks trashy or odd. But as with most fashion statements or traditions, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As long as you know the inherent responsibilities and potential problems of piercing a baby's ear for decorative purposes, there is no problem with doing so.

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