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I had my daughters ears pierced when she was 3 months old. This was done at the Jewelry Store. I can tell you my baby didn't even cry. It was quick and over with in seconds. They gave us screw backs so the earrings wouldn't pose a choking hazard. And this was 11 yrs. ago. There was never a problem.
I am Cuban-American, culturally we have our ears pierced as infants too. In Miami, ALL the pediatricians offices do it, but they ask you to wait until the baby is at least 3 months old. I don't believe that there is an age restriction after that. I had my daughters ears pierced at 3 months old too - by a pediatrician in New Jersey. When i was little, I remember the old-time jewlers where the ones who did it...pretty barbaric, but we turned out pretty normal!
What age is it OK? When the child is old enough to decide for themselves if they want holes in their ears
I know my pediatrician in Apex offers this service. My oldest daughter is 7. And I told her I will let her when she is 8 years old. And it will be at the pediatrician's office. I don't want a teenager at the mall piercing my daughter's ears.
I wouldn't do it to a baby this age, but I agree that it's a cultural thing. Honestly I don't think it's too much different from circumcision (especially since my understanding is that there really isn't a concensus in the medical community about whether it should or shouldn't be performed--many people do or don't do it for cultural reasons).
My SIL who is Italian had my niece's ears pierced at 3 months. My other SIL who is Russian Jewish and has family in the jewelry business was planning on doing it but when the time came she couldn't and still has not 4 years later.
I had my ears pierced when I was 14... that would be years, not months, and it was done at my ENT doctor's office.
I completely understand that infant piercing is a common practice in some cultures, but I guess I still have the question of why? I'm truly looking to be informed, here. There are a lot of things that are very common to cultures that I am a part of, but I still feel the need to question them and understand the purpose for the tradition and then make my own decision on whether or not to follow them. So, does the piercing signify something or have some meaning?
Please know that I'm just looking to understand and I'm not judging!
My daughter had her ears pierced when she was 12 months. She cried for a split second. In fact, she did a whole lot more crying when she would get threee to four immunization shots in one visit at the doctors office! To answer the question posted, I think most doctors recommend that babies have their first rounds of immunizations (this may include a tetanus) in case of infection.
I wouldn't do it to a baby this age, but I agree that it's a cultural thing. Honestly I don't think it's too much different from circumcision (especially since my understanding is that there really isn't a concensus in the medical community about whether it should or shouldn't be performed--many people do or don't do it for cultural reasons).
(((faints))) Comparing ear piercing to circumsion! Oh my! I'm not seeing the comparison You can always close the piercings with minimal scaring. But one the foreskin is gone it's gone! I won't debate the cultural or religous side of it. But there is no medical reason for it.
I come from a large Cuban family and we had an aunt that pierced all the girl's ears the day they came home from the hospital and nothing ever happened to us. She must have pierced hundreds and hundreds of ears. My pediarician wouldn't do it until my dd's were a year old. Scared us with talk of infection but I think he was trying to protect himself as well. Cuban babies wear all kinds of jewlery and we even have baby perfume which you wouldn't leave home without.
This may seem a bit odd, but I'd suggest asking at one of the Indian stores/emporiums, or the Hindu cultural center. Infant ear piercing is practiced by many cultures.
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(((faints))) Comparing ear piercing to circumsion! Oh my! I'm not seeing the comparison 
You can always close the piercings with minimal scaring. But one the foreskin is gone it's gone! I won't debate the cultural or religous side of it. But there is no medical reason for it.
