As per religious beliefs starting from birth till the child is 3 years old, ear piercing should be done. But what do doctors say? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn’t recommend you pierce your baby’s ears before 2 months, since there is a higher risk of an infant accidentally swallowing the tiny earrings and getting infection from ear piercing. A new born baby needs time to develop enough immunity power to fight with external object inside body. Best time is to wait until two weeks after your baby has her first tetanus shot (which occurs at two months). Some doctors also suggest that the safe age for ear piercing is after 6 months old. So you can decide when do you want to get your child’s ear pierced.
How to prevent complications after piercing?
After the piercing, don’t remove the earrings for six weeks.
During that time, wipe some alcohol around the ear lobe twice a day, and twist the earrings at least once a day. Don’t press on your baby’s ear when doing so, as that can be painful. After each bath, dry the area around each piercing so it doesn’t stay damp.
Keep an eye out for any signs of infection. These can include pain, discharge, inflammation, and bleeding. If you see any of these signs, take the earring off, clean it with alcohol, and ask your baby’s doctor whether you should apply any medication.
Your doctor may recommend that you apply an antibiotic ointment or cream to the earlobe as well as to the earring itself before putting it back on. Ask your doctor if you can buy the cream over the counter or if you’ll need a prescription.
Call the doctor if your baby runs a fever or the earlobe gets very red and swollen.
After six weeks, the ear lobes should have healed and you can put different earrings on. Make sure all new earrings are made of surgical steel or of gold that’s at least 14 karat. Earrings made of other materials, including gold-plated earrings, can trigger an allergic reaction.
Earring safety
Choose baby earrings that are very small, round, and as flat as possible in front. The fastener should cover the entire back of the earring, and the post should be rounded with a little point at the end.
Image Source: Baby Center