If you’re thinking about piercing your baby’s ears, you probably have a lot of questions. One question might be about the size of earrings you should get for a baby.
A newborn baby should wear one-eighth-inch earrings. Older babies or toddlers should wear one-fourth inch earrings. All earrings should have screw backs for safety.
Now that you know the proper size, you may be wondering what styles baby earrings come in and how to choose a baby’s first earring. We’ll talk about that next!
Baby’s First Earring
The first choice for a baby’s earring is very important! After all, you will have to keep that earring in until the piercing totally heals. This can take anywhere from four months all the way to a year. It is important not to change the earring during the healing process.
Types of Metal for Babies
The type of metal for your first piercing should be of high quality. The metal will be in the baby’s ear for a long time. The baby’s skin is often more sensitive than adult skin, so it’s important to get high-quality metals.
This can be titanium or high-quality gold. You should be looking at 14K or 18K gold for a first piercing. Sterling silver is often riskier as it can contain nickel, which can cause a reaction. You can look for those that have been coated or that are not mixed with nickel if you are set on silver.
There are some doctors that will pierce in the hospital and use a surgical grade metal for the first earring as well. You should be prepared to spend money on your baby’s first earrings, as the quality really matters for their sensitive skin.
Types of Earrings for Babies
There are two main types of earrings for a baby. Keep in mind, little fingers like to grab things, so it’s best not to start out with anything dangly even after the piercing has healed!
Screw Back Earrings
Screw back earrings are like the traditional “studs” that you are familiar with. However, they have a back that screws in. This is for safety purposes. You don’t want the baby’s earrings coming off and becoming the next thing they put in their mouth! These are the types of earrings that will come with a piercing for a baby.
Huggies
Huggies are small hoops that hug the earlobes. This makes a good choice for earrings after the piercing has healed completely. They should be fitted to the earlobe, so the baby’s fingers don’t get caught. They make a great earring after the piercing.
Other Types of Earrings
There are other options for toddler earrings. You can get dangly earrings, but this is highly suggested for toddlers or young girls who are old enough to understand not to pull on them. They can hurt babies if they are used on a baby who grips and pulls it.
Where Can I Get My Baby’s Ears Pierced?
It is important to get your baby’s ears pierced in a reputable and sterile place. As piercings are done for cultural reasons in many cultures, some doctors will perform the procedure right in the hospital.
The other places you can go to are:
- Physicians are able to pierce a baby’s ears often
- Reputable piercing salons
- Reputable jewelry stores
It can be hard to find a place to pierce your baby’s ears, as it is a specialty not many have outside of doctors and pediatricians. It’s important to go somewhere that is reputable and has many reviews. You should also be aware of their sanitation policies if it’s outside your doctor or pediatrician.
Important Safety Considerations
It is important to know that the piercer will be using a need to pierce the ears. A piercing gun should not be used to pierce the baby’s ears. It’s important to know that the needle is sterilized before being used for the piercing.
Before You Go
Most piercers will need to make sure that your child is up to date on immunizations. Many will not pierce unless they have this confirmation. Make sure to check with your pediatrician before you get your baby’s ears pierced as well.
You should also be prepared for some tears. Just like with immunizations, a needle and a baby never make for a great time! However, it will not hurt them for too long. If you get the ears pierced before the child is two, that is the right window for piercing a baby.
After that, they can become fidgety and also not fully understand the procedure but understand enough to recognize it’s painful. You can also wait a while longer and pierce your child when they are older—around 8.
Getting your baby’s ears pierced is an exciting decision to make! Many parents do this for cultural reasons or for a bonding experience of picking out earrings as they age. It is best to know what type of earring you will get with the piercing and where to go before you make the final decision.
