Although until a few years ago it was a common and unquestionable tradition, today, putting earrings on girls or not generates great controversy.
There are mothers and fathers who, for various reasons, decide to give their daughters holes when they are babies, while others prefer to wait until they grow up so that they can make the decision themselves, since it is something that affects their own body.
But in this article we are not going to reflect on this very personal matter, but to inform those families who are thinking of putting their babies on earrings about the different methods that exist, as well as aspects that must be taken into account for a positive experience.
To do this, we have had the advice of Carla Quintana , midwife and head of the Matrona for me project. Carla is also a specialist in the placement of earrings in newborns and babies , and directs a large health team specialized in this subject and that offers its services anywhere in Spain.
For this reason, and given his knowledge, professionalism and experience, we believe that he is the most appropriate person to clarify all the doubts that parents who make this decision usually have .
What methods exist to put earrings on a baby?
Until relatively recently, mothers who had just given birth and wished to put earrings on their babies had the option of doing so in the hospital itself, before being discharged. Little by little, this custom has been disappearing to the point that it is no longer so common to find this hospital service.
In this sense, Carla Quintana tells us about the four most common methods to put earrings on the baby:
Pierce the lobe with the earring itself
A few years ago it was perhaps the most used method , especially when the earrings were put on by the nurses or midwives themselves in hospitals. In this way, and with the same earring that the mother had bought or given to her for the baby, the midwife pierced the earlobe.
Carla is totally against this method for two reasons:
“On the one hand, it is not a hygienic method , because not only is the earring not sterile or hypoallergenic, but also the baby’s ear is being manipulated with the hands.”
“On the other hand, it is very imprecise since the hole is made by hand and without analyzing the peculiarities of each little ear, visualizing how that hole will look in the future when the ear grows, or taking time to paint the exact place where it is going to drill
Pierce the earlobe with a gun
This is the method currently used in most pharmacies . It consists of using a gun that pierces the earlobe with the help of a needle that is inserted under pressure.
Its main advantage over the previous one is that it allows the placement of hypoallergenic surgical steel earrings, but in the opinion of the midwife it also has important disadvantages.
“Leaving aside the fact that the gun is not a sterile tool, the main and great drawback of this method is that it is extremely imprecise , since large guns are used for a tiny ear, which makes it difficult to hit the target on the spot. Right”
In this way, it takes great practice and skill to know how to position the gun so that the hole is correctly centered based on the shape of the baby’s ear.
But in addition, the gun is a contraption that is uncomfortable for the baby because its head must be immobilized to prevent it from moving, apart from emitting a loud sound that can scare them.
Pierce the earlobe with a needle
The abbocath is another system often used . It is an instrument made up of a needle and a hollow plastic tube at the top. When piercing the lobe with the needle, the plastic tube stays inside and through it the earring is inserted and slides. Once the thread is on, the plastic is removed.
For Carla, the main drawback of this method is that it takes time to put the earring on and adjust it correctly, and “when we talk about babies who are constantly moving, the idea of having to manipulate earrings and threads is not the best” .
pressure system
And finally, there is a fourth system that for the midwife is the most innovative and ideal for the baby . It involves piercing the earlobe using a discreet, non-powered pressure device, similar to a stapler.
“This system has two great advantages: on the one hand, it is a very small device that adapts perfectly to the baby’s ear, thus allowing maximum precision when making the hole”
“On the other hand, it is a completely sterile system , since the device is packaged in an individual, sterile package with the surgical steel earring preloaded. In this way, you do not have to touch the ear more than necessary, or manipulate the earrings” – explains Carla.
In addition, the earring has a pressure nut that does not bother the baby and cannot accidentally come off.
When is the ideal age to put earrings on a baby?
Around this question, there are two widespread and curiously opposed myths .
One of the myths is the one that ensures that the baby must be at least three months old to be able to put the earrings on with greater precision. This myth is especially linked to the gun drilling system.
“In many pharmacies , parents are told that the earrings cannot be put on until the baby is older , since the earlobe grows and the hole could be off-center.”
“But this doesn’t make sense, because precisely the earlobe is one of the parts of the body that will grow throughout life, so based on this criterion, it would never be a good time to make the hole” – argues the midwife.
Another popular belief is that the holes for the earrings must be made “as soon as possible, so that the baby does not hurt” .
However, there are two important points that make this task easier when done in the first weeks, or even days of life:
- The earlobe is very thin at first and easy to get through . However, as the baby grows, the area will harden.
- The baby moves less , so it is easier to work without discomfort.
“However, I always say that there is no ideal age but an ideal moment, and that is set by the parents. Parents must be convinced of their decision without the baby’s age being a determining factor, because the earrings can be put in any time” – points out the midwife.
What aspects should be taken into account when making earrings for the baby?
Once the methods and the most suitable moment to place the earrings on the baby have been analyzed, the midwife offers us the following advice to take into account:
1) Precaution and hygiene in the procedure
As we have mentioned, hygiene throughout the process is essential to avoid infections or discomfort after putting on the earring . To do this, the person who is going to put the earrings must wash or disinfect their hands beforehand, as well as disinfect the baby’s ear .
2) Hypoallergenic earrings with safety closure
Carla recommends always wearing hypoallergenic surgical steel earrings . These earrings not only prevent allergic reactions on the baby’s skin, but also a quick and uncomplicated healing.
“On the other hand, earrings made of other materials such as gold or silver can cause allergies in the baby’s skin, especially when there is a wound that must heal previously”
But in addition to being respectful of the baby’s skin, the hypoallergenic earrings have a safety snap closure that prevents the earring from accidentally coming off.
“On the other hand, gold earrings close with a thread system that is very difficult to manipulate given their small size. This often means that the earring is not properly tightened or that over time, the bath or the friction of the clothes the thread ends up loosening”
“When this happens, the problem is not that the earring is lost, or that when we realize that it is missing, the hole has already closed, but that the baby finds it in the crib, picks it up and puts it in his mouth. “
3) It is a process that takes time
Putting earrings on a baby requires experience, time, dedication, patience and care . In this sense, Carla recommends avoiding sites that are not specialized in this subject and that do not show sensitivity towards the baby and his needs.
” You cannot put earrings on a baby in a hurry or in the rush of having another client waiting to be attended to for another matter. It is a process that takes time and must be completely personalized” – emphasizes the midwife.
4) The priority should always be the baby
Finally, Carla reminds us that whenever there is a baby, the priority should be to attend to it and provide it with the most serene, relaxed and placid environment possible.
” We must be the ones who adapt to the baby and its needs , and not the other way around. It is not recommended to immobilize the head or cause tension, but always try to make the baby feel comfortable, confident and calm”
That is why Carla offers her services at home because “there is no place where the baby feels safer than in his own home, in his family environment and with his parents by his side”.
Likewise, to relieve discomfort, the midwife recommends resorting to tetanalgesia if she is breastfeeding, offering her a bottle or distracting her with toys if she is a little older. In addition, more and more professionals like her choose to use a little anesthetic cream prior to the puncture to mitigate the pain.
In summary…
The choice of putting earrings on the baby is very personal and must be respected. If you finally decide to give your little one holes, make sure you choose a trusted site with professionals specialized in this subject , who treat the baby in a respectful manner and offer a hygienic and hypoallergenic service that helps prevent any complications.
- If you want to find out about the “pending at home” service that Carla offers anywhere in Spain, get in touch with her through her Instagram account.
Photos | Cover (iStock); Photo 1 (Photo by Goda Morgan in Pexels); Photo 2 (Photo by Goda Morgan in Pexels); Photo 3 (@matronaparami); Photo 4 (Pexels)
Acknowledgments | Carla Quintana
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