Mother Shares Cute Video of Her Beautiful Baby Girl, but Some Viewers are Outraged After Spotting Small Detail

For unknown reasons, people like to tell others how they should be conducting themselves in life. As a result, many people share to TikTok and other social media platforms the mistakes made by others. As such, one TikTok user, and mom of Babygirl Lara, faced a wide range of feedback regarding her infant’s ear piercing.

Infant Ear Piercing Evokes Massive Response

In January of 2022, Julia and Alex Tica, became new parents to a baby girl, Lara Olivia. In June of that same year, the proud parents posted a picture of their baby girl as part of a “then and now” trend. Sharing a pic of Lara at birth, compared to a recent picture. Lara is seen, still in the hospital, flaunting tiny floral stud earrings as a newborn.

Rituals of Infant Ear Piercing

Followers gushed over the adorable pictures. Some commended the parents for their decision, noting that in some countries infant ear piercing is a cultural ritual. In Latin America, it’s customary to pierce a baby girl’s ears just a few days after birth.

Mother Knows Best

Alternatively, some other followers were quick to point out their disapproval of infant ear piercing. Many went back and forth, discussing how cruel or traumatic this decision can be for an infant. Meanwhile, her mom firmly explained she believes the opposite. “I understand that some people disagree with my decision, but I stand by it. I believe that a few days after birth is the best time for a child to get their ears pierced because it is less traumatic for them. Lara had no reaction when the doctors gave her the holes and I believe that this is the best decision for her.”

@laraticaofficial 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚝 🥺𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 #foryou ♬ In The Stars – Benson Boone

Lara Olivia Tica, is an Instagram and TikTok influencer. She has become well known across multiple social media platforms, with nearly 4 million followers on TikTok. In the midst of her rising social media fame, the newborn picture went viral, touching on the controversial topic of infant ear piercing. In fact, for years, the topic has been so controversial that medical experts have weighed in.

Researchers Review Infant Ear Piercing

Researchers have studied the effects of infant ear piercing and offered some valuable tips and thinks to consider. Interestingly, there is no firm stance on infant ear piercing, except that it’s up to the parents and child if they decide not to do so during infancy.

Some parents choose infant ear piercing because they believe it’ll be less traumatic. In contrast, some parents prefer to let their child make that decision, and preferably when the child is old enough to take clean and take care of the piercing on their own.

If you’re weighing your options, Healthline suggests a few things to consider.

Keep up to date on Vaccinations

Some physicians suggest waiting until after your infant has had two tetanus shots. Usually, a child is around four months old at this point. While some parents prefer to do it earlier, waiting until after may minimize the risk of infections caused by bacterial spores entering the body before it’s had the chance to develop immunity.

Take Time to Consider Allergies

An infant’s allergies may not be apparent right after birth, thus making it difficult to know if there will be adverse effects or reactions to the metal or sanitation materials. Some health experts suggest waiting until children have been exposed to several allergens, particularly metals. Furthermore, suggesting the first earrings be gold because it’s the least common cause of allergic reactions compared to other types of metal used for jewelry.

Tackling concerns Regarding Keloids

Keloids are bumps of scar tissue that most commonly form on earlobes, shoulders, or the chest. However, they can occur anywhere that a skin injury has occurred. Because they are common on earlobes, many parents worry the infant ear piercings increase the likelihood of developing keloids down the road; however, evidence is mixed, as this study showed the opposite. The findings revealed that children are more susceptible to keloids when they get their ears pierced after age 11.

Pain and Trauma

Some research has shown that babies may be more susceptible to pain than other children or adults, because the nerves that monitor pain are still developing and therefore are more sensitive. This understanding likely leads people to believe infant ear piercing is more traumatic. In contrast, infants don’t remember their first days at the hospital, thus making it a perfect (and sterile) place to perform the task.

Sterile and Clean Environment

Although hospitals are designed to house sick patients, they’re also well-cleaned and maintained to combat the surplus of germs. Therefore, shortly after birth, the hospital is possibly the cleanest, safest place to do any kind of body altering activities, including infant ear piercing. On the other hand, due to liability, most piercing places don’t cut corners when it comes to hygiene. They’ll likely use new and sterilized tools. However, if you’re feeling uncertain, it’s ok to ask to be present for the whole process, so you can see them open everything and go through ALL the steps.

Other tips to consider include avoiding dangling earrings so they don’t get ripped out and damage your infant’s ear lobe. Or using screw-back earrings may also help minimize choking hazards. And lastly, whether you choose to partake in infant’s ear piercing, or wait until your kids get older, it’s rarely a bad idea to trust your instincts.

Keep Reading: Mother is livid after 11-year-old daughter comes home from sleepover with multiple piercings