My opinion, for what it's worth ("Not much!" I hear you chorus) is that, whether it's abuse, or unkind, or just misguided, it shouldn't happen to a child until it knows what's going to happen and that it will (a) hurt for a while , (b) be (semi-) permanent and (c) be subject to the child's agreement.

I think I understand why it's done: a little girl can look very pretty with sparkling ear studs (but she would look as if she were trying to be an adult if she had large gypsy hoops through her ears - my opinion again.) But a baby in a pram? Or even a toddler? I just don't see the need. Why not give her a nipple ring, too, and maybe something on her labia?

Tayler's response was very thoughtful and eloquent, and I nearly agreed ...! I'm glad she's happy with her piercings, but when all's said and done, a piercing at 3 months is entirely unnecessary, and it could just as easily have happened at some other age when she was old enough to choose by herself, supposing she wanted to.

I don't have girls, but if I had, I know I wouldn't have done it to them - I'd have let them decide if and when for themselves (actually, I'd have waited until it happened, because the thought just wouldn't have entered my head). I do have boys. One of them put a ring in his eyebrow as soon as he left school (school wouldn't tolerate that kind of thing - and they were a bit fussy about girls' earrings too). I frowned disapproval, but let him go ahead (and I'm sure I paid for it somehow!). Almost as soon as he left home, he let it grow out. He has never chastised me for being a bad parent by not getting him pierced at an earlier age, however.