Don't Even Get Me Started: Piercing Babies Ears

New Series....
Hi there readers! Thanks for coming back for more of my blog, hope your enjoying it and to all new here WELCOME! Today I have the start of a new series called 'Don't Even Get Me Started!'

"Don't Even Get Me Started" is basically going to be a series of me ranting about things than bug me, upset me or that I have a strong opinion on. Not everyone's cup of tea but 1. It will let me vent, it is after all my personal blog, and 2. I am still all about the positive vibes and nothing I rant about will be directed at a group of people or preached as everyone should think it, it is my personal opinion and if you disagree I encourage you to comment below- nothing wrong with a healthy debate.

Rant of the Day...

(This picture breaks my heart)
This has been on my mind after I seen a video being shared on Facebook. Piercing babies ears. I can't. This is no shade or disrespect to those who do decided to get their child's ears pierced, I'm sure you have your reasons but I just can't understand it and in my opinion it is cruel.
So here we go Don't Even Get Me Started!!!.....
Before I even had Ella-Grace or even found out I was pregnant I seen this same video of a mum taking her smiley baby to get her ears pierced and as they used the gun to pierce both ears the scream is horrendous and heartbreaking. And as I said I saw this video before I was pregnant and I was against it, I always say that people should have a choice in things that happen to them and a baby cannot verbalize this choice and I highly doubt they would choose this.  So it always made me sad but after having Ella-Grace and then seeing the video shared again, Oh my goodness I couldn't even finish the video. I felt sick to my stomach and it literally hurt my soul. I struggle enough to take Ella-Grace to get her immunizations (literally I stress about it for a week before and then almost faint when she gets them, dramatic but I just hate it and want to cuddle her) that she needs let alone some fashion accessories that cause unnecessary pain, all because why? They look pretty? So people know she's a 'girl'? I find that even more frustrating as ear piercings can be either gender and what kind of message is it to send to our children that you have to 'look like a girl' or 'look like a boy', but that's a totally different topic.

Not only will this hurt when the poor baby gets the piercings but the after care isn't the easiest either and she/he will likely be in a lot of pain for a while not to mention the change of infection. On top of all the other reasons for a baby to be unsettled why would you add another unnecessary one? It just does not make sense to me. I get when they get older they won't remember, people say the same thing to me about her injections but I still feel sick every single time she gets them and that doesn't make it any easier.

Not to mention this is a body modification which yes you can take out and it would heal up but it is still likely to leave a scar which might bother your child when they grow up. Yes they are our babies and we have to make decisions they cannot to keep them safe and alive but they are their own person and body modification is not one of these things we must choose.

Talking personally about my daughter now these are the reasons I would never think about getting her ears pierced as a baby...

1. I CANNOT bare to see her in any pain it physically makes me sick and all I want to do is remove her from the situation and make it all better. I had never felt this way before being a mum, the kind of feeling that your soul is literally pulling you towards your baby to save them from the pain. I had to make do with the injections as I knew they were for her health and that was hard enough, why would I put the both of us through this trauma as well? The guilt I would feel after would be overwhelming. 

2. It's not my body, it's hers. Yes she can't make decisions now but I'm pretty sure the innocent mind of a baby would not care if her ears were pierced and would choose the less painful option of not getting them done. Yes I put bows on her which she might not necessarily like, I don't know but she never cries when they are on and if she did it would be off as she clearly would be uncomfortable. As far as I possibly can I want her to make her own decisions and she's a baby so this is difficult, nearly impossible. So if I pierced her ears I would be going against everything I believe in. 

3. There is no need. Simple. I would much rather spend money on a new toy or play-set that could help her learn or develop, a new piece of clothing to keep her warm, a baby group where she can play. Something she needs or will love not something she has no interest in and will not aid her life in any way. 

Those are my reasons anyways. A lot of people may disagree which is fine let me know in the comments what you think I want to try and see your point of view but I can guarantee you won't change mine. Here I was actually going to link the video I seen but pains me so much I couldn't bring myself to look it up. If you want to watch one I am sure their are lots on You Tube, I bet you can't watch it without cringing or crying.
Just to add a very out there opinion on this, I think piercing babies ears should be illegal. Can you tattoo a baby? No. Any other bodily piercings? No. It is in my opinion a form of physical abuse as it is painful for them and so very unnecessary.


That's the end of the rant today, I told you I shouldn't of got started haha. I started being tame and ended in calling it abuse but I can't help it I just don't understand. Maybe your a mum, dad or guardian who has done this or would? Or someone who's parents did this to you? Please comment below if you disagree, I certainly don't want an argument but I am happy to read your opinion as you have read mine.

Bottom line for me, no ear piercings for Ella-Grace until the time she asks for it, IF she ever does. Over protective parent? Drama Queen? Maybe, but I'm happy with this opinion and living a ear piercing free life doesn't seem to be affecting her so we are all good.

Thanks for reading my first 'Don't Even Get Me Started" and letting me vent my feelings on this topic (and breathe haha). Until my next blog post why not check out one of my articles on Baby GaGa, links below:
15 Moms Reveal The One Thing They Said They Would Never Do (But Did Anyway) 
15 Most Ruthless Single Moms
15 Crazy Laws That Actually Discriminate Against Pregnant Women

Also please follow my social media accounts, links on blog homepage/menu.

Till next time readers...

Stay Happy Everyone!  




*I do not own nor did I personally take these images

9 Reasons A C-Section isn't the easy option

Its been bugging me....
Welcome regular readers and new comers! Today's blog post is one that has been burning up inside me for a while. As most of you know I had an emergency c-section with my daughter Ella-Grace and many friends and some family members as well have also been through this same experience. This experience of BIRTH and PAIN.. but for some reason there is a false belief in many peoples minds that having a C-Section (Cesarean Section) is 'a -cop out' or the 'easy option'. 'Too posh to push' I hear often. Well I'm here to say that this is very wrong and here are the reasons why.

Not taking away from natural births...
Before I go into these reasons, I would like to point out that in no way am I trying to take away from mothers who have had a natural labor and delivery. I am not saying a c-section is harder, I am just saying that they are different but also equal in difficulty - Equal, not better or worse or harder/easier- I would love to hear about the difficulties of natural labor and I encourage you to comment below this blog I am genuinely curious as my experience was so different. But for this blog I am focusing on the judgement cc-section mums face and I hope anyone reading this who has had a natural/vaginal birth can support this post as I, and every other c-section mum should support yours. As I say in a lot of posts, supporting each other is key, we are all doing our best including with the birth.

What is a C-section...
For those who may not know or want a clearer definition of what a c-section ( cesarean section) is here is the definition taken from the 'NHS Choices' website along with a statistic:

"A Cesarean section, or C-section, is an operation to deliver your baby through a cut made in your tummy and womb.

The cut is usually made across your tummy, just below your bikini line.

A caesarean is a major operation that carries a number of risks, so it's usually only done if it's the safest option for you and your baby.

Around one in every four to five pregnant women in the UK has a Cesarean."

Now for the reasons... 

7 reasons why a C-section isn't the easy option 

1. The after pain
The after pain to any type of childbirth is going to be bad, you just had a baby come out of you in some way- of course your going to be in pain. But for some reason I always hear comments like 'At least you don't have to deal with tearing' or 'You can have sex sooner since it wont hurt'. No, no, no, no and NO! First of all the waiting time for sex is the same as after a vaginal birth (6 weeks I was told) and as for dealing with tearing, HELLO I have a tear, an incision and trust me that pain is very much there when the numbness wears off and it is very painful. I found it so painful in fact that for the first week or two but I'm getting ahead of myself. 

2. The higher and additional risks 
Now I did check this multiple times on websites and with actual medical professionals before I put this down as a reason as of course I didn't want to make a false statement. So as a c-section is a major surgery according to my research there is a higher risk of blood clots, infection, blood loss and death (death being 3X more likely). Additional risks include, paralysis (due to the spinal you have to get before hand), bowel and/or bladder injury and blood transfusion. Personally I wouldn't put increased/additional risk and easier option in the same sentence. 

3. Longer recovery time
After a vaginal birth you obviously also need recovery time but with a c-section there is usually a longer hospital stay and recovery process. I can't speak for the recovery process of a vaginal birth (although I am well aware it would be difficult)  but from my experience of a c-section the recovery process takes a long time and is very painful! Before you even leave the hospital there are things you need to work on including getting feeling back in your legs, standing, walking, getting your catheter out therefore making sure you can go to the bathroom naturally, showering and more, all this before you even take your baby home. On top of this you aren't aloud to walk far, drive at all, have only showers no hot baths and 'don't do too much, relax' this being pretty much impossible when your looking after a new baby and for me this was mostly on my own as Reece had to go back to work and most family live far away. Respect for the single mums out there with no help, how you manage to look after yourself and your baby alone with no help I do not know. 

4. After care
Slightly linking to my last point but valid of being a reason of its own, after care. The after care for a c-section is intense, you have to make sure you take enough pain killers to get you through the day, clean the wound (when dressing is removed), make sure to move around or wear socks that help your circulation (to prevent blood clots) and the worst of it, the 10 injections you have to get following the c-section. I don't know if I am being a baby or if they are this sore for most women but the injection (I think its anti-D but I could be wrong) you have to get is a lot worse than a normal needle. I managed to leave hospital after 2 days so you would think that was the end of the needles but I was told that i either had to inject myself or get Reece to do it, I chose for Reece to do it and oh my goodness, the dread I felt every morning for those 10 days when Reece came to me with the injection was unreal. The  pain of the needle stings all the way through your leg and I would have to sit and wince  in pain for at least 5 mins. 5 mins of a day for 10 days might not sound too bad but when your already dealing with the pain of the c-section, baby blues and looking after a new baby all these things can get on top of you quite easily, those 5 mins of pain which you dread every day just making it worse (obviously I know your better off getting the injection I am just saying it is not pleasant). 

5. Tasks increasingly difficult
Again I did already touch on this but to elaborate, tasks after a major surgery are obviously increasingly difficult or even impossible for at least the first 6 weeks. As I said you can't walk far, drive at all or take hot baths (which I wanted to do as it relax's me so much) and with basic movements such as sitting, standing, turning being extremely painful- even with pain relief- just looking after your new baby can be very difficult not to mention any other tasks you can to do like clean or maybe cook something for yourself. Even the 5 minutes of the day I would have a shower hurt so bad. 

6. Judgement 
Oh the judgement. The judgement you can receive from other people when you tell them you have had a c-section is so dis-heartening and can make you feel like you failed. I was desperate for a natural birth and after having a c-section some people made me feel as though I had failed my body and my child, I had not done what my body was supposed to do. When in actual fact if I had gone down the natural route (because of the situation with Ella-Grace's chord) I don't think I would have her here today. So no, I did not fail- I did exactly what a mother should, did what is best for her baby. My child was saved by a c-section and there is no way I would change my decision. The unnecessary judgement from getting a c-section definitely makes things harder than they need to be.  

7. Emergency
Most c-sections are emergency- as mine was. An emergency c-section isn't an easier option, it is something that can potentially be life saving. I would never choose to be in an emergency situation as it is a highly dangerous and scary event, again showing that a c-section is hard not easy. 

8. VB-AC 
Other than an emergency there are planned sections for many reasons which is not making it an easy option because it is planned, it is something that needs to be done for either the welfare of the mother, the child or both. One reason people might choose a c-section is if they have had one before as it is more difficult to have a VB-AC ( vaginal delivery after cesarean) than a natural birth on its own as the muscles have been ruptured in that area. So if that is what is best for mother and child or even if the mother just feels safer and more comfortable having a planned section that is important- the happier and calmer the mum is the more likely things will turn out okay. Each birth is personal to each mother and no matter what they choose it should not be judged. 

9. Increase chance of PND
When having a c-section there is also an increased chance of having PND (postnatal depression). This being because a lot of mothers can struggle to bond with their child as they maybe didn't get the labor/birth they wanted, they feel they have failed or the judgement that follows. I luckily bonded with Ella-Grace as soon as I seen her but even now there is a part of me that feels like I didn't 'give birth' to her as I never actually pushed her out and I don't know that feeling of giving birth naturally and having my baby put straight on my chest (as you see on one born every minute constantly). I am so happy I had a c-section as I have said, it saved her life and our bond is so strong I wouldn't change anything that happened for the world and I am proud of my labor and delivery. But there are many mothers in the world that really struggle with the fact they had to have a c-section and that is why the chance of PND is increased again making it clear that a c-section is not the easier option. 

Thank you for reading....
That's the end of this blog post I hope you enjoyed reading and if you can think of any other reasons or want to tell me about your c-section experience comment below. Or if you had a vaginal delivery comment about that too, I would love to know the difficulties that comes with that a c-section mother does not experience. No matter what kind of labor and delivery you went through, we should all support each other no matter what. Not to forget the dads out there who are also effected by this and any other ways family's can be started (surrogacy, adoption, IVF). Be kind to each other and I will see you soon readers, I hope this has made you rethink somethings.


Stay Happy Everyone :)!

(I do not own the images below)