A mum has been criticised for piercing her newborn's ears at just two days old - but she has defended her decision.
Parent and social media user Lara, who posts on TikTok under the name @ Laraticaofficial, went viral after sharing a video showing how much her adorable baby had changed after four months.
In the clip, the tot can be seen wearing a silver flower earring while swaddled in a hospital blanket.
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The mum, who is from Colombia, says neonatologists in the hospital 'pierced Lara's ears', adding: "When they are two-three days old, they don't feel pain like a year or two!"
She claims Lara 'didn't even react' to the piercing as babies' lobes are 'softer' when they're very young.
Although a contentious topic in the UK, piercing babies' ears is common practice around the world, reports The Mirror.
"It's a tradition," one TikTok user commented. "In Romania, they pierce the kids' ear in the hospital..."
Another added: "Same as Indonesia... Every baby girl got [their] ear pierced at the hospital!"
However, some people felt very strongly against the idea, and branded the piercing as 'body modification without consent'.
Do you think it's ok to pierce a newborn baby's ears? Let us know in the comments below
Many mothers were also concerned about the baby's safety, with user Amy stating: "I'd be so afraid she'll pull them off and choke on them. My daughter was seven, and more son eight when they got theirs done".
Shonnie BarkerLott added: "I'm glad I wasn't forced to get my ears pierced as a baby. It should be the choice of the child".
According to WebMD, if you pierced a child younger than three months and they got an infection with a fever, "they would have to be admitted to the hospital".
The website also recommends waiting until your child receives their tetanus vaccine before getting pierced.
"Other vaccines do not protect your child against the germs associated with an ear-piercing," WebMD states.
"Tetanus infections themselves are not common and the risk of getting tetanus from an earlobe piercing is small. However, it's still important to be proactive about your child's health".
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