A new mum faced backlash online after getting her newborn's ears pierced at just two days old - but has since hit back at critics.
The parent, who posts under the name @ Laraticaofficial on Tik Tok, went viral after posting a video to show how much her adorable daughter Lara has grown in the last four months.
In the clip, the baby girl can be seen with silver flower earrings in while still wrapped up in a hospital blanket.
The mum, from Colombia, says neonatologists 'pierced Lara's ears' while she was still in the maternity unit, adding: "When they are two-three days old, they don't feel pain like a year or two!"
She claims her little one didn't even react when medics pierced her ears, as babies' lobes are softer just after birth.
Although controversial in the UK, piercing children's ears at a very young are is common practice in different countries across the globe.
"It's a tradition," one viewer commented. "In Romania, they pierce the kids' ear in the hospital..."
Another said: "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".
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 my son eight when they got theirs done".
Shonnie Barker Lott 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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