"In the House of the Blacksmith, the Plow Goes Unsharpened" – My Daughter's First Ear Piercing Journey

They say, “En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo”—a phrase that means the shoemaker's children often go barefoot. As ironic as it sounds, this perfectly describes the journey of piercing my daughter Emma's ears. I’m Marlene, a second-generation jeweler who works with jewelry every day, and yet, my daughter went without earrings for months! Let me share this special (and funny) experience with you.

Motherhood & Postpartum: A Journey of Growth

Emma, who is now two years old, came into my life as a true blessing. Becoming a mom is the most beautiful gift God has given me, but I won’t deny that the postpartum period came with its challenges. As a “new-old mom”, the baby blues hit me hard. Weeks went by where I felt stuck in a dark place, overwhelmed by emotions and hormones. Thankfully, with my husband’s support, therapy, praying and supplements that helped balance me, I was able to navigate that season and see brighter days again.

The Great Ear-Piercing Debate

In many Hispanic and other cultures, it’s traditional to pierce a baby girl’s ears shortly after birth—sometimes even in the hospital. That wasn’t the case for me, and looking back now, I laugh at the rollercoaster of emotions I went through just thinking about Emma’s earrings.

The idea of causing her any discomfort brought tears to my eyes. I kept postponing the moment. Month after month, my mom would lovingly but insistently ask, “When are you going to pierce her ears? She’s going to look beautiful!” Her arguments evolved as time passed, ranging from “It won’t hurt her,” to “She’ll look so pretty, you’ll see!” and even, “Please I beg you, get earrings to that child”

But I was stuck. I’d think, "I waited so long for her, I don’t want her to suffer even a little." The irony wasn’t lost on me—I’m in the jewelry business, and yet my own daughter didn’t have earrings!

The Click Moment

Months passed until “the moment” arrived during a trip to Houston. The three of us—my husband, Emma, and I—were having dinner at one of our favorite spots, La Griglia, known for its unbeatable scallops and tiramisu. As we were leaving, a very kind older gentleman approached us and said, “What a beautiful boy you have.”

It clicked. “Oh no. She’s my daughter, and she definitely needs earrings!”

That moment activated something in me, and I made up my mind right then and there. When we returned to Austin, I scheduled an appointment with her pediatrician.

The Experience: Lessons Learned

While the piercing was done in a safe and professional environment, I have to admit: waiting months to get it done wasn't ideal. By this time, Emma was more aware and, let’s just say, very uncooperative! After the first ear, she moved so much that we decided to stop and return another day to avoid any misplaced piercings.

For all my fellow moms out there, here’s my tip: if you plan to pierce your baby’s ears, it’s easier to do it when they’re still tiny, ideally before six months. By then, babies are calmer, less mobile, and won’t remember the process. For older babies like Emma, you’ll need extra patience, some backup methods, and maybe a second blog post with tips.

The Lesson in Love & Laughter

In the end, Emma’s earrings became a symbol of love, tradition, and my growth as a mom. Though it took me a while, the experience was ours, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

If you’re on the fence about your baby’s first earrings, don’t worry—you’re not alone! Follow along for my second post and take a look at our collection of 14K Gold baby earrings at Stellina, also read my other posts on this blog where I’ll share tips on safe piercing options, when, and how to make the experience smoother for you and your little one. Thanks for reading me, I hope you remember that you are doing a great job mama !

With love and laughter,Marlene