Hilary Duff gets mom-shamed for piercing 8-month-old daughter's ears: 'Child abuse'

Hilary Duff has fired up her fans after admitting on Instagram that she and fiancé Matthew Koma have had their 8-month-old daughter’s ears pierced.

Duff, who gave birth to baby Banks last October, shared a photo of the infant rocking a mini pony and flashing some studs.

“Yes we pierced her ears,” the singer and actress wrote in her InstaStories.

But many of Duff’s followers don’t approve of the piercings, an issue that often divides parents and varies according to cultural customs. Pediatricians, some of whom perform the procedure, typically advise waiting until a baby is at least 3 months old, after he or she has been immunized. But some parents oppose piercing a child’s ears until they are old enough to make the choice for themselves, and cite the pain and risks of infection or allergic reaction.

As such, Duff’s photo has kicked off some controversy.

“Just won an unfollow after seeing you pierced her ears, poor baby. Bye!” one upset follower wrote.

Another accused Duff of “causing unnecessary pain” and called it “child abuse.”

“The risks are unreal and that throbbing pain in her ears, no matter how happy and looked after your child is, just isn't justified in my eyes,” the commenter continued.

“To put a baby through it with no choice but to deal with it isn't right in my opinion,” she added. “If a 'young kid' wants it, then I support the parents’ decision ... they aren't fashion accessories.”

“I agree,” added another commenter. “I just don’t get why you would do it. Babies are beautiful, why would they need their ears piercing?”

Others objected to the backlash.

“It is not abuse,” argued a Duff fan.

“My ears were pierced at the hospital, a day or so after I was born in Venezuela,” another wrote. “It’s a very common practice there. I’m glad it happened there and by a nurse, rather than [when I was] older when I can remember the pain. Sure, some may want to wait until the child can make that decision for themselves, but it’s not that big of a deal if parents don’t always wait. Plus the child can always choose not to wear earrings or close the holes if it’s really that big of an issue.”

“Piercing the earlobe is just not that painful,” claimed a commenter, adding, “If it hurt then a young child wouldn't sit there for the other side [to be] pierced too, would they?”

“I am 51 years old and my sister and I had our ears pierced when we were babies as well and done with a needle,” one follower shared. “I’m OK, I’m not traumatized and I don't remember because I was a baby. People need to stop judging what other people do, and look at what goes on in their own home.”

Duff isn’t alone in being mom-shamed for piercing her baby’s ears. Sisters Kylie Jenner and Khloé Kardashian were also criticized for having their daughters’ ears done.

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