When I decided to get my second daughter's ears pierced, I figured I'd be much calmer than I was the first time around. After all, I'd already done this once with my oldest, Ava. Instead, I found myself searching Instagram, TikTok, and Google for one very specific thing:

What actually happens at a Rowan ear piercing appointment?

I wanted to know if there would be one nurse or two. Would I hold my baby? Would she lie down? Would they pierce both ears at once? How long would the appointment take?

Surprisingly, I couldn't easily find the answers. Most of the videos online, understandably, start before the piercing and cut to the end when it’s over.

So if you're sitting where I was, trying to decide whether Rowan is worth it for your baby, here's exactly how our experience went.

Why We Chose Rowan

Eden was 13 weeks old when she got her ears pierced. I could have taken her as soon as she received her two month vaccinations. I actually had Ava's ears pierced at exactly eight weeks. The only reasons I waited longer this time was because I was deciding where to go, and I wanted to choose a day where our schedule was quiet enough to allow for a potentially fussy afternoon.

I've always preferred piercing my girls' ears as babies. Part of it is admittedly vanity. I simply love the way little earrings look on baby girls. They also help people stop asking, "Is it a boy?" The other part is that babies this young aren't constantly touching their ears, twisting earrings, or accidentally irritating the piercing, which makes healing much easier.

With Ava, I went to Banter by Piercing Pagoda and had a perfectly fine experience. This time, though, I kept walking past the new Rowan location at Del Amo Fashion Center, and something about it caught my attention. More specifically, Rowan advertises that its piercings are performed by licensed nurses.

Whether it was logical or not, that immediately gave me more confidence. Every time I walked past the traditional piercing kiosks, they were staffed by teenagers or very young adults. I'm sure many of them are excellent at what they do, but handing my tiny newborn over to a nurse simply gave me more peace of mind.

My Nerves Caught Me Off Guard

Oddly enough, I was more nervous this time than I was with Ava. Maybe it's because I'm older. Maybe it's because Eden has a much stronger personality than Ava did as a newborn. Whatever the reason, I found myself wanting to prepare for every possible scenario. I'm one of those people whose anxiety gets quieter when I know exactly what's coming.

I wasn't worried about whether I wanted to pierce her ears. I never questioned that decision. I just wanted someone to walk me through the experience before I got there.

Booking the Appointment

Booking was incredibly easy. I booked online through the link in Rowan's Instagram bio, chose our appointment time, and that was it. When we arrived at the Del Amo location, I checked in about fifteen minutes early and was taken back almost immediately.

The boutique itself is adorable. Think bright pink, bubble lettering, clean lines, and a fun, modern aesthetic. Ava actually started taking pictures because she thought the space was so cute. It felt more like walking into a boutique than a medical office, while still feeling spotless and professional.

What Actually Happens During a Rowan Ear Piercing Appointment

This is the part I wish someone had written for me.

Our entire appointment lasted about 30 to 40 minutes.

There were two nurses working that day. One was helping another client while the other greeted us, walked us through the paperwork, explained every step of the process, and ultimately pierced Eden's ears.

The appointment looked like this:

The nurse sanitized both ears.
She carefully marked the placement.
She asked me to approve the markings.
She evaluated them herself.
She wasn't satisfied.
She cleaned them off and started over.
She repeated this process several times because Eden kept moving and smearing the marks.
Once she was completely happy with the placement, she pierced one ear and then the other using a piercing device.

I'll be honest. About halfway through all of the remarking, I almost laughed and told her to just eyeball it. Instead, she stayed patient and kept perfecting the placement until she was completely confident. Looking back, I'm so glad she did. That level of precision gave me a lot of confidence that she genuinely cared about getting it right.

How Much Did It Hurt?

Eden cried loudly after the first ear. As we started calming her down, the second ear was pierced, and she cried again. The crying felt very similar to her vaccination appointments. The biggest difference was that she stayed upset for a few extra minutes afterward, whereas with vaccines she usually calms down as soon as she's dressed again.

Once we left the boutique, I simply walked around the mall holding her for about twenty minutes until she settled. Then I transferred her into the stroller, walked for another few minutes, and she fell asleep almost immediately.

By that evening, it was honestly as though nothing had happened. She wasn't unusually fussy. She never grabbed at her earrings. At one point she even rolled onto one ear while sleeping, and I panicked, convinced she'd wake up crying. She didn't. She woke up smiling like always.

The Aftercare

Rowan recommended their aftercare spray, which cost $20. I was instructed to spray the front and back of each ear two to three times a day. To make it easy, I put the bottle in our diaper caddy and give each ear a quick spritz during diaper changes. It's become part of our routine without adding another thing to remember.

So far, healing has been completely uneventful, which is exactly what every parent hopes for.

Was Rowan Worth the Cost?

This was my biggest surprise.

I paid about $165 total, which included:

Double ear piercing
Earrings
Aftercare solution

To be fair, Rowan is very transparent about pricing on its website. I simply misunderstood it before arriving. I expected to spend closer to $100.

That said, I don't regret it for a second. Would I pay that much for my 12 year old to get a second piercing? Probably not. I'd likely choose Banter or another reputable piercing location.

But for a tiny newborn who can't tell me if something feels wrong, the professionalism, patience, privacy, and attention to detail were absolutely worth paying for.

My Final Thoughts

If you're debating whether Rowan is worth it for infant ear piercing, my answer is yes. Because every interaction made me feel like my baby mattered. The nurse never rushed us. She explained every step before she did it. She took far more time than she technically needed to making sure the placement was perfect. And when it was over, I walked away feeling like we'd made the right decision.

Watching your baby experience pain, even for a few seconds, is never easy. I knew Eden was about to cry, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. But the moment she settled down and I looked at her tiny little face with those perfect earrings, I knew it had all been worth it.

If you're anything like me, you've probably been searching for reassurance more than information. I hope this gave you both.

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