A mum has been slammed and accused of child abuse because she pierced her daughter's ears when she was "too young".
Levi Connell, from Leeds, has been forced to hit back at critics after she decided to get Willow's ears pierced at the age of eight weeks.
The 24-year-old faced questions from her partner and even her own mum but Levi was adamant Willow would have them pierced at a young age, Leeds Live reports.
And now she said she has heard people are talking about her on the "grapevine" and she had read comments on Facebook saying she is "disgusting" and her act is "child abuse".
Levi said: "When I first decided to get it done I had mixed reviews from everyone, including my mum and partner.
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"She was eight weeks old and I just took her one day and had it done. Other people said she was too young but I just look at her now and she is perfect.
"It saves me the aggravation when she's little because when she's older she might say she wants them and then decide she doesn't and now it's done she'll have them forever.
"I've heard through the grapevine that people had been saying things about me. I've seen comments on Facebook of people saying it's child abuse and that is disgusting - you can't say that about somebody."
Levi was 10-weeks-old when she got her ears pierced but despite that her own mum raised doubts about Willow getting the same treatment.
Levi initially planning to get the tot's ears pierced when she was only four weeks old but was persuaded to wait another four weeks .
She says waiting was "the best decision she made", adding: "They did it with the piercing gun so they drew dots on her ears, made a few alterations, did one and then she got a little bit upset with herself but they calmed her down and did the other.
"It was done at our own pace so there was no rush and now she doesn't play with her ears because she knows they're there."
Levi believes she should not face discrimination for getting Willow's ears pierced and had this message for people criticising her decision.
"Keep your opinions to yourself," she said.
"I don't think anyone should have an opinion on something like this - would you discriminate because of a tattoo?
"You've got to live for today because you don't know what's around the corner.
"If people are questioning it, I would tell them to just go for it. Don't ask on Facebook because people will say 'don't do it because it's child abuse'.
"Make your own choice - it's your baby and your brought them into this world so you can decide what is best for them."
