The baby is a few weeks old, the naming ceremony is coming, and someone in the family has already asked who is bringing the silver. Before you buy a silver nazariya for baby wrists or ankles, here is the honest answer: the custom is lovely, but the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend that infants wear any jewellery, because of the risk of choking and strangulation. If your family follows the tradition, keep it brief, keep your eyes on the baby, and never leave it on while the baby sleeps.
I make silver jewellery for a living, and I am telling you this first because almost nobody selling baby nazariya does. This guide covers the traditions, what the safety advice actually says, how to handle each common baby gift, and which of our pieces I would choose for a child, and when.
In short
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend any jewellery for infants. The main risks are choking and strangulation.
- The US Food and Drug Administration has received reports of deaths and serious injuries in infants and children, including strangulation and choking, linked to teething jewellery.
- If you follow the custom: wrist or ankle only, never the neck; supervise the whole time; remove it whenever the baby sleeps or is left alone, even briefly.
- Bells, loose beads and small charms are choking hazards. A rigid kada is outgrown quickly. Ask your paediatrician before putting anything on a very young baby.
- Our kids nazarbattu bracelets come in Small (adjustable 6 to 9cm) and Large (adjustable 8 to 11.5cm).
Why Indian families give silver to newborns
A nazariya is a small bracelet or anklet of black thread or black beads, often with a silver bead or charm, that many Indian families tie on a baby's wrist or ankle in the belief that it wards off nazar, the envious or admiring gaze.
It sits alongside a whole set of customs most of us grew up with: the kajal dot behind the ear, a black thread on the ankle, a grandmother quietly circling salt over a baby who has been praised too much. Silver is the traditional metal for children's pieces in many families, and naming ceremonies, first birthdays and the first visit to the grandparents' home are the usual moments when silver arrives: a nazariya, a tiny kada, a pair of payal with bells, a silver coin. The details vary a great deal by region and community. Our post on the nazar battu tradition in silver goes into the belief itself.
These are beliefs and blessings. I will not tell you that silver protects a baby, and nothing on a baby's wrist does any medical good.
What the safety advice actually says
The clearest guidance comes from paediatricians. The AAP's parenting site states that it does not recommend that infants wear any jewellery, and describes the risk as two-fold: strangulation and choking. Its page Teething Necklaces and Beads: A Caution for Parents says the danger is greatest around the neck, when nobody is watching or the child is asleep, and when a child breaks a piece and swallows the beads.
For parents who choose to use a bracelet anyway, the same page gives four rules, and I would follow every one:
- Supervise your child the entire time the bracelet is on.
- Put it on a wrist or ankle, never around the neck.
- Take it off whenever your child is unattended, even for a short time.
- Take it off whenever your child sleeps, day or night.
The US Food and Drug Administration's consumer update on safely soothing teething pain adds that it has received reports of deaths and serious injuries to infants and children, including strangulation and choking, from teething jewellery such as amber necklaces. A nazariya is not sold as a teether, but a baby does not know the difference. Anything on a wrist ends up in the mouth.
So the practical version: a nazariya for the ceremony, the photographs and the time in someone's arms, then off. For a very young baby, ask your paediatrician first.
Silver nazariya for baby, payal, kada: gift by gift
Each traditional piece carries a different risk. Here is how I would think about each one.
| Traditional gift | Main concern | What I would do |
|---|---|---|
| Nazariya on black thread with a silver bead | Choking if the bead or knot comes loose; thread can tighten or snag | Wrist or ankle only, supervised, off for sleep and whenever the baby is alone |
| Payal with bells (ghungroo) | Bells and jump rings are small parts that can come off in a mouth | Keep for when your child is older; for now, ceremony photos only, on and off again |
| Rigid silver kada | Does not adjust; a growing wrist outgrows it in weeks | Keep as a keepsake, or choose an adjustable cord bracelet instead |
| Chain or pendant | Strangulation risk | Never on a baby. Save it for later |
| Silver coin | A choking hazard in small hands | Keep it in the cupboard, not the cot |
Silver anklets for newborn babies
Anklets are the gift I get asked about most. A newborn's ankle is tiny, a sock or a romper catches on any chain, and the bells that make payal so sweet are exactly the small parts the safety advice warns about. Our anklets are made for adults and are not sized for babies. If your family wants payal on the baby for the naming ceremony, let the baby wear them only in your lap for the puja and photographs, and then put them away until your child is much older. Our guide to black thread anklets covers the adult version of the custom, and our guide to silver anklet and payal designs is there for when your child is old enough to wear them.
Black thread for a baby
Plain black thread follows the same rules as any bracelet: wrist or ankle, never the neck, never during sleep. Check it every time it goes on. Knots shift, so a thread that was loose yesterday can be tight today. If you see a mark on the skin, it is too tight; take it off.
Which of our pieces I would choose for a child, and how to size them
We make two bracelets for children, both 925 sterling silver beads on an adjustable cord. The Kids Silver Ball Nazarbattu has a single round silver bead, and the Kids and Babies Square Beads NazarBattu has square beads with smoothed edges. Both come in Small (adjustable 6 to 9cm) and Large (adjustable 8 to 11.5cm), according to the product pages.
To size one, wrap a soft string or strip of paper gently around the wrist, mark where it meets, and measure it flat against a ruler. Choose the size whose range your measurement sits comfortably inside, so you can loosen it as the child grows. It should be snug enough not to slide over the hand and loose enough that a fingertip slips under it easily. The same rules apply as above: under your supervision, off for sleep.
Even though one of these has "Babies" in its name, I think of them as a child's first piece rather than a newborn's: worn at the naming ceremony in someone's arms, then again when the child is older and you are around. That is the honest way to give it.
What I tell new parents and grandparents
Here is the part the jewellery industry gets backwards. Baby nazariya listings talk about protection, blessings and tradition, and almost none mention choking or sleep. A tradition is worth keeping. It is not worth keeping carelessly.
What I do care about, as someone whose family has worked with silver in Jaipur since 1985, is what the piece is made of. Real 925 sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals for strength, and we stamp every piece 925. A piece you are going to keep for a child for years should be real. You can check any silver at home with our guide to testing real silver. But knowing the metal does not make any bracelet safe for a baby to wear unsupervised or to chew. That part is on us, the adults.
If you want a personalised piece with the baby's name, order well ahead. Personalised pieces take 15 to 20 days to process before dispatch and are prepaid only, with no cash on delivery, so they will not be ready for a ceremony that is days away. A card saying "your name in silver is on its way" is a perfectly good gift on the day. Most of our other pieces dispatch in 2 to 5 working days; if you need something by a date, message us before you order.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can a baby wear a silver bracelet?
There is no age at which jewellery becomes risk-free. The AAP does not recommend any jewellery for infants, and small children keep putting things in their mouths well after the first year. If your family wants a nazariya on, keep it on the wrist or ankle, supervise every minute, and ask your paediatrician first for a very young baby.
Can a baby sleep with a nazariya or black thread on?
No. The AAP advises removing any bracelet whenever a child is sleeping, day or night, and whenever the child is left unattended, even briefly. Strangulation and choking risk is highest when nobody is watching. Take the nazariya off before every nap and at bedtime, and put it back on only when someone is with the baby.
Is silver jewellery good for babies?
Silver has no proven health benefit for babies, and I would not believe anyone who claims otherwise. The risks of baby jewellery come from the object, through choking and strangulation, not the metal. Real 925 sterling silver is the right choice for a keepsake, but it does not make a bracelet safe to wear unsupervised or to chew.
What is a good silver gift for a newborn?
Give something to keep rather than something to wear all day. A kids nazarbattu bracelet for the ceremony and photographs, worn under supervision and stored afterwards, works well. So does a pair of payal or a kada put away for when your child is older. Store silver keepsakes in a pouch, away from the cot.
A silver nazariya for baby, given the right way
A silver nazariya for baby is a blessing, not a safety device, and the kindest way to give it is with the safety rules attached: wrist or ankle, supervised, off for sleep, and a word with your paediatrician for a very young baby. Keep the tradition, keep the silver real, and keep it for the years when your child can wear it properly. Our guide to storing silver will help it last until then. Real Silver. Made to be worn every day.
