If You Chose to Circumcise Your Son…

Haha...these conversations never stay polite. I did what I did, because I did it. (OK, we DID actually have reasons, but it shouldn't matter to anyone else!) I have never felt the need to defend, explain, or justify myself. I am comfortable with my decision, and no I would not have changed my mind.

I always heard that the son should be the same as their father so they didn't "look different". I didn't "research" it at all.

That is what *MY* family has done...so the "They all look the same" reason I guess but in all honesty I think they look prettier that way too!

For the record, no research or other people's opinion on the matter would change my mind and if I had to do it over again I would still make the same choice.

I saw no harm in it, everyone, and I mean everyone around here does it. My boys are filthy though I admit I didn't know this at the time. :)

My oldest is 23 so they were just starting to debate this back then, there sure wasn't any internet to research so pretty much, everyone had it done and I wasn't going to consider making my son a freak within his peer group.

By the time I had my second son 11 years later I knew I had made the right choice. Just from a keeping it clean standpoint, heck my sons gather dirt in the craziest places, why would I give them one more. Still none of their peers are uncirced.

A few months ago I asked my 23 year old do you forgive me for mutilating you. He said mom, stay off the internet those people are freaks! The point is it is a non issue to him and he doesn't understand why moms debate this as they do here.

I guess to recap the boys don't care so do what you want.

My husband really wanted our boys circumcised. I really didn't care either way so much, BUT I have to admit after being with both -I like the circumcised ones better! Not that I really want to think about that where my boys are concerned and if I really loved a guy it wouldn't have been a deal-breaker, but it occurred to me. Also -around the time my first son was born, the information came out about circumcised men having more protection against STDs. Again, something I hope my sons won't have a terrible time with (hoping they won't stick it everywhere and use a condom when they do, but...).

My main concern was any pain the boys would feel when the procedure was performed and the few days afterward. I knew they would not remember it, but I still didn't want them to be in pain. My doctor who performed both of the boys' circumcisions numbs them with lidocaine first. One cried and one did not. They never acted like it gave them any pain or problem afterward. Personally, I think the people who are SO outraged and up in arms over circumcision need to find something better to do. I mean, there are FAR worse things happening in this world -and plenty of them to children.

I left it up to my husband and he said yes. Our doctor said in a mono-tone voice right after he was born: Do you want to circumcise? If so, there are no benefits.

I hope people don't get on their high horse here and start prancing around about how they didn't and how they are the better parent.

Good luck!

My oldest son is now 29. Back then it was the norm, it never occurred to me NOT to do it. My other son just turned 10. When he was born was around the time that people were starting to really think about it and choose. Since he is my husband's only child, I completely left it up to him, and he chose to have it done. My daughter and son-in-law chose to have their now 3 year old circ'd because his daddy , my son-in-law, is NOT circ'd and he's been a diabetic since age 8 or 9 and has frequent yeast infections and sores on his. My daughter says at least half the time he is "out of commission" from it. And yes, we are both aware that if he fully controlled his diabetes and was diligent about his hygene it would help....

I circumcised my son because it is more common in America and when he is in a locker room down the road, I didn't want him to feel self conscious. My DH is uncircumcised (due to having been a premie, and when he was old enough to have it done, his parents did not want to then put him through that, different when they're a newborn) and said that he definitely felt self conscious as a teen. Not alot, but somewhat. It is easier to keep clean and therefore not get infected. I didn't do a lot of research because I was never conflicted about whether or not to do it.
I don't know if I'd have changed my mind unless there was a bad risk to the baby, which there's not.

Both of my sons are circumcised. We chose to do it because my husband is uncircumcised. He was born six weeks early and was only 3 lbs, so his parents and I'm sure the doctors wouldn't do it to him. He had issues with keeping it clean when he was a kid, several infections, and always felt different from other boys. He was fairly adamant that our sons have it done. I was used to it because every boy in family had it done, so it was an easy decision for me. My husband was present when our first son had his done, and he said he didn't even cry. The numbing cream had been on for so long that he didn't even feel it. It seemed raw for a few days, so we just made sure to keep it well coated with Vaseline and then it was fine.

We circumsized our children because it is a cultural, traditional thing to do, because it can prevent infections later down the line, it's easier to clean, to prevent ridicule and such in the locker room as they age, and frankly b/c it is just more attractive.

However, there is more awareness and controversy surrounding it now, a lot of men are wishing they had the choice to do that themselves. Really, there is little benefit to circumcision, and it actually reduces the amount of pleasure a man can feel. It makes me a little sad now that I mutilated my son's body parts without any real medical reason. I watched a video on a traditional non-anesthetic circumcision and it was incredibly intense and painful, I hurt so bad for that screaming, traumatized baby... it is a much bigger procedure than just a little snip. Of course, in US hospitals, the procedure is not that intense, but accidents still happen and penises do get mangled. Many more parents are choosing not to circumcise, so I don't think it will be as taboo in the future as it is now.

At the same time, many people who do not circumcise, sometimes will have to do it anyways when their child is older if it gets infected.

So, there are really pros and cons on both sides, truly a personal decision.

I circ'd my first son because I was a single mom and had to pick something. Every guy I've ever met was circ'd and they were all fine so there you go. He had no issues with it and I had no regrets.

With my two younger boys, my husband is Jewish so they were also circ'd, case closed. They were also totally fine and had no issues and I wouldn't choose differently.

I don't think it's barbaric - men have been in charge of most of the cultures of the world for thousands of years. If it's a tradition that's survived paternal cultures, it must not be that bad - it's not like those in power routinely opt to do things that are cruel and unusual to themselves and their same gender progeny, unlike the cruel treatment of women and baby girls (female genital mutilation, foot binding, etc.).

If you don't and some medical problem should occur in the future whereby your child would have to get circumcised as an adult-1) your son will hate you; 2)OUCH!

The only research I did was asking my husband what he'd like to do. He felt the boys should be circumcised, and so they were.

This was nearly 20 years ago, and if I had to make the decision again, knowing what I know NOW, I would probably not do it.

:(

I didn't know to do any differently back in the '90's . . . I probably would have had religious concerns too (staying consistent with Judeo-Christian tradition).

That being said, I probably would consider the issue in much greater detail if I were to have a male baby today. It seems terribly cruel the way it's done. I hated it when my kids were babies, but I didn't even realize I could decline to do it (as dumb as that sounds).

My husband wanted it done. I had my doubts, but he seemed so dead-set on it that I decided to go along with it and didn't do as much research as I should have. We asked my OB to weigh in and she said it was a personal choice and gave us a brochure about it that was very neutral on the issue. She said it wouldn't hurt as she would use a numbing cream. So I decided to go along with what my husband wanted. He was there during the procedure and said our son did not seem to be in pain, that it was over quickly and wasn't upsetting to watch. But as soon as I changed his diaper for the first time I regretted our choice. If it didn't hurt during, it must have been sore afterward during the healing process. A few months later I had some question about it that I looked up on the internet and found all the intact sites for the first time. Wow, I felt and still feel awful about it. We should have let our son decide for himself after all it's his body. Now if we have another son one day there is no way I can have it done. It's just not happening. Which I fear will cause one or both sons to be angry with us. I have had many discussions about it with my husband and he understands my feelings and says that is fine if it's what I want to do, and he says he doesn't think it would be such a big issue. Hopefully he is right or better yet we have a girl and avoid the issue altogether. Anyway one last little tidbit. I felt so guilty I asked at our daycare what the situation is, is my son in the majority or not. I was a bit surprised to hear that he is "in the majority BY FAR." So I guess most parents are still doing it - at least down here.

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We had both of our boys circ'd. Initially, it was for religious reasons. Now, I'm happy we did it for fairness & cleanliness reasons. As a woman, I'm all for anything that bridges the gap between the pain that women HAVE to suffer and men get away from. I watched my sons get circumcised. Neither cried. There was little pain after. It makes my job as their mom and main diaper changer and bather much easier. If it decreases their pleasure a tiny bit, I could care less. We women go through enough pain monthly, with pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum that I could really care less if circumcision has them experience an ounce of less pleasure. May sound harsh, but you wanted an honest answer :)

We circumcised all three of our boys and my stepson is circumcised as well. The biggest reason that I wanted them circumcised was so that they would look like Daddy. I don't care what anyone on the other side says about how it doesn't matter- in our family, it did/does matter. With 5 males in my house, there is a lot of peepee curiousity, talk etc..if they, or one of them looked different from the other(s), it would definitely be a topic of frequent conversation. Heck, even without circumcision being a difference, they still discuss whose is longer, thicker, etc- and its not like they're always naked. They're still young and the younger ones do bathe together (3, 5 & 6) and occasion will change in front of each other and yes, they do catch occasional glimpses of my husband- it happens.
My husband was also adamant about them being circumcised and clearly, I didn't argue. We haven't had a single issue with any of them and I don't regret it for a second. I have no doubt that they will be glad they are circumcised when they are grown.

Both of my sons are. Didn't 'think' about it. No ramifications for doing it, or not doing it.

I never really considered not doing it. I was raised in a very religous up bringing. But when I was pregnant with my oldest one of my friends told me about when he had to get his done when he was a teen. That took away any questions that I had to not do it.

We circumcised our son. I don't regret our decision at all.

I did not research...only because my husband had his mind made up the moment we found out he was a boy. (Stupid u/s (level 2) doctor told us when we didn't want to know)...

I asked my hubs and he already knew that we would. So that was good enough for me. (He's a researcher guy...reads ALL labels...) I could ask him why he decided won't change things now. And I don't regret the decision and neither does hubs.

I did no research. In my world, that's the norm, and I didn't see a need to question it.

My son is circumcised. So is his dad. It was a total non-issue for us. Didn't research it, didn't realize it was such a "hot" topic. We'd do it again in a second.

I'm glad I had a girl and didn't have to see if this was going to cause a disagreement with my husband.

Tracy - I'm sorry you are having sexual issues with your husband. I've had sex with both circumcised and uncircumcised men. None had to take a shower before oral sex, they just showered like usual, none looked "yucky" to me, none were harder to get "hard", all are beautiful. Some of my best, most skillful, and longest lasting lovers were uncircumcised men.

Hygienic reasons. I'm starting to wonder if it was the best decision though..there's so much conflicting research out there that it's hard to know what the right thing is. If it was absolutely proven that there are no health benefits to being circumcised, we probably would not have had it done.

We did have our son circumcised. From the moment I found out we were having a boy I did research. I was truly conflicted. I didn't want to do it at first because I didn't want to put him through that. As I was researching I it very confused so I finally asked my husband what he wanted. He said to do it so we did. My son Is now 5 and I am glad we did it because he Is so sensitive and even with great personal hygiene he has had a bladder infection. It makes me believe if I left it intact that we woul be having a lot more issues.

No foreskins in our house, hubby, and both sons are cut because I like them that way. Equally, I don't think anyone should criticise those who choose to leave their boys intact. They have their reasons but I can't agree with any of them.

My son is circumcised and I did no research until after the fact. My OB did the procedure and did what has been labeled a half circumcision where they don't cut as much skin off. He looked uncut for the longest time but it looks more 'normal' now.

S.