so I'm debating about this one... due with a baby boy (obviously) in june, and I'm really pondering the whole circumcision question.
my gut tells me that I just don't want anyone "cutting" my baby... and that the trauma is so wrong and painful for such a little baby... especially if done for outdated views on hygiene or appearance. It seems to me that more and more people are NOT circumcising their boys, so I am thinking that its not like he'll grow up being the only uncircumcised guy in the locker room, etc. we don't have any religious beliefs that support circumcision and I'm just seeing any concrete reasons to do it.
on the flip side, the whole "so he'll look like daddy" thing does make some sense... but for how long would that be important?
anyone have any particular reasons why they did or didn't??? my husband has a vague sense that he'd like to do it, but he also has been kind of leaving the decision up to me... so any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
We have 2 boys and did not circumcise, even though dad is. basically, the doctor said there really isn't any good reason to do it, and he said it was about 50/50 now, so they won't be the only ones in the locker room who look different.
Trust me, getting it done later in life is much, much, much, much, much worse than doing it as a newborn. For my two friends that ended up getting the removal done it was painful enough that they couldn't walk for a week. For my DS he peed and then cried for maybe 30 seconds and that was it, he was totally fine afterwards.
Watching what happened to my two friends scarred me for life. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I know they are a a minority, but its not uncommon to have it removed in your 20's for complications.
Both of my boys are circumcised as well as their father. They have a new way of doing this, the doctors put a ring around the tip (the part they want to fall off) it doesn't hurt. The ring looks like a little baby condom and it firts right on top. It only takes about 3-5 days and I really don't believe it hurts them, the doctors told me that the first week of a baby boys' life they can't really feel that part of their body.
If you are going to do this I would strongly advise the ring.
I think it's a lot safer. They don't even have to put them to sleep or anything
Congrats on Baby
Good Luck
J.
Our son was circumcised. He wasn't traumatized and, really, didn't seem to feel it much at all.
Talk to your doctor, get the pros and cons on both sides and make an informed decision. If my husband was leaning that direction - I'd do it.
Hi M.,
Well, we have 3 boys. They're all circumcised. My husband was quite emphatic about this. I didn't like the idea of anyone "hurting" my newborn baby boy either, of course. My first 2 were done at the hospital and went great. With my 3rd, the hospital pediatrician wouldn't do it and we had to wait til he was 2 weeks old for it. It was definitely more traumatic for him and all of us- mostly because he seemed to be in more pain, and he took a LONG time to stop bleeding. He was so exhausted that he didn't nurse for 5 hours- which is a really long time for a newborn. Stressful, bad day for me. BUT, I would still circumcise, because, as these other gals have mentioned, there could be issues down the road if it's not done, and there's really no issues if you do it. Not hard to take care of.
Sorry I am responding late, but I just saw this.
I did not circumcise either of my boys. I did a lot of research on it and found that many reasons why it was done, don't necessairly apply anymore. My husband is also uncircumcised, though if I wanted it done, he would have supported that decision.
My boys now almost 12 and 8, have been taught to keep themselves clean and between the 2 of them, only 1 minor infection which cleared up with antibiotics. That infection by the way, was the same type of infection boys that are circumcised can get. My husband has never had an infection or problem, neither have any of his 10 brothers or several nephews. All boys on his side are uncircumcised.
On my side, my father, brother and nephews are all circumcised, total of 9 boys/men besides mine, and at least half of them have had infections.
I really think it's a cleanliness issue. Shouldn't be a peer pressure issue.
Trust your own feelings. Either way it isn't right or wrong, both have benefits, but both can cause problems. It all depends on what you teach them.
Hi M.,
I left the decision to my husband, but had also read a lot on boards like this and in books. My husband was still leaning towards circumcision, even after knowing there were no additional health benefits and that 40-60% of the population would not be circumcised by the time our son was older, until our son was born. I kept waiting for my husband to give the go ahead in the hospital, but he never did. He is now very happy and content with his decision, as our son is 2 1/2 and happy. My husband just couldn't bear to see him hurt and surgery performed on him for no reason when he was two days old. He just didn't see the reasons he'd had before our son was born justify the trauma after he saw and held our son. It is surgery - it's the most performed unmedically necessary surgery in the US. By the way, our pediatrician also agreed with our decision (see the AAP recommendations) and would not have performed the operation for us had we said we wanted it.
All that being said, follow your gut for what's best for you and your family and enjoy your little boy, as they are all precious.
I had a little boy, and I had the very same conversation with myself for sooo long!! And I won't lie... for 2 days after it was done, I regretted it... He was so sore and uncomfortable!! But now, he doesn't remember it, and I am very glad I did it. A quick and simple procedure, and it is done so young that it doesn't really matter to them. I chose to have it done, so that my guy looked like his daddy. I think it matters quite a bit, until they are old enough to be in the locker room with other guys... So you're looking at MAYBE... 5-10 years? For 5 to 10 years, he would think there was something wrong with him... And maybe that is a weird way of viewing it... There is a fact in here. If your boy grows up uncircumsized, and at 20 or 30 years old he has to have it done, WOW. The pain, the humility of it all.... If you don't have it done as an infant, something could go wrong down the road. If it is done, bam that's it, it is over. I don't think you would be wrong if you didn't... It is a very big decision to make. (And I won't lie. My brother is a real sports guy... a ton of babies are circumsized these days. And in the locker room, if you are different there, he claims they aren't very nice about it...)
Whatever you choose to do, it WILL be the right decision for you guys and that is what counts!!
My father wasn't circumsized as a baby. And when any of his kids were expecting, the ONLY thing he asked was that if we had boys to circumsize them.
I guess he had a lot of problems and finally was circumsised at 15 - and he was not happy about it. I understand that there are people who consider it "baby mutilation" or something along those lines. I never really thought about it at all until I was pregnant the first time. Daddy explained that he wasn't circumcised until he was 15 and that it was kinda traumatic for him.
I never thought about the "look like Daddy" point of view until my sister had her 2nd son. I know that kids will look and themselves and at their parents and notice differences.
I think the whole thing is kinda a personal thing. I'm due in mid-April and if I have a boy, we'll have him circumcised. But I've known a lot of people who don't do it. I guess there's no right or wrong answer. Might want to find out why your hubby is leaning toward having it done - maybe that will help you.
