Circumcision?

[Primrose]

We did not have Atticus circumsized. It was never even a question as I think it would have been done over DH's dead body. I am actually quite passionate about this issue so am going to exert some self control by not going into all that. I will just say regardless of what you end up deciding educate yourself first. Find out what the different medical associations say. And find out how to care for a newborn penis. If it is intact (no offense meant it's just what it is.) never, ever, ever forceably retract the foreskin. It is attached to the glans for a reason, and will retract on it's own as the child gets older. The reason for the majority of the problems in the US with intact boys is the misguided information to forceably retract and clean under an infants foreskin. Anyone can feel free to PM me if they want a more detailed discussion of my thoughts.

 

[gracepaints]

Since it IS the topic here, I was wondering, mY husband is convinced that "partial circumcison" is an option. I have never heard of this before, has anyone? Circumcision in general is something I know very little about, but I would like to know about it.

When we were on the fence about it, we asked a pediatrician if she could do a "conservative" cut. Our thought was that Mohels, who perform circumcisions during the Jewish Bris ceremony, cut off a lot less than Drs tend to. The pedi said she could, but I could tell that she thought this was a very odd request. I guess in her book, if you are not going to do a full job, why do it at all?

I think part of the "hot topic" issue is that men who were circumcized don't appreciate being made to feel like something was done to the most private/sensitive part of their body for no reason, without their consent. And worse, that their wives might want their own sons to look "different" than them.

ETA: I do think it's mildly insensitive, however, to proclam a baby boy "intact" and make another mom feel like her son is broken or something. Just my opinion.

I actually like how my husband looks (he's circumcised) and if you could just magically pick beforehand so that there would be no medical procedure, maybe I would choose to have him look like his dad.

In response to your other comment, I guess I never thought anyone would take offense at my pride in the fact that my boy is uncircumcised. All I know is that every time I change my son's diaper I am SO GLAD we left his boy part alone.

 

[sparassidae]

I think I was the first person to use the term 'intact' in this thread (actually, I had to be, I was the first person to respond )

Anyway, I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone, or cause another mother to think I was implying her child was 'broken'. I was just using the commonly used term for an uncircumcised boy.

In the same way I would use the term 'natural childbirth' to mean 'unmedicated etc childbirth', not to imply that those who have an epidural etc are some 'unnatural' freaks

 

[seamonster]

Our feelings and our choices for our son and any future sons do not negate your feelings or your husband's. We just read the same information and came to a different conclusion.

 

[Kaylynn]

i had my son circumcised and he did just fine....they don't remember the pain....he was give sugar water through the procedure and he did great....my father is an ob/gyn and i wanted him to be involved in the process of my child's birth because i was going to have my mother there but having him there for the delivery just would have been strange, so i asked him if he would mind doing the circumcision for us that way he could feel involved too.

after rereading this i realized that some people may come to the conclusion that i had my son circumcised for the sole reason of having my dad involved, and just wanted to clarify that we decided on the circ for health reasons, and he was asked to do the procedure after that decision was made.

 

[Leanna]

Our first son is circumcised but we are not circumcising this one. The benefits are minimal and don't outweigh the small (not as small as you might think) but real possibility of them botching the cicumcision. Everything is really small with a newborn. Two Canadian newborn boys lost their life last year to circumcision. If it needs to be done it can be done later when the risks are lower.

 

[Tea]

We also had our boys circ'ed and it also was for personal and religious reasons.
My sister though did not. She lives in the medical world and knows "better" than us. Her condesension, not mine. Anyway her kids did get infections because the foreskin would not pull back. Apparently these kids have to have at least 3-4 infections that require hospitalization before the doctors will even consider circ'ing. My comment was, "and they say that circ'ing is cruel". Long and short they ended up having all the three boys circ'ed, ages 3,6,9. My boys don't remember being circ'ed, I quite sure that these boys do.
I feel very sorry for the boys that they had to go through this, but after the shunning we were given for circ'ing, their plight highlighted some of our reason for doing so.
Just our story.
Tracey

 

[Tea]

Leanna, the risks are actually higher the older they get. More blood flow and larger arteries and veins. They need stitches, and the pain goes on for weeks. For my sisters eldest it was almost 6 weeks before he could wear undies again, and he was in constant pain the whole time.
It was not a pretty sight.
T

 

[Leanna]

Leanna, the risks are actually higher the older they get. More blood flow and larger arteries and veins. They need stitches, and the pain goes on for weeks. For my sisters eldest it was almost 6 weeks before he could wear undies again, and he was in constant pain the whole time.
It was not a pretty sight.
T

I was thinking more along the lines of them accidently lopping the whole thing off.

 

[Hadassah]

We circ'd all 5 of our boys and will circ this baby when he's born. Our reasons are both personal and religious.

If we have a boy, we will also have this done.
My DH had to have the procedure done as an adult this last year, and I have to say - it's worth it far more to have it done on day 8 than at 27 years of age.. or any older. I have another male relative that had to have it done later in life for the same reasons, and he even said the same thing.

We'll contact a Mohel to have ours done. It isn't covered by insurance here either - and pain relief is provided - a mite of wine with the baby's bottle.

I've researched the pros and cons, and DH and I decided looooong ago - pro.

 

[jgonz]

My DH had to have the procedure done as an adult this last year, and I have to say - it's worth it far more to have it done on day 8 than at 27 years of age.. or any older. I have another male relative that had to have it done later in life for the same reasons, and he even said the same thing.

Similar situation here HS... DH was 8 yrs old when he was circ'd and remembers it Well. He told me when I was pregnant the first time if it was a boy, we were circ'ing. On top of that, my Mom told me that my Dad wasn't circ'd until a year after they were married because my Mom had one infection after another and the doctor said it was because my Dad wasn't circ'd. So, he had the procedure done and my Mom didn't have another infection...

As for the religious reasons (which I didn't go into in my original post), I figured that if it was an important enough thing for G-d to make circumcision a sign of the Covenant with Abraham, then it was important enough for us to circ our boys. About 3 years ago we found out that it's highly likely that DH has Jewish blood in his family line, so were were amazed at how G-d had led us to circ our boys before us even knowing...

 

[Beth1231]

To whomever used the word "intact" in their posts: I wasn't offended On another board I see the "my intact son _____" on signature lines and it has always come across as mildly insensitive to me. But certainly nothing to apologize for. I have a daughter, by the way.

Slightly off-topic, I remember when the nurse came in to help us give our newborn a bath and when I asked when I could go home, she asked me sternly "When exactly is he getting circumcized?" I just raised my eyebrows and told her calmly "never." lol Random story for this thread. But it really is an "expected" thing in most hospitals around here and I have mixed feelings about that.

 

[Leanna]

I think its a little odd to have a sign in one's signature discussing how someone's son's penis looks in either fashion. I mean really.

 

[Primrose]

I think its a little odd to have a sign in one's signature discussing how someone's son's penis looks in either fashion. I mean really.

I have to agree. It's one thing to talk about it in relevant conversation, but just randomly let everyone know such details about your child's genitals is kinda weird.

 

[lin1235]

I won't circumcise if I ever have a son.

 

[Hadassah]

Similar situation here HS... DH was 8 yrs old when he was circ'd and remembers it Well. He told me when I was pregnant the first time if it was a boy, we were circ'ing. On top of that, my Mom told me that my Dad wasn't circ'd until a year after they were married because my Mom had one infection after another and the doctor said it was because my Dad wasn't circ'd. So, he had the procedure done and my Mom didn't have another infection...

As for the religious reasons (which I didn't go into in my original post), I figured that if it was an important enough thing for G-d to make circumcision a sign of the Covenant with Abraham, then it was important enough for us to circ our boys. About 3 years ago we found out that it's highly likely that DH has Jewish blood in his family line, so were were amazed at how G-d had led us to circ our boys before us even knowing...

DH is Jewish.. his mom is a nurse and just 'knew better' and didn't have him circumcised in '80. DH kept having so many problems and one Doc here saw him and said "It is all in your head" (as in "You're crazy, nothing is wrong with you") and another said there were serious issues and he wanted it taken care of by April/May last year... which is when it was done. I just hate he waited so long. (you know men though.. if it's medical, let's wait until it absolutely has to be done.. )

Knowing the little bits and pieces of my family history and knowing full well what DH's family went through, I do want to honor our heritage, the commandments given to us - as well as avert medical difficulties for our kids (themselves and future DW's).


I don't think hospitals here do that, and if they do it is on the 1st day.
Mom and my Granny (dad's stepmom) sent a blanket along in case we are having a boy so we have something nice for him when we call the Mohel.

 

[marezee]

Due in a couple weeks with our first son, Lucas.

That being said...found out at Drs. appt today that my insurance doesn't cover circumcision. That being said, it brought up lots of questions, and in that, wanted to ask some here...

What are your thoughts on circumcision? Aside from the religious reasons people have, what do you think about it? Yea or Nay?

I've done lots and lots of reading today. Prior to finding out about the insurance my husband and I had agree to have our son circumsized, but now we face the decision with a great more thought.

Help!Thoughts please?

we had all three of our sons circumcised. I don't think it matters why...it's a very personal decision.

maybe you should stick with your original decision.

 

[gracepaints]

I think its a little odd to have a sign in one's signature discussing how someone's son's penis looks in either fashion. I mean really.

I have to agree. It's one thing to talk about it in relevant conversation, but just randomly let everyone know such details about your child's genitals is kinda weird.

I'm one of those people. In my defense though, I think you have to take into consideration the super-alternative, hippy-mama board we're talking about here. I wouldn't put it on CF or anything, but in some circles being a non-circing parent is considered a laudable part of your parenting identity. In that context, it's no different than putting that you are non-vaxing, extended breastfeeding, cloth diapering or co-sleeping in your siggie.

Besides, like I said, I am pretty darn proud of my son's beautiful, uncut little boy part. Am I a big weirdo? Yes, probably. But I am in good company.

 

[Beth1231]

I'm one of those people. In my defense though, I think you have to take into consideration the super-alternative, hippy-mama board we're talking about here. I wouldn't put it on CF or anything, but in some circles being a non-circing parent is considered a laudable part of your parenting identity. In that context, it's no different than putting that you are non-vaxing, extended breastfeeding, cloth diapering or co-sleeping in your siggie.

Besides, like I said, I am pretty darn proud of my son's beautiful, uncut little boy part. Am I a big weirdo? Yes, probably. But I am in good company.

Yup, that makes perfect sense.

 

[jessesgirl]

We circumsized Justin and will circumsize any other baby boys that come along. We certainly didn't do it because it is "pretty' because quite frankly, I don't care how pretty it is. We did it for health, personal and religious reasons. I also want to add that religious reasons for doing something don't make it unecessary, KWIM? It has to be your decision, but the thought of not doing it never crossed our minds. It has to be your decision and your decision alone. You are the mommy therefore you decide. It will be the first of many, many difficult decisions you will have to make on Lucas's account. Prayers that y'all make the best decision for your family and God bless you and your new precious baby!