Circumcision

Emilywooddesign · January 2015

do I dare ask this question? What are everyone's thoughts on circumcision? We don't know the sex of our babies yet but it is already a heated debate between my husband and I.

kemdupuis · January 2015

We are having a boy and are wrestling with this decision too. It will be interesting to see what everyone else thinks. Right now, I think we are leaning towards having it done, but I don't know- the thought of putting our tiny baby through that really gets to me. I need to do more research on health benefits and other positives vs. the negatives

Karissa764 · January 2015

We are going to get our son circumcised. Just personal preference and there are less complications getting done that not (that I have seen).

rweaver8611 · January 2015

DH and I will be having our baby boy circumcised. I never really thought not to, but if I had, I feel like my grandfathers experience would make me definitely get it done.
He had health issues at 80 years old and had to go in and get circumcised. I had no idea he wasn't circumcised the first place, but maybe it was just how it was back then. Because I can get my son circumcised when he is so young he won't even remember, I don't even debate doing it or not. I don't want my son to have to go through the health issues later in life my grandfather had to go through, all of which would have been avoided had he been circumcised.

Trampslikeus · January 2015

This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one.

I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other

luvindanimals · January 2015

We got it done with DS and will get it done with this one if it's a boy. I didn't see the procedure actually happen but he didn't seem to have issues afterwards.

hooper2014 · January 2015

I have a different view on this because I've seen it in different situations. My little cousins had it done but they didn't take enough. My brother was 5 an pointed out that my cousins p bug was messed up. I wouldn't want my child to be made fun of for not having it done. Also I worked in surgery, an men would have to come an get it done at a older age bc they couldn't keep it clean and it gets infected. That's my biggest concern. Because my aunt tells me how my 8 year old cousins gets red an infected bc he doesn't take care of it. I would get it done for sure. An my son has his done. It doesn't really put them In pain. It's truly something they will not remember. But I can understand if your husband doesn't have it done, how some people would decide not to do it. I also know people who didn't get it done bc it was a extra charge in there hospital.

aj1327 · January 2015

If we have a boy, he will be circumcised. My sister in law's father had to have it done as an adult and said it was not a fun experience. At least as a newborn, he won't remember!

mishmardhiono · January 2015

My husband is muslim and in his faith it's a must. He has the penis he gets to decide. However he had his done at 13 years old in a mosque, in his village with only a topical ointment to numb the surface done by the imam (priest). He has already said if it's a boy it will be done in a hospital as a new born otherwise he won't allow it.

hswan26 · January 2015

We are expecting a girl but if we had a boy he would be circumsized. I have watched the procedure and it's pretty terrible to watch, that being said, I would still have it done.

MrsFriede · January 2015

My hubby had to have it done at 18 because the foreskin fused to the head of his penis. He said it was a horrible ordeal. We are team green with twins but if either of them are boys they will be circumcised. Also his brother had to have it done at 8 because of medical reasons.

youstolemysoul · January 2015

Totally agree with @Trampslikeus When the Doc asked what we wanted I just looked at my SO and said "I don't have a penis. It's up to you". Well it's a boy and he's getting it done.

mlindzz · January 2015

Trampslikeus said:
This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one.

I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other

Exactly this. My husband and I are still doing our research together, although I trust him and have told him this is something I need him to have the final say on.

KonaCoffeeBean · January 2015

I don't really have strong feelings about this. If we do have a boy, it's probably a decision I'll leave to my husband. However, if it were entirely up to me, I would probably just skip it; I don't see the point in the 21st-century.

blu-eyedwife · January 2015

We did it with my son for religious reasons. Personally I don't think this is one of those decisions where there's no wrong answer. The pros and cons for and against are pretty even, so it depends on your comfort level.

I will say that because we had it done as a ritual event, I got up close and personal with the whole ordeal - it was performed on my mom's dining room table! (By the head of the pediatric urology department from Cedar Sinai before anyone gets to nervous). It wasn't horrifying, it was over in seconds, and he was 100% fine 5 minutes after.

neongreen · January 2015

Trampslikeus said:

This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one. I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other

Yep, this. My ex felt very strongly that any sons of his were NOT to be circumcised, so had I wound up procreating with him, I would have agreed. DH feels just as strongly that any sons of his WILL be circumcised, and similarly, it's fine with me. Unless something goes wrong (which could happen either way, either circumcising or leaving it alone), I mentally file it under "stuff that's probably not all that important in the grand scheme of things". (See also: cloth vs disposable diapers, co-sleeping vs not co-sleeping, etc)

willowprincess · January 2015

We will circumcise if this one is a boy. We researched and discussed it and feel that this is the best decision for us. However this is one of those decisions where I don't really think you can go wrong. There are great points on each side.

And FWIW both of my boys slept through their procedures. They never even gave them the sweetened pacifier because they never stirred.

KimberlyandThor2014 · January 2015

Trampslikeus said:
This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one.

I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other

All of this! But I find it very strange to cut off a piece of one's anatomy that is the natural design of the human body. It feels very wrong to me, but I do understand the other side of the coin and I am going with my husband's opinion since he is the one with the penis and the experience of having one!

I hate the idea of it, because I would never want a part of my own body removed from me, personally, but we are going to circumcise our baby boy. I will cringe and get over it lol

Bednarova · January 2015

We are having a boy and will not be circumcising. H is from eastern europe, where it's not the norm. I didn't feel there was overwhelmingly strong evidence of a benefit to circumcision anyway in addition to not having a penis, so I wasn't going to argue for one.

DS1 was born partially circed and would have required a more extensive procedure than the usual.

Oddly, it came up in convo with my mom and aunt, and had we circed DS1, he would've been the first on either side of the family. (info I did not need to know about my dad and poppop)

effthisnoise · January 2015

No circumcision here. My husband isn't circumcised so our sons won't be.

LadySif · January 2015

@bluedaisy2001 - it is routine at our hospitals for the child's pediatrician to come in and do the circ, not anyone with the hospital staff. The pediatricians at our practice take rounds so for every baby born one of the doctors is available to come do the initial exam, circ, etc. at the hospital. Not trying to sway your mind one way or another, but it may be the practice in your area, too, for the pediatricians to do it and not the hospitals.

We initially said no, but the AAP came out with a new study shortly before DS was born and we updated our research and decided to do it. I get both sides, there's no wrong choice.

CMSullivan326 · January 2015

DS was circumcised & if this LO is a boy he will be circumcised as well. NOT doing it was never an option.

kbbtah · January 2015

Definitely circumcising our baby. Best for his health. Ive seen them performed before and honestly it is NOT that bad. Little whimpering/crying for a moment but much easier than performing later in life.

lmfs90 · January 2015

I'm pretty much making every other decision about our new baby, so if it is a boy I think I'll leave it up to the BF. I have no preference either way. I don't have a penis and I see both sides of the story. BF can make a more 'professional' decision.

mamahawk12 · January 2015

Yep. Two boys are circ'd and #3 will be too should it be a boy.

A+ to all the commenters so far. I've never been on a board where this wasn't a ridiculous mess by the 3rd comment.

delujm0 · January 2015

If we have a boy I'm sure we'll do a bunch of research...but it would take a lot for me to not get my son circumcised. I'm of the opinion that I'd like all of the penises in my house to look the same. ;-)

erbear84 · January 2015

We don't know what we're having yet, but if it's a boy, he'll be circumcised. I left that decision up to H and he was firmly in the "yes" camp.

veggiemo · January 2015

KimberlyandThor2014 said:

Trampslikeus said:
This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one.

I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other
All of this! But I find it very strange to cut off a piece of one's anatomy that is the natural design of the human body. It feels very wrong to me, but I do understand the other side of the coin and I am going with my husband's opinion since he is the one with the penis and the experience of having one!

I hate the idea of it, because I would never want a part of my own body removed from me, personally, but we are going to circumcise our baby boy. I will cringe and get over it lol

Same feelings here. My (circumcised) husband without hesitation said he wanted DS circumcised. I agreed to let him make the decision even though I myself was not sure it was the way to go. I cried when they took him away to do the procedure and I had some guilt following, but my husband just assured me it was the right choice. Now that DS is 2, I'm glad I had it done. No regrets. But fair warning, it's not easy on a new mama.

tiffbot1985 · January 2015

We had DS circumcised, so yes again if it's a boy.

LadySif · January 2015

@bluedaisy2001 - a couple months before DS was born, we started interviewing pediatricians to choose a pediatrician (and pediatric practice, in general, as the on-call Dr. did the circ) we liked and were comfortable with. So in that sense, it wasn't a total stranger in that we vetted the practice and expertise of the pediatricians. The OBs don't do it but yours should be able to give you some good info. It is also possible to bring in someone who does it for religious reasons, but I'd be surprised if that is the only option.

sideboth · January 2015

My son is not circumcised. He was born in London where it is not offered as the standard default. I had no issues with him not being circumcised. My DH and FIL initially protested but now it isn't even a topic of discussion. If you choose not to circumcise, make sure you do some research on it and are aware of the do's and don'ts. I find American doctors aren't well informed because they are use to the 75% of men that are.

LadySif · January 2015

I stand corrected, I missed @pickles26 comment - sounds like it must be regional, then, in terms of what the norm is for who does it, whether it be OB, pediatrician, or other.

dojo1 · January 2015

Completely a personal choice. We were certain we would do it with DS, but in Ontario they don't do it in the hospital, you either do it through a religious ceremony or you go back to your family doc and they do it in office between 2-6 weeks later. It is not covered by our provincial healthcare.

I think we definitely would have gone through with it if it had been done at the hospital right after labour, but because we had two weeks to really think about it we decided we didn't want to put DS through what we considered cosmetic / elective surgery.

I have no judgment whatsoever for anyone who does it, it just wasn't right for us.

sordidvolition · January 2015

With my first, I did lots of research and still came up undecided. Left it up to DH who chose circumcision. Privately, I sometimes wavered back and forth about whether it was the right choice but after DS got a staph infection on his penis I was glad we'd had it done. We haven't discussed it yet but I can't imagine that we won't circumcise this one.

babybean9 · January 2015

I have very strong feelings on this subject, and would not choose circumcision for any of my sons.

I'm actually surprised at the amount of 'yes I would' answers I see on these threads. There's been a decline in this procedure in Canada and The States, but I feel like it's more prevalent in The States. (I'm Canadian, and could be wrong though, regarding prevalence)

That said, I respect other people's choices on the matter, religious or out of pure preference.

angielayne926 · January 2015

I also left it up to DH when DS was born. He didn't want him to be teased if he wasn't. My OB did the circ the day after he was born and did not have any issues with him being in a lot of pain after.

If this LO is a boy, he will be as well.

Ltpugs · January 2015

Trampslikeus said:
This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one.

I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other

Same for me. If it were entirely my decision I probably wouldn't have gotten it done. I just don't see the point of removing a part of someone's body that's most likely there for a reason. That being said my DH wanted it done and I didn't question his decision.

Just an FYI since the topics have come up.... Our OB did it at the hospital for DS and our insurance did cover it.

taboullio84 · January 2015

All my boys have been circumcised.. This one if a boy will be too.

janat1717 · January 2015

If ours is a boy we will not be. My DH is very against it (he is circumcised). He does liken it to female genital mutilation. He showed me lots of research he did. Like a lot of others said he is the expert on penises and I am glad he is passionate about the kid!I

crikit83 · January 2015

KimberlyandThor2014 said:

Trampslikeus said:
This was probably the only parenting decision I felt comfortable leaving 100% in my husbands hands. Not having a penis and all, I am deferring to a person I trust completely who does have one.

I see both sides of the debate and frankly, until the inevitable hyperbolic comparison to female genital mutilation pops up, think it's an interesting topic that I just don't lean too strongly in to one camp or the other
All of this! But I find it very strange to cut off a piece of one's anatomy that is the natural design of the human body. It feels very wrong to me, but I do understand the other side of the coin and I am going with my husband's opinion since he is the one with the penis and the experience of having one!

I hate the idea of it, because I would never want a part of my own body removed from me, personally, but we are going to circumcise our baby boy. I will cringe and get over it lol

I guess I kind of equate it a bit with getting your wisdom teen out. They're a natural thing that your body grows, but they cause a lot of trouble if you leave them there (for most people, anyway.) On the other hand, you don't get your appendix removed preventatively, but I think the stats on wisdom teeth being an issue are a lot higher than your appendix.

I'm also in the DH gets final say camp on this one, although we're totally researching it together.

rosabellegorman · January 2015

I was surprised that my husband had very strong opinions about this given that he is circed. He does not want our son to have this elective surgery to ritualistically remove a part of our child's genitals. After absorbing his point of view, I can't really muster very passionate arguments for having it done.

Yes, there's the hygiene issue, but honestly I think that female genitals are just as important to keep clean and can also be subject to infection and we aren't rushing to the hospital to remove our body parts. People have rotten mouths and multiple painful conditions and expensive surgeries as a result of improper hygiene maintenance on their mouths, but we don't remove our children's teeth surgically when they are born.

The practice was never started for health reasons, it was for religious reasons. I don't at all judge parents for doing it but my husband has persuaded me to come around to his viewpoint.

Yes its less painful if done early, but at least if our son elects to do it later in life it will be his choice. After all, it is his body.

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