I know there are opposing sides about this topic so let me hear them.
Our doctor posed the question and it will cost 350.00 out of pocket, if he does it. DH is all for it. Due to me not having a penis, I don’t feel like I can really make that call. DH did it later in life and says he wouldn’t want his son to experience that as a grown man.
What are your thoughts and what are your husbands thoughts? If you had it with your son was it difficult to take care of? How long did it take to heal? Are you happy with your decision either way? I may have more questions as I hear your responses.
Re: What are your thoughts on Circumcising?
Your bound to have "intactivists" from all over the board jump out at you on this one. For us there was no question about it. If you've ever worked in a nursing home and seen how older gentlemen cannot properly care for themselves and skin start to die, or paraphimosis, you'd probably elect to do it. Rare, I know, but when you're care is in the hands of others mistakes can happen.
Personal decision for everyone. At least in this day and age your son can elect to do it later if he wanted to, so no harm in waiting if you're undecided. You've got first hand experience from your husband though, I'd let that be your most influential source of information!
Formerly known as Kate08young
August '18 Siggy April Showers:
Married: 7/22/14
Baby L: 8/4/2015 August 2015 Moms
Baby E: 11/18/2016 December 2016 Moms
TTC #3 08/2017 BFP 11/27/2017.
Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well.
DH:45
DSD: 20
DSS: 18
Team green baby due: Aug 6th, 2018
@derbysquirrel gives a different perspective of a man who has it but is not thrilled about it. Thanks.
Our insurance covered DS’s circ. Our family doctor had regular shifts at the hospital where I had DS, so he did the circ in the hospital before we were discharged. Now we have different ins, and I’m delivering at a different hospital, so I’m not sure how everything will work. Adding “call ins about circumcision” and “ask OB how hospital handles circ” to my list of things to do.
Both my mother and MIL say that it was easy enough to care for and healed quickly. Quite a few of my mom's friends had sons who had to have it done later in life for medical reasons and were left wishing it had just been done when they were babies.
Married: 6/2016
TTC #1: 12/2016
Benched due to deployment- Off the bench 8/8/17!
He had re-attached in some spots and didn’t know. So upon ‘entrance’ he tore about 3/4 of the foreskin off. Made for a huge bloody, traumatizing, and expensive mess. It took us months to be cleared and want to try again.
It might have been that he was uneducated, it might be genetic, or a mixture of both. So with our personal experience and the benefits the CDC has found it’s a no brainer for us.
Formerly known as Kate08young
August '18 Siggy April Showers:
Married: 7/22/14
Baby L: 8/4/2015 August 2015 Moms
Baby E: 11/18/2016 December 2016 Moms
TTC #3 08/2017 BFP 11/27/2017.
Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well.
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
DS: 5.28.15
DS#2: EDD 8.31.18
I read up on it and found that it really does seem to be a wash either way as far as risks and benefits, so I felt better going with the option that was reversible if my son changes his mind when he's old enough.
So far, caring for it has been really basic. The pediatrician warned us that the foreskin is not supposed to retract in the first few years, so not to try. I'm counting on DH to teach him how to care for himself when he's old enough.
If we had chosen to circumcise, it was covered by insurance if we had it done while still in the hospital, but we'd have to pay for it if we chose to do it later.
I will say this about L’s. I was in the room when it and his tongue tie were taken care of. L threw more of a fit about being strapped down then he did about the actual procedure. He had the bell thingy on afterwards. Our only care was to make sure it was clean, and fell off on its own.
Formerly known as Kate08young
August '18 Siggy April Showers:
Married: 7/22/14
Baby L: 8/4/2015 August 2015 Moms
Baby E: 11/18/2016 December 2016 Moms
TTC #3 08/2017 BFP 11/27/2017.
Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well.
We decided against it despite dh being circd. Its much less of a given nowadays - circ rates have gone way down. I didn’t see the need to do something invasive like that with no persuasive benefits, and I did a lot more f research at the time even read the cdc materials on it.
Care of if a newborn intact penis is much much easier - there’s nothing beyond just wiped it clean and bathing like the rest of the body - no open wound. As they age, it’s still easy. No pulling back until it retracts, and at that point they are doing it themselves. And it may take years - my 7yo hasn’t yet and it’s a non issue. And it’s just... washed. They wash a bit the inside themselves. They are encouraged to stretch it in the shower, but never would I pull it back. The cleanliness thing is a myth.
The driving reason fof my husbsbd to opt against it was because he felt it was rooted in a religion we don’t practice. That and the increased pleasure from an intact penis lol. There’s never been one iota of mention of comparing dicks with daddy. Never other than noting the size difference - and frankly I don’t think any of them have seen his in a really really long time.
A silver lining was it helped get us home faster too, depending on the timing a circ can delay your discharge (if you are like me and want to go home at 24 hrs)
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
2nd round exp 8/20/18.
Married: 6/2016
TTC #1: 12/2016
Benched due to deployment- Off the bench 8/8/17!
When it comes to the medical question, I definitely think moms have an equal say with dads.
Also I couldn’t even stand to watch the heel prick blood collection thing done (which DS had to have 3 separate times) so I know I couldn’t emotionally handle anything more invasive done to my newborn haha.
I have only been with one uncircumcised man and though it wasn’t an issue, it wasn’t my favorite, personally, so I was pro-circ. DH is circ’d and he is also half Jewish, so it wasn’t even an option in his mind. He’s not really practicing, so we didn’t have a mohel do it, or a bris, we had the OB do it. It was covered by insurance. We plan to do it again with this boy, and hopefully it’ll be covered again. Care is super easy, just make sure you use lots of neosporin or whatever they recommend when it’s healing.
About me:
Married 6.26.11
BFP 12.23.13, EDD 9.2.14 - baby girl, born too soon at 22w6d due to a placental abruption on 5.5.14
BFP 8.4.14, EDD 4.15.15 - rainbow son, born at 30w4d due to a placental abruption on 2.8.15, healthy 3 y/o now!
BFP 2.28.17, EDD 11.8.17 - baby girl, miscarried at 11 weeks on 4.21.17
BFP 11.28.17, EDD 8.8.18, delivering in July - another rainbow baby boy!
Just my two cents
TTC #1 since July 2016
Dx: PCOS, on Metformin since Feb 2017
It took him at least a week to recover enough to be up & moving around without bleeding.
Married 5/30/15
TTC #1 June 2015
BFP #1 9/28/15, EDD 6/10/16. DS born 5/23/16!
TTC #2 May 2017
BFP #2 m/c 11/18/17 5w5d
BFP #3 12/17/17 EDD 8/25/18. It's a boy!
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
Care was pretty easy, we had a bunch of small squares of gauze (think like 3"x3") and a Popsicle stick next to a tub of petroleum jelly on the diaper changing station. At each diaper change we would use the stick to scoop out a good amount of the jelly, put it on the gauze, then gently 'teepee' it over his penis. He healed up pretty quick and the pediatrician told us when we could stop using the gauze and jelly.
Me: 37 Him: 38
Married 11.07.2015
Married: 6/2016
TTC #1: 12/2016
Benched due to deployment- Off the bench 8/8/17!