Friday, October 7, 2011

{Circumcision}

So after we were done celebrating that fact that Jackson is a boy, the huge questions hangs over us:

Do we circumcise or not? 

Chris and I have had so many conversations back and forth about this issue. Who would have thought that we would be talking about our son's penis so much already but it's our first big choice as parents and we want to make sure we make the right one.

We've done a lot of homework about the issue and other than religious reasons there is not reason to actually do it. Personally, of course, there are a lot of reasons for every parent to do it or not do it. I've decided to defer to my husband and let him make the final decision since he is a guy.

So as of right now the jury is still out. What choice did you make?


16 comments:

Linds said...

we circumcised both of our boys. We never really thought twice about it. I did ask my husband what he thought about it when we found out our first was a boy, and he emphatically said that we were doing it. So we did.

www.adollopofmylife.com

Anonymous said...

We too had both our boys circumcised. My husband was ok with it, even when the nurse came in to take our first born to "wack his weenie". Of course he literally paled when he heard this and told me "I'm going with him". Thankfully our pediatrician was very experienced. It was quick and over before my husband knew it...and believe me he would have stepped in if he had any doubts.;)

Andrea
Helotes TX

Lindsey said...

We DID have our son circumcised. We didnt even really consider not doing it.

Personally, I just think that locker-room jokes can be hurtful, I think that (and know) a lot of girls who dont like men uncircumcised and its painless for them. They actually use a penile-block so they dont feel it. DS just slept more after but I would have hated for him to later been embarrassed or wished we would have done it. I have never heard of a man who "regetted that they were circumcised".

Good luck with your decision!

Shannon said...

we had our son circumcised. it wasn't a question for us, because his dad has it done and I personally don't know anyone who is not.
I do know that it is kinda common for people to question it now. I asked the nurses in the hospital how many families didn't circumcise, and she said it was still done 75% of the time.

One thing that strongly influenced my view on circumcision was the fact that I worked in a surgery center for 2 years and DAILY, if not multiple times a day, we would get calls asking if we did adult circumcision. My grandpa had it done as an adult too. It can be bothersome for adult men, and most of the time they get it done anyway. I've seen it firsthand.

When my son was born, my husband goggled "circumcision". He saw photos of it being done and the pain it causes. He immediately tagged along for the procedure. They give babies a teeny amount of sugar water on a paci, which is like morphine for them. He didn't make a peep. He wasn't bothered once while it was healing either.

Its painless for them and if not done it can be infected. Personal choice, but those two things caused us to choose circumcision.

Anonymous said...

I am a man and I really do regret that I was circumcised. Please spend a little time and search the internet to see the what is lost. Look at the history and why it was done in the past. It is the inner foreskin that is the most pleasurable part of the penis. Circumcised men still have some inner foreskin - it is the different colored skin extending from the glans to the circumcision scar. But it is permanently exposed becoming desensitized over time. Study the physiology of the intact penis and really learn what you're taking away from your son. Less and less parents are opting to have it done these days. Thank you.

WindDrop said...

We are having a son next month and I was against having it done. My husband is circumsized and pretty much wont listen to any of my findings. Rather than fighting a losing battle I will defer to him.
And if our son ever questions why, I'll point to his father. :-D

Anonymous said...

Posting anon because this is a controversial one. We went back and forth on the health benefits, but ultimately what pushed us in favor of doing it was that my husband is not circumcised, and wishes he was. Doesn't bother me in the slightest but he had some issues growing up and with girls he dated, and he doesn't want our son to go through that.

Mrs.CFH2 said...

It really wasn't even a question for us. That being said, Cam is circumcised. I have heard far too many horror stories from people where the man has had to have it done in their adult life and it is a miserable procedure to endure. My sister's Pedi was very anti-circ, until she had her own two boys. At the age of 4, there were some complications (I am not certain of those issues) and he had to have it done. She felt awful and said she would never advise against circumcision again.

To me, the locker room jokes aren't even an issue. I would never want my son to have to go through an extremely painful procedure as an adult if it could be avoided.

JDub said...

We did as it's "normal" to do so where we live. I'll admit it was hard to swallow, but we were blessed with a very easy recovery.

Also, we didn't watch the procedure. The doctor took him and brought him back. If you do it, be sure to stock up on more vaseline than you think you need. You can't have enough.

If this baby had been a boy, we would have done it again.

Mrs. Hill said...

I'm very anti. You can't reverse it, it's painful [don't believe me? YouTube it] and it's taking away from their freedom to make adult choices. So many mothers wouldn't pierce a little girls ears until they are old enough to want it, and you can take out a piercing. You can't reverse a circ.

taradawes said...

World Health Organization actually recommends it. I've had the discussion with my husband (who is not circumcised) and he strongly believes that if we should have a son he WILL be circumcised. You have to do what you believe to be right, doesn't matter what anyone else thinks at the end of the day.

Rebecca said...

We did. Between my OB saying that they now think the health benefits outweigh the risks, and the fact that I know MULTIPLE guys who chose to get it done as adults, or wish it had been done, compared to no guys who wish it hadn't been done, it was a no-brainer for us.

Anonymous said...

In Europe infant circumcision is not done. Problems are rare and it is extremely rare for it to be done later in life either through necessity or choice.

In America sometimes parents or doctors try to retract the foreskin prematurely causing problems. It is supposed to be naturally fused to the glans for the first few years of a child's life sometimes up until puberty. It will retract when it's ready. Care for an intact penis: no special care is needed. Contrast that to an open wound exposed to urine and feces. From an AAP Pamphlet
"The Function of the Foreskin: The glans at birth is delicate and easily irritated by urine and feces. The foreskin shields the glans; with circumcision this protection is lost. In such cases, the glans and especially the urinary opening (meatus) may become irritated or infected, causing ulcers, meatitis (inflammation of the meatus), and meatal stenosis (a narrowing of the urinary opening). Such problems virtually never occur in uncircumcised penises. The foreskin protects the glans throughout life."

And there are many complications that can arise from circumcision. Perhaps underestimated. As many as 200+ infants die from the procedure each year. More than SIDS. And there are urologists whose practice is built upon repairing botched circumcisions. Check out the following
Past President of the Virginia Urological Society discusses the controversy around infant circumcision

Thank you.

Elizabeth said...

Hi! I just found your blog and wanted to weigh in here. I have known three males that have been circumcised as adults and it is not pleasant! Two were boyfriends who already had the procedure planned before we met and one was my father when he was 75 for medical reasons. PLEASE know that while people say "Let HIM decide when he is an adult." That is not an easy decision. And to compare it to earrings is asinine and like comparing apples to oranges. ALL three of the males I knew WISHED they had had it when infants. ALL three had horrible, painful recoveries and the truth is, my dad is now almost 78 and STILL has trouble with his. The pain of this procedure on an adult male is extremely excruciating and the recovery takes way longer than if done as an infant. Good luck with your decision!

Molly said...

We are Jewish, so there is no question that we will circumcise future male children at 8 days of age in the ritual brit milah.

Morgan said...

I asked my husband if he ever regretted being circumcised or thought there was any reason not to do it and he said no, so we're going for it. I do have some friends who opted not to, but they have been frustrated by nurses at the pediatrician who don't know how to deal with it, they have had to teach all care takers of their son how to properly clean him, and while I don't think they regret it, I think it has been more effort than they expected.