My doctor asked me to consider "circumcision" if my baby turns out to be a boy, What would you do?

Answer 1

I would seriously consider getting a new doctor!!

There is no reason what-so-ever for circumcision just because a baby boy is born; it is something that is either done for medical reasons or as a choice of the boy when he is old enough to make that decision. If you have a doctor willing to take risks with your babies health before he is even born then this is not someone you want caring for you and your baby any longer.

http://www.DoctorsOpposingCircumcision.org - Doctors opposing circumcision.
http://www.MothersAgainstCirc.org - Mothers against circumcision.

Infant circumcision is unethical because in the most simple of terms it is a breach of human rights, a baby cannot decide for themselves and it is no ones right whether it be parent, doctor or religious leader to mutilate a child's body – it is not your right to choose.

Religion is not a valid reason for circumcision, as well as not necessary within religion when it comes to choosing between religion and the health of an infant the infant should always come first. The excuse for female circumcision is also for 'religious reasons' yet this practice is banned in most countries, although seen as more extreme female and male circumcision are similar in their risks and effects.

http://www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org - Jews against circumcision.
http://www.jewishcircumcision.org - Jewish circumcision resource centre.
http://www.catholicsagainstcircumcision.org - Catholics against circumcision.

Cultural reasons are also not valid, doing it because 'it's what women expect' is the same as saying if you were to have a girl then you should get her circumcised because men like women with smaller labia – it's insulting to men to say their genitals are ugly so they should be mutilated at birth, imagine if someone said this about female circumcision! Female circumcision is banned for a reason; it won't be long before it will be the same with male circumcision even if within the U.S. it is such common practice.

As for your son being bullied, that is nonsense, if a child bullies another child for their natural body then there is a serious issue there with them and their parents, society is changing and people are waking up to this issues involved in this - the likelihood of bullying is slim. If a child is low enough to bully another child for having a normal penis that is a problem with them, if it was not the penis it would be something else, you don't combat bullying by changing a child's body to suit cultural ideas.

Circumcision is painful, as well as highly traumatic for a baby's body, even if done under anaesthetic there is still a lot of healing to do afterwards. A baby shouldn't be purposefully made to hurt, and a penises first experience shouldn't be that of pain. A lot of people would say they have seen infant circumcision where the baby did not cry, this is simply because the baby cannot cry because they are in a state of shock.

As well as the ethical implications there are the obvious health implications, the first and most obvious problem is the risk of the death of a child through infection, common surgical complications and bad reaction to the anaesthetic being used, in my opinion no good parent would put their baby in that sort of risk. There are some health benefits, however they are not conclusive and the health risks by far outweigh the health risks.

There are many well-documented risks to the surgery itself;
Pain, infection, excessive bleeding, removing too much skin, scaring, fusing of glans and foreskin, ulceration, urinary tract dysfunctions, damage to other parts of the penis, skin tags, skin bridging, tearing scars, loss of penis, shock, and death.

Circumcision is not more hygienic, if a boy cannot wash his genitals then he will be unhygienic no matter what, if hygiene is an issue then simply teach the boy how to clean himself – it is not hard for a boy to pull back his foreskin and clean his penis correctly, it takes about as much effort as cleaning a circumcised penis. Again, foreskin also acts to protect the glans from bacteria.

Later on in life the boy could find himself with various issues both in regards to health and well-being, purely medically speaking men who have been circumcised as infants have curved penises, and can often find erections to be painful, ejaculation difficult or even face impotence.
On well-being there is the simple fact that their parents found it appropriate to mutilate their genitals, many men feel mutilated and even abused. Negativity towards the penis is also a big issue in general, similar to issues a female may feel about her genitals men can feel violated, it can affect not only sex but their relationships and bring up serious body issues.

http://www.sexasnatureintendedit.com - Penis Circumcision Harms Adult Sexuality.
http://www.circumstitions.com - The struggle for genital integrity.

ALL babies loose some sensation in their penis.
ALL babies loose sensation in their foreskin.

The foreskin is not a birth defect, it serves several important roles in penile function, it is sexual, protective and sensory. The foreskin in infants is attached to the glans to protect them from dirt and urine; infants are more prone to infections because of the nature of mucosa around the glans and because of their immature immune system. Within adulthood it serves a similar purpose even though it is detached, it also keeps glans moist and protects from harsh blows that could harm the glans of the penis. The foreskin is full of nerve endings, within sex it acts to make penetration easier as well as pleasurable.

http://www.foreskin.org - About the foreskin.

I've noticed women are more likely to wish to have their sons circumcised, which is something I think shows the sad fact that a lot of women are simply unaware of the importance of the penis, as such they simply cannot sympathise to how horrendous this practice is – funny however female circumcision gets a totally different response, granted more health implications are involved but the issues remain the same.

http://notjustskin.org - Not just skin.
http://www.circumcision.org - The Circumcision Resource Centre
http://www.cirp.org - The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages.
http://www.NoCirc.org - National Organization of Circumcision Information.
http://www.coloradonocirc.org - Circumcision Information Resource Centre of Colorado.
http://www.anycities.com/stopcirc - Stop All Circumcision.
http://www.drcat.org/articles_interviews/html/firstcut.html - Circumcision in America.
http://www.med-fraud.org - Medical fraud.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59639,00.html - Routine Procedure or Child Abuse?
http://www.mgmbill.org - MGMbill to end male genital mutilation in the U.S.
http://www.noharmm.org - National Organization to Halt Routine Mutilation of Males.
http://wnc-woman.com/0405circumcise.html - Why empowered women choose not to circumcise.

Answer 2

you should not make your baby have a circumcision because there is no medical reason for him to have it. The penis is a very sensitive organ and over time with the penis rubbing against the material of pants is may get desensitized. Plus the doctor can make a mistake and cut off more than what is need leaving your baby boy deformed in some way. When your baby is under 3 yrs of age the for-skin is literally attached to the penis and the doctor will basically have to rip it off. Causing damage to your baby's penis.

Best advise i can give you, wait until after your baby turns 3, the for-skin will be loose and he will be put under a general anesthetic. Before the age of 3 the baby is awake during the whole process.

(The doctors don't tell you all of this)

Answer 3

This is a hard decision that you should really think long and hard about. For a while in America here pretty much every baby boy was circumcised. Now days I think the rate is only around 50% are circumcised. And of course most boys in other countries are not circumcised. I personally am still unsure of what I will do if I have a boy. I think I'm leaning towards not having it done at birth and then if he wants to have it done later on he can. However, if it is done at birth most likely he won't remember the pain. Plus my husband is still unsure if he would like his little boys penis to look like his or not.

Here are some websites to help you make your choice. I recommend checking out the mayoclinic website first.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/circumcision/PR00040
http://www.pedsurology.com/circumci.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/circumcision_the_medical_pros_and_cons/article.htm
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/circumcision.html

Congratulations!

Answer 4

Doctors wanted to circumcise my brother but my mother told them to get lost. If he has asked you to consider if and you don't think it's necessary or you want it then say no.

Doctors often cite 'cleanliness and hygiene' as a compelling reason. Rubbish. My brother has had no problem with his willy whasoever. No infections, no nothing. My boyfriend is the same (not that I know much about his)

Bare in mind also that is potentially ruins his future sex life. I know you won't want to think of you baby in that way but it's worth considering.

The foreskin rubbing backward and forward over the end is responsible for creating a lot of the sensations that make sex pleasureable for a bloke. If you cut that off and the end is exposed then the sensitivity dulls. It does it as a defence mechanism from constant arousal.

I'm sure he won't thank you for that. It will also make his willy look shorter and I doubt he'll thank you for that either.

Obviously, if you are religious or there are compelling medical reasons then you will have to do what you think is best. If you have a family history of problems relating to such things then it is obviously something to be seriously considered

I AM SURE YOU WILL COME TO THE RIGHT DECISION. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PREGNANCY AS WELL

Answer 5

I nor my husband would ever consider circumcision for our child. I realize that most people do that now a days. However, we realize that cleanliness takes care of almost any problem that would be encountered by not doing it. We both come from large families with none of the boys being circumsized and there have been no problems for any of them. Knowledge and teaching cleanliness is all that is required to be problem free. I know that everyone says women don't like a man that has not had it done. Let me tell you, they are so much better sexually than a man that has. So, the woman that discovers him will consider herself lucky, indeed. And yes, I do speak from experience! I have found that the sensation from an uncircumsized man far surpasses that of the circumsized man. It is great! His wife will thank you for it later.

Answer 6

Look. Boys were made with a foreskin for a reason. We don't cut off any other part of the body for "hygiene" reasons. The only reason for circumcision is either religious or if there is a medical problem. Even then, a tight foreskin can be loosened by gentle retraction over a period of time.

The most unhygienic part of the human body is the A@@hole. I don't hear anyone suggesting that we should cut it off! We just wash it. Same with a foreskin.

Answer 7

It's genital mutilation. Would you have your daughters clitoris cut out? No? Why would you circumcise your boy then? Why is it any different? Leave it alone, it's there for a reason. Supposedly it's "cleaner and more hygienic" for female circumcision, as well, but it's illegal in most countries as it's considered genital mutilation.

Not to mention, I've had both worlds, and as a woman, I'd much prefer an uncircumcised man over one that has been snipped.

Answer 8

Circumcision is an unnecessary surgery. It doesn't cure or prevent any disease. Is is just done so that a little boy will look like his dad, or because his mother thinks it will be easier for her. None of the reasons have any medical merit nor anything to do with love.

This is your son, your child, give him the same welcome to the world you would give your daughter. Hold him to your breast and love him, don't hand him to someone to be mutilated.

No circumcisions before age 18.

His body. His choice.

Answer 9

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!

Only get it done if there is a medical reason! Should he want it done when he's older and can decide for himself, then that's up to him.

Worried about hygine? Teach your son how to care for himself (in all aspects) and then there is no need to worry about that either - there is no excuse for poor hygine!!!

I would have been well p-d off if I had been chopped as a baby, it's something that should be up to the individual to decide. No-one else!

There are other aspects to consider, but they won't be relevent until he is in his teens, at which stage he will be old enough to make his own mind up.

Answer 10

Not listen to him. Unless there is a problem with the foreskin that prevents in from being retracted, there is no reason to get it done. All boys can be taught to clean themselves thoroughly under the skin.

I think of it as mutilation, and would no sooner let them do this to my son, as I would allow them to do the same procedure to my daughter.

Just because Jews do it for religious reasons, doesn't mean the rest of the "civilized" world has to follow suit!

Answer 11

I think you shoudl research this. There are a lot of myths as to the importance of this procedure. It is done without pain medication for the child also. Do not rely on answers from people like us, thsi really should be researched so you can make an informed decision.