To circumcise or not to circumcise?

Question

I am 36 weeks prego and am having a boy. Im not sure on if I should have our boy circumcised or not. There are pros and cons for both. What are your views on this topic?

Answer 1

We're going to circumcise. It was a difficult decision, neither is right or wrong. It is the parents' preference. We spoke to a lot of mothers who had a circumcised boy and an uncircumcised boy and they all said circumcised was a lot easier to care for.

But let it be your choice based on how you feel about it. Truly, either way is ok.

Answer 2

My son and my boyfriend are not circumcised. Regardless of what people ASSUME, having a circumcised penis is NOT cleaner or harder to clean, and it does NOT lead to an increase in UTI's or STD's. People who say it's just cleaner to have a circumcised penis...well, they're just lazy. God forbid you have to teach your child to clean one more little part. There are only two reasons why circumcision's are still performed: religion (I have no problem with this), and MONEY. Money for the doctors...the same doctors that say there is no real medical reason for it to be done. Sex is more pleasurable for men who are NOT cut. Circumcision is barbaric and should not be done.

If you type circumcision in the search box above, you will find many, many responses on this topic...no one will ever agree. Those who cut, think they're right; those who didn't, think they're right. Only YOU can look at your beliefs and the "pros and cons" of the situation, and decide.

Answer 3

I had the same problem. My first son and his father were both NOT circumcised....But my husband now, and his son ARE. SO with this pregnancy, I was terrified that if I had a boy my husband would just expect me to have it done. FORTUNATELY, we are able to avoid the whole issue because we found out that we are having a girl! It really is personal choice. When I had my son, I didn't really know the difference (lack of experience I guess). When it is done in the hospital, they use a local anesthetic and they hardly even cry....but still, it is a bit creepy! I figure...they were born with it...so why remove it! As far as the whole religion thing....GOD MADE IT THAT WAY...why change what GOD created!
What does your husband think and is he circumcised? There will come a time, either way, that your son will question it. If he is, he will see one that isn't and wonder why his is different and vice versa...so I wouldn't worry about that. As far as cleanliness.....that's a bunch of crap. There are millions of uncircumcised men out there and they are perfectly healthy and fully functional!
Good luck and congratulations!

If it helps, my husband (who IS circumcised) says he is glad that he is...and that HE doesn't remember when it was done!!

Answer 4

Leave him intact. There is no medical reason to circumcise. A few bull reasons for the argument for... -it's cleaner Not really, you have to take care of the wound after. If he's left intact you wash it like you would a finger. You don’t pull the foreskin back, it’s fused there and will remain so until 4-5 sometimes up to puberty. -it looks nicer what grown parent looks at their child after babyhood to say "you have a nice looking penis"? Penises don't look nice, they're utilitarian. If when he’s older and has a partner that doesn’t like it, then that person isn’t right for them -he'll be made fun of in the change room The rate of circumcision is dropping, so by cutting your son is actually going to make him the odd one out. Plus most boys are too embarrassed to go buck naked in the change room anyways. The fear of being small or having a spontaneous erection is more embarrassing than a foreskin -he'll be less likely to get STDs safe sex protects against STD, not being cut -I want him to look like Daddy, because Daddy is Unless daddy gets a regular Brazilian or baby come out with full pubes they won't look the same. By the time they look the same they'll be able to communicate their differences It’s your son's penis, not yours. Let him choose when he can decide for himself.

Answer 5

My husband is circumcised. Our son is not. We chose to not have him cut because we saw no strong medical argument for it. The American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends AGAINST routine infant circumcision. The "medical arguments" can all be taken care of by teaching proper hygiene and safe sex practices. Really, it's an unnecessary cosmetic surgery. If you wouldn't have your daughter circumcised, why circumcise your son? Baby boys are born with a foreskin for a reason.

A lot of people argue that they think the child needs to "look like dad" or "look like his brothers." This is a ridiculous arguement. Kids are SMART. They know that people all look different. Some have brown hair, others are blonde. Some have curly hair, others have straight hair. People have different color eyes. They're different heights and weights. Adults have pubic hair and kids don't. As far as I know, my nearly 8 year old son has never even asked his dad about the difference in their bodies. The kids I have heard of who did ask said something like, "Wow! Thanks for not doing that to ME!"

The locker room arguement is ridiculous too. The circ rate in the USA is approaching 50/50, so there should be many uncirc'd kids in the locker room by the time our kids are old enough to be in school. Anyway, who's really going to get teased? The child who has an intact body, or the little boy who admits that he looked at another kid's penis?

Answer 6

Actually it is not necessary to circumsize unless you are Jewish.
Some people like the 'look' better but that is a stupid reason to do it. Most people who are not circumcised are fine without any problems in that area.
For people who insist on the importance of 'cleaning' it. I am aware of many boys who were not circumcised and none of them had a probelm with keeping everything clean. You do not have to pull at the skin or anything like that to keep it clean on a baby or young boy. If you are cleaning it that way perhaps that is why they end up with infections. As they get older cleaning methods change but so what! Boys are capable of cleaning themselves. A lot of concern is usually from people who have not had much experience with the issue in spite of what they may claim.
I am not saying anyone is lying but the teacher who claims to have seen "many" boys have to leave school to have this done I just don't believe. what is many? If this was a medically necessary thing don't you think doctors would promote it? or the health department? we know not to smoke while pregnant and we are told wht to feed babies and when to change them (whether we need to be told or not) so why wouldn't anyone tell us to circumcise if it was important.

Answer 7

It is a difficult choice, I just had a son, and decided to go ahead and cicrumcise. I am a Pre-K teacher, and too many times have I seen parents needing to circumcise mid-year because once he is on his own in the cleaning department...they (the child) may or may not clean properly. In the case of my "parents" the little boys were getting too many infections. So Circumcision takes about 2 weeks school time away, and when he does return, it is difficult to pee still, and forget sitting for long periods of time. Like you say, there are pros and cons for both, but remember, you won't be cleaning down there forever.

Answer 8

I did it because my husband was circumcised and my husband and I sat down and decided to keep the boys same as him (I have 2 sons). I'm personally indifferent. If you get your boy circumcised make sure you follow the post op care very carefully because the "wound" can get infected. If you decide not to make sure you thoroughly know how to care for the penis so that it doesn't get infected.

Answer 9

Are you religious, and does your religion require it?

Otherwise, think about the first experiences that your son will have will be a painful one. Look up topics about birth trauma and circumcision.

That piece of skin that is being cut off is filled with, not just a few, but thousands of nerve endings, just like the clitoris.

If I was you, I would let my son alone, and let him decide for himself when he is old enough to understand.

Answer 10

I would personally say to circumcise..I believe it is a cleaner practice that doesn't allow infections to take over your baby's Private part!!