Very nervous about getting my 2 year old circumsized?!?!?

Question

I have 5 boys and all of them were circumsized as infants except my youngest. He is now a lil over 2 years old & my mom keeps bringing it up. I have reasearched it on the internet & did like a pro's and con's type thing and it seems to be 50/50. So I am at odds with myself & kinda stuck. I would appriciate it if I could get some feedback from anyone who has mabey been in the same spot I am now. I wish it could be done...but without hurting him!!! The pain he will have is more why I am hesitating. I dont want him to hurt!! Please if you have any helpful advice...I would be ever so grateful!!

Also the reason that all my other boys were circumsized and not my youngest is because at the time of his birth I was very screwed up on drugs & didnt assume the responsibilities of being a mother. It is a long story...but I have been sober for a little over a year now & I am still trying to clean up the reckage I caused during my addiction. So it is my screw up, but I cannot change the past...only stay on the path I am on now. Making sure I never lack those responsibilities again Thanks

Answer 1

The longer you wait the more painful it is to them. Right now it will hurt but he will forget about it quickly.

Answer 2

I don't think you should do it. I had my first circumsized because I didn't know any better. My second they couldn't do the procedure right away because of the way his skin was attached to his penis. I didn't understand it all but they said it couldn't be done and they could do it sometime after he turned 1 yr. So, I did research and realized that circumsizing is so not necessary. Yes, there is a recent study that says uncircumsized males are 50% more likely to get the aids virus. But if you educate your sons then why would that even be a concern? Also, after the age of 1 it is considered an actual surgery and the child has to be put under. I just do not see that the benefits outweigh the risks of putting him under. It isn't like this is a necessary procedure he HAS to have. So, why make him go through all of that? My oldest had to be put under for oral surgery when he was 3 and as it was explained to me, it is very risky and doctors do not like putting small children under if they don't have to. I'm with the doctors on that one. So, my husband and my oldest son are circumsized and my youngest is not. Guess what? It has never been an issue. The kids have never even seemed to notice. They've never asked questions concerning it. I just don't think it is that big of a deal. I'm now pregnant with my third boy and we've decided we're not going to circumsize him either. If I had to do it again I wouldn't have done it to my first child.

Answer 3

Why have him circumsized?My son is almost two and I didn't have him cut and the only people that seem to have a problem with it is everybody else.He can make the decision himself but I did the research too and found out that it was about 50/50.That por baby is going to be in so much pain.BUT I have thout about it also and I've even thought about changing my mind but wouldn't do it untill atleast 10.He might be able to handle it a little better.

Answer 4

Current research points to no medical advantage to circumcision at all. Outside of the US, most of the world doesn't do it, and I've read some research suggesting that it causes life-long damage to sensation. Of course, it's going to be painful and I would think traumatizing as well. It's hard to know which research to believe and what's biased, but it seems common sense that there's a reason boys are born with foreskin. I wish I had researched before I had it done to my own son. If I ever have another son, I will absolutely not have it done.

Answer 5

I personally did not circumcise my son, but you have a different situation. I would say you really should have done it when he was an infant because his brothers are and he will feel out of place. But since you didn't you need to know it you don't do it, he may get criticized from his own brothers rather than peers. But of course the fact remains that it'll be painful and more troublesome healing since he is older. This really is a personal decision! But don't let your mother be the one to make it, only you and your husband!

Answer 6

I have two sons, one cut, one not. The second son wasn't because his pediatrician explained it was simply an unnecessary "barbaric procedure". He's already gone two years, I agree with some of the others, it's too late now, let him decide when he is old enough. There are enough boys out there uncircumsized that he won't be a freak, just a minority. Just make sure you teach him to take care of himself, keeping himself clean. That having been said, if I had to decide again, I would have had my second son circumsized. Just because it would be less hassle later. And one other thing, it's none of your mother's business. Thank her for her opinion, but remind her he's your son, it's your decision, not hers.

Answer 7

It depends really on whether you really want to get it done or to just shut your mother up. Also is it religious reasons. My husband wanted to get both our sons circumsised but only because he was cicumsised. I refused on the grounds its cutting off living tissue with nerve endings and the foreskin actually has a function(its there to protect the head of the penis). Mind you there are also reasons to get it done. The foreskin can trap infections under it if its not cleaned properly or if your child is prone to uti. A friend of mine waited because she didnt really want to get it done but the babies father did. Her son was 1 1/2 yrs old and every time he urinated, he screamed, mind you he was still in nappies so that may have had something to do with the pain factor. If you really want to get it done and your son is potty trained, go for it. Personally its not something i would do, but, stick by your choice and dont let anybody tell you its wrong.

Answer 8

Please don't do it! A lot has been learned about the downside of circumcision in the past few years, so you don't have to put him through this horrid procedure just because somebody convinced you to have the others cut. He will be much better off as an adult if he retains his foreskin. Both he and his wife will have a better sexual experience. Yes, your two-year-old will someday be a man and be very glad that he has all his man parts.

Just tell your mother you aren't doing it, and that's your final answer. It would be incredibly cruel to put him through this just to satisfy somebody else.

Your son will be so grateful to you when he grows up for not cutting him - and so will his wife!

Answer 9

At this point I would wait I wasn't cut when I was born (I'm 44). Before I got married I asked my "wife" what she preferred and at the age of 21 I had the procedure done. It WAS painful. No sense in traumatizing your child over a cosmetic procedure at this point.

Answer 10

do you want to do it for you, your son, or your mother? don't let your mother decide what's best for your son. does she prefer 'em cut? are you jewish? is it mandatory?

there's no point in doing it if you simply prefer the cut look. there's also no point in doing it just b/c you want to please your mother or get her off your back. about the only reason you should even consider putting your son through that kind of trauma (even at his age and yes, even if he won't remember it), is purely medical.

if it's medically necessary, then by all means. but if it's just cosmetic (for looks), please! spare your toddler the trouble/agony!

don't let someone make your decision for you. if you circumsized your other boys, you must have had your reasons; much like you had a reason not to circumsize your baby.

there's just no sense in it, in the first place. and the kid IS 2 years old, he's moving around now on his own and chances are he'll take his diaper off if it burns/itches/hurts and get it infected, so why bother? plus it'll make potty training almost impossible (provided you're in the midst of it now).

i wouldn't do it, but ultimately, it IS up to you. too bad your son has no say in it, sigh. :-(

Answer 11

Do not worry about getting him circumcised. You can wait and if he needs it done as an adult or older teen he can have it done them. My daughter went through the same thing and her son had it done as an older teen. Then he did well understand what was going on and could take care of it himself.