We disagree on circumcision...?

Question

I know that In america, circumcision is more important, as an aesthetic thing, but i have a hard time being ok with it. It has been proven now that the babies feel it, they will even go into shock with from the pain.
The problem is, is that as an american, he wont look like all the other boys, and i dont want to make his life harder when he gets to puberty.
Either way, I either extremely physically harm my son, or make his sexual growth harder. I cant for the life of me understand how any mother could have that done to her baby, or do that to her teen!

What do i do? Do i wait, and then give him the option when he's older? Or do i take the desiscion away from him and hope he doesnt mind?

So what should i do?

Actually, its been shown that baby boys will have nightmares later on in life, and they do feel it so much to the point where they go into shock. (yes theres a fella, and hes a doctor... he knows. )

Oh my god. Its not Jewish peoples fault that we have circumscision. They DO practice it. It is just as commonly a muslim tradtion, but it was brought over to america by orthodox christians that did it for two reasons, one, chirst was circumcised, and two, it makes men enjoy sex more and was thought to be a sinful thing.

if you blame the jewish people for it, i will not even read your response. Understand?

Answer 1

If there is a father around, and you trust him,
I would leave it up to him. He has more experience
with the article in question.

Given no male input, medically, the issue is
almost a wash. That is, there is plenty of
argument on either side, but most people
say it doesn't make much difference.

Who knows what we'll be thinking 20 years
from now?

Given no male input, I would err on the side
of caution - that is, no surgery is medically
safer than elective surgery.

As to what other little boys think in the future,
well ... frankly, that's their problem. As an
American, he WILL look like some of the other
children - just not the majority of them.

You can easily imagine 20 years from now
that somebody is claiming it is genital
mutilation...

Answer 2

Circumcison also has many benefits. It is being used in Africa to help prevent the spred of AIDS and has been said to help prevent other STDs also. Having a husband from India, I can personally tell you of the AIDS disaster there. You can't help but wonder if part of it were the cultural stigma of circumcision. Yes, morality does play into it also.

For me it wasn't just about looking the same. In the end I had to decide what was best for my child's health. Circumsized babies have less chance of developing UTIs and other infections from germs getting trapped in the folds.

Most doctors use an anesthetic to block out the pain. The process is normally very quick and not all of the skin is taken. In fact, my son still has about half if not more of his in tact. This means the nerves are undisturbed. Talk with your doctore before the process. Have him/her explain the process to you. Mine was very helpful. If yours had a surgeon in the hospital do the procedure talk to him/her before hand. That way you'll know what's going on AND can say USE AN ANESTHETIC. Nearly 90% of all hospitals do use one. Also, make sure that some of the skin will be left in tact. That way they still have good sensation.

As far as looking different...
I can only tell you from my hubby's standpoint - what he's told me. Since he was born a Hindu he is uncircumsized. He said that in his gym locker room - he plays a variety of competetive sports - that the guys all run around naked. But, he won't do that. The reason? He's self concious of his p*nis being different...it's not a self confidence issue. It's a realization that you are different from all the other guys in the locker room...

I imagine as a teenager its probably the same thing.

His point of view is why I decided to have my son circumsized. My son is now eleven months and he's perfectly fine. He has no enhanced pain sensory in fact the opposite is more true! I know they say when they get vaccines they cry longer and harder. I've found this to be compeltely untrue. The nurses are always amazed at how he doesn't cry after the vaccinations. And, comment on what a good little trooper he is.

A lot of the "pain" is mere speculation as an infant can't communicate this to us. The crying could mean they were scared (being held down) and not in pain from the vaccination. Or, they could simply want mom to hold them after such an event. I know I'd want a hugh ;-)

I hope I've helped you. Good Luck with your little boy!

Answer 3

I would not wait until later. The sooner the better. I see nothing wrong in getting a baby boy circumcised for i had it done on my son at 4 days old. I made sure the doctor numbed the area there with lidocaine and when they clipped just that small piece of skin my son did not even cry.
I would say it is painful without a local anesthetic but my son had it.
Yes babies feel pain, that is not anything new to hear about.
I do not think that having sexual relations later on in life will be something hard or whatever you think. My husband is circumcised and he has no problems in that department.
It is up to you what you want but i haven't heard of anyone getting it done later on in life. I am not a bad mother for having my son circumsized. How dare you even imply that to any of us that have sons that had this small procedure done. You make it sound like major surgery and it isn't.

Answer 4

All circumcisions are different. I had two boys and both were circumcised without a lot of pain. They were done with the "plastibell" method. A ring that the doctor puts on their penis and it and the foreskin fall off within a week. They weren't traumatized as this is a very fast method without any cutting or bleeding. If I were you I wouldn't wait until he is older...it is a much more serious operation the older they get, plus more painful!

Check out the link, just a warning though there are some detailed pics!

My boys have never had nightmares or any other side effect from being circumcised.....they are 6 and 7 now!!!

Answer 5

NO they DO NOT feel it. I work in the OR as a surg tech and assist on at least 3 to5 of these procedures a day. I very rarely see a baby cry and the ones that do start crying even before the procedure begins. Most of them start crying when they are taken out of their nice warm blanket and sprawled out on the circ table. For the most part those babies stop crying as soon as the overhead lights are turned on. I usually stand over them and talk to them while I am assisting. I don't know where you got your info from but it is incorrect. I see these done on a daily basis and they don't look like they are in pain to me. I've doing this for 17 years and have seen a baby go into shock either. As for anesthetic, they do use it if the mother requests it. It is not needed and anyone that knows the anatomy of an infants penis would know that there are no nerve endings formed in the tip of the penis yet. Therefore, they do not feel anything. This is why nothing is given unless requested by the mother. I'm so tired of seeing all this false information getting thrown around about how circs are done and the pain it causes the infant. The shots they get cause them more pain then a circ does.

Answer 6

I battled with this as well. My personal decision was to do it right away - it's difficult to keep clean if you don't and as he gets older and cleans himself - you're relying on him doing it properly - an 8 year old boy may not care that much about hygeine, you know? By doing it right away, you eliminate that problem. Also, rest assured, pain or no pain - he will never remember it. Make him wait until he is older and he WILL remember. That's the only thing I can offer.

Answer 7

You think babies have a hard time its even worst when they are older. I had a friend in this ssame situation and he said it was very painful. I would suggest having it done at birth that way its all done and over with. I am pretty sure he would not have mind. Ask his dad if he mind that his mother had it done...this is another way to get your answer as well just ask some of the males in your family. Good luck!!!

Answer 8

My wife is a nurse to a baby doctor and they perform this all the time. Newborns have no problem with it. My grandson had it done a few months ago. It isn't a mind altering experience. It's what's been done for many centuries because it is best for the child. You need to talk to some of the experts and you will find out it's a very simple procedure that isn't extreme physical harm. The older they get the harder it is to have done.

Answer 9

He will not be that diffrent, my doctor said more and more people are not cicumsizing these days. My husband is German and no europeans except jewish people cicumsize. I did not think my husband looked weird at all when we first hooked up, when it is errect you can not tell the difference. And from what I have read sex is better to the man who is not circumsized because there are alot of nerves in the foreskin.
I have 2 friends that recently had boys and neither one cicumsized there boys, and I am pregnant with a boy and there is no way in hell I am having him cicumsized. So I assure you if you chose to not cicumsize he will not be the only one

Answer 10

I recommend doing as a infant. the pain you talk about would be so much greater as he gets older. Then you have to remember this, most guys are clipped. think about later in life hows he to deal with his incounters later in life when such as school pe showers, They will make fun of him. Or women who never seen it one that way. both my boys are done, wouldnt have it any other way. I just wouldnt wait on doing it