Should I circumcise my baby boy?

Question

My husband and I are having a discussion at the moment over whether or not to circumcise our baby if it's a boy. He wasn't done so he sees no reason to be done but I know a lot of other people who insist that it's cleaner and that women who won't date men who haven't been circumcised. What do you think? Men who've been circumcised, do you regret it?

I did watch the video ravenhon suggested and found it quite sickening. I think anyone who saw this first, might seriously reconsider because that is quite barbaric. I didn't realise how horrific it was....

Answer 1

Truthfully, not being circumcised is totally natural. It is no less clean than someone who is circumcised. Honestly, it is brutal and the baby screams in pain. Chilling thing to hear. Watch this and tell me if you still want to do it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fa_qn6i1Y0

And here is the second part of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntuHWixVxv0&mode=related&search=

Answer 2

It's really not as barbaric as people say. My little brother was circumcised as a baby by a Muslim doctor and the doctor said my brother slept through the whole procedure. That's right he didn't cry at all. In fact he still sleeping when the doctor finished and gave my brother back to my parents. And today my brother doesn't feel like he's missing anything he's younger than me and he's had girlfriends and had sex and he said it still feels great. The foreskin makes no difference. Most of the boys I know who've had it done don't care and can still get horny in a snap. Honestly any guy who says "circumcision ruined my life" or "the foreskin is there for a reason" is a moronic idiot who's only doing it for attention.

Answer 3

Absolutely not. The very most important reason is it's not your body to be making cosmetic decisions about. The foreskin is there for a reason -- it aids in sexual pleasure, and makes the penis an internal organ -- like the vagina -- so that the man and woman have more sexually on the same page. Further, an intact man has to pump less and produces lubrication, which makes sex more enjoyable for women who are older or produce less of their own lubrication for whatever reason. Many circ'd men are today restoring their foreskins, and some are suing the doctors who did it to them.

It's not cleaner to be circ'd, any more than it's cleaner for a woman to have her labia and prepuce cut off of her genitals. Smegma is there for a *reason* -- it's normal and healthy.

It's just a crazy, barbaric practice with no basis in science. The American Academy of Pediatrics even concedes that there is no medical justification for circing baby boys.

Also, rates are changing quickly. In twenty years, circ'd men are going to be in the minority here. It's already about 50/50, down from nearly 100% a few decades ago. People are getting educated, and at some point women are going to start getting hip to the fact that intact penises are more sexually desirable, not less, and then those boys who were circ'd are going to be pissed.

A great resource for facts and personal stories is here: http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=44 (Those circ fetishists among you need not bother trolling over there, your nonsense won't be tolerated.)

Answer 4

My husband regretted that his parents did it to him. He found some article in Men's Health (yeah, if you're a man and gay, this is your magazine. That's why I'm divorced.) Anyhow, it said men who weren't circimcised experienced more sensation during intercourse. Some men try to "grow" the foreskin back with a doctor's help. Mostly they just stretch the skin.

I had my son circumcised. One reason was my husband thought if our son ever saw him naked that he would notice a difference and feel bad about how his looked different. The other reason we had it done is I'm a Christian.

It's totally up to you guys. Women have their own ideas about it, whether it's attractive or not. I wouldn't worry about that, because there will always be women who prefer circumcised or uncircumcised.

If you are a Christian or Jewish, I would recommend talking to your pastor or rabbi. They can give you reasons to have it done in a religious context.

Answer 5

Good reasons for and against, but consider this, some time ago I worked as a nurse in a very large teaching hospital, we were well staffed, well funded and provided excellent care, just the same uncircumcised men who were unable to take care of them selves due to stroke, organic brain disorders and the resulting decompensation ot their cognitive abilities or even those suffering from extreme fatigue for any number of issues, and thus required genital cleansing to be done for them had far more difficulties. During a busy day no matter how hard staff tried to provide good care, it was still common for serious issues to occur. It can be quite difficult to cleanse sufficiently in order to prevent infection and the discomfort that follows. I am not sure but I wonder as well if it could lead to urinary tract infections.

I tend to be a bit of a Freudian concerning infant trauma, and therefore might think that it would be best to wait to circumcise until the subject is able to understand why it is being done, but I would think that at any age it could be psychologically damaging depending on the sensitivity of the individual and I do not mean as a response to the physical pain but the psychological response to the event.

All in all I must say I am glad that it was done for me at birth, but maybe I carry a psychological scar from the event.

Answer 6

Very controversial question... For our generation, the socially acceptable penis is circumcised. However, as you can see.. this is beginning to change. A lot of parents find it unnecessary, so I doubt your child would be out of the norm. Because your husband is not circumcised, I would probably choose to not have the boy circumcised unless the father wanted him to be. As you can see, there really is no right on wrong answer to this question. There are a lot of people who do it for religious reasons (can we condemn them?) and some people are happy with the decision their parents made. Just do what you both feel is necessary.

Answer 7

I think you will find that alot more people are not circumcising their sons. For the most part, I think that people have always done it because they don't want their child to look different from the other boys. As for the women not dating men that aren't circumcised. How do they know before they date them? Do they take a poll? Or do they just assume that any Mexican,Jewish, or any other man is not so they can't date them.

Answer 8

This is a very personal choice. Circumcision is considered a holy and sacred practice in some religions. If that is not the case for you, you should understand the issues.

It can be difficult to keep the foreskin clean - this is why the cleanliness factor is often stated. And we know that young boys are not always into sanitary practices. To decrease later infections, this might be wise.

There is also the appearance of the uncircumcised penis. To a young boy in the locker room at gym, it may prove to be an embarrassment.

The choice is yours, but do bear in mind each of these issues.

Answer 9

I'm circumcised. I was pleased to read recently that circumcised men have a much lower propensity to catch AIDS or other STD's. I have attached an article below.

I don't remember being circumcised. That's the good part about getting it done when you're a baby. If you don't do it now, the decision may have to be made later in life and it will hurt and be traumatic.

In a nutshell, no, I don't regret it. I would do it to my son.

Answer 10

You married your husband un-circumsised, so that myth is busted. I think a lot of parents will go with what Daddy looks like. So their son doesn't feel different during potty-training etc. As far as cleanliness issues, does your husband have any problems with it?
Circumcision is a personal choice for parents, some do it for religious reasons. I think asking in an open forum like this is a good idea, but asking close friends and relatives maybe not so much so, as they might have very strong conflicting "OPINIONS"

Answer 11

If my husband had not been then I would not have had my son cut. As long as daddy has the same then he will feel ok about it. I just didnt want my son to feel different than his father...which I think would have made it harder had boys in school picked on him. My father is European and was not done and didnt want us to ahve our son done. He thinks it is quite unnecessary.

Also, so many parents are having issues with their sons reattaching at the circ site. Some times they will even have to be re-circed. You must pull the foreskin back with ever diaper change to keep it from adhering. Honestly, I think it is just as much work to have it done as to not....