Circumcision - Would you/Did you circumcise your baby boy at birth?

Obiwan,
What are your thoughts on circumicision?
What is it that makes you consider the procedure for your baby? You must be having doubts, for you to question the validity of the procedure. I believe that you need to be absolutely convinced in the value of such a significant alteration of anatomy, before you go ahead. I assume that you have read the literature on the alteration in sensitivity of the prepuce versus the risk of urinary tract infections in the young boy. Arguments that it is safer for the female partner is, in my opinion, not something that should weigh in your decision-making.
Some families circumcise so that son looks like father, but I doubt the value in that reasoning, as I don't believe that your boy will notice a difference or feel 'different'.

I have witnessed circumcisions in babies and unless there is an important medical consideration, agree with lali that society considers female genital mutilation as unacceptable, yet largely ignore male circumcison as an issue.

I believe that if you opt for the circumcision, you can delay the final decision and procedure until your baby is older. You do not have to undergo this, in the early days.
 
oh sorry did not clarify, for us we just thought it would be more painful, but I have also heard that if done later, the child might have to use an anesthesia. our sons just had local to numb it.....
 
we did it on the 8th day of birth - it's not a big deal

we did it mainly for religious reasons, but you can't overlook the medical aspects... you have nothing to warry about as long as the procedure will be performed by a professional. if done right at birth, it's not as painful to the baby as you might imagine. as far as I know there's some medical - biological explanation for why jews do the circumcision on the 8th day, something about it being less painful and safer - you should google that.

good luck
-tali-
 
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I can't comment on doing it for religious reasons, as I'm not in that position. I do know that there is no place for it in modern Christianity (i.e. new covenant / new testament), for biblical references see http://www.udonet.com/circumcision/christian.html. However for those who believe it doesn't hurt - it is a sensitive part of the body with plentiful nerve endings and blood supply - it does hurt, this is very well documented. *Warning, confronting images and wording* http://www.drmomma.org/2011/04/is-pain-of-circumcision-truly-brief.html. Not trying to 'make' anyone feel guilty, if you are comfortable with your decision then so be it, but for those who are expecting a baby boy, please do your research before hastily making the decision based on cultural or family norms. As others have stated above, there are no valid medical reasons for routine circumcision.
 
you do know that there is a big difference between boys Circumcisions and girls Circumcisions right?
boys Circumcisions - done for various medical reasons, doesn't affect the ability to achieve sexual stimulation.
girl Circumcisions - done by some Muslims, in order to prevent girls from having sexual stimulation that might cause them to act in a way who will jeopardies thier marriage possibilities. it's mutilation.
 
Yes, very well aware of the difference. I still remain extremely uncomfortable with surgically altering the genitalia of either gender. In the absence of medical reason (not a minuscule 'just-in-case') I can't see the justification of submitting a tiny baby boy to the procedure. In countries where routine circumcision is not the norm, there is no statistical rise in penile problems. I don't know of any respected pediatric society who recommends it routinely..
 
No, didn't even enter our heads. My husband is horrified at the thought of it.

I have no research to back this up, but it does seem to be a more 'American' thing to do though (we're Brits). When 2 of our American couple friends came to visit us in hospital, both asked if he'd been done. And it hadn't even entered our heads until they asked us. I did read an article in PlayTimes magazine a while ago talking about circumcision though, and I think it stated that still the majority of Americans get their sons 'done', and the main argument people were putting forward was that they didn't want their sons to be different in the locker room. Best all smoke and take drugs if that's what everyone else is doing too I guess...
 
I did not have our two sons circumcised any more than I would have them mutilated in any other way. It's clearly mutilation and just awful imo.
 
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