Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

I am a new mommy to be and am so confused about whether or not to have our little boy circumcised. DH says no, I say yes but i'm not that educated about it and the ob said its really a personal decision and that there is no medical reason to do it (and DH happened to be at that apptmt)

Has anyone decided not to circumcise their son? If so, is it a lot of extra work keeping the area clean? Is it something that he'll hate when he's older? I guess i'm just wondering if there are any real drawbacks.

TIA!

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

you are smart for thinking ahead. I didn't even think about it, then when I was asked in the hospital I told them to go ahead. I feel really guilty because I saw DS cry chart. he cried a long time after the procedure, so I think for the next one (if I have another DS) I won't be doing it. I don't think it's necessary and from what others tell me it's not that big a deal to keep clean

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

We didn't circumcise our sons. There is no extra care as an infant, you just wipe it like a finger, no pulling back on the foreskin. When they get older and start to retract, you just push it back, rinse with water, and replace. Very easy. We've never had any problems with either of them.

We researched it like crazy, and thought that the medical benefits were minimal. Between that and the pain, we thought it was an easy decision not to do it.

I also feel like unless its an absolute medical need, I shouldn't be making decisions that permanently alter my son's private parts.

The circumcision rates are about 50/50 now, so I don't think they'll really notice any difference between them and their peers.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

We did it with our first, and will do it again with this one - without giving it a second thought.

He was fine, and barely cried - I also wouldn't want to put him through that when he gets older.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

we didn't do it to our son.

its just such an american thing...that wasn't enough reason for us.

dh's family are all intact. no issues, no one teased in a locker room, no one turned down for sex, no infections.

you just clean it with soap and water...dr told me he sees so many botched jobs done that there is rarely an issue with babies who aren't cut.

it seems unnatural to me to cut it. i did not want to take away any kind of pleasure point for him. if he wants to do it later on that's up to him.

good luck! there's no right or wrong answer.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

We did it, there was no other choice. The Urologist who did it, said DS cried. DH was upset about that, but I mean its not like he is going to remember the pain. He was two days old. My friends brother had it done when he was 10 (parents were not from the US) and he had massive issues and a pretty wicked infection from it. So, really its your choice. We will do it again if we have another boy.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

We do not plan to have it done when we have a son. DH wishes he did not have it done.

You can't make the wrong choice-follow your gut feeling!

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

I always thought that only Jewish people circumcised their sons until I came to the US They don't do it in my country and IF a guy has it, good luck finding a girlfriend It's such a normal thing here. I always said that I would never do it, but I don't think DH would agree ;) Most my friends here from back home don't circumcise their sons and I never heard of their DS s having any problems bc of it.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

I left it up to DH and he wanted it done.
DS barely cried, and has no issues.

There was a study done recently that found circumcision decreases the risk of STDs.
article

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

i dont have a ds but hope to sometime in the future and if i do he will be circumcised. And this is coming from a girl that totally passed out on the floor while watching the procedure being done in the nursery! ( so totally embarrasing but hey everyone has their limits ) i think its important for DS to look like their Daddys whatever that may be. And i have hear from many doctors that having the circumcision decreases infections and stds later on.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

We didn't have it done. It's no extra work at all right now. It will eventually require a little extra washing, but honestly, I can't see it taking even a little near long enough to be annoying. I just saw no reason to put DS through it when there aren't really any benefits.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

I live in the UK where most men (including my husband) aren't snipped, but as I am Jewish, I felt that this was important as it connected my son with centuries of Jewish men before him. He didn't cry much, and it healed very quickly.

Am I happy I did it? I don't really know. I am pregnant now and I am praying I have a girl because I am not sure that I want to circumcise another boy, do I think its cruel? No. Do I think it has any health benefits? Possibly? Do I think its a hygeine issue? No (I said many times before, my husband isn't circumcised and if his willy wasn't clean, I certainly wouldn't keep putting it in my mouth)

I have such mixed feelings about it second time around, and I am not sure why. Maybe its because I took the choice away from my son, but again, I spoke to many many circumcised men who felt that it was never an issue in their life....I just don't know.

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

Re: Question for mom's who have boys- re: circumcision

Jason was not circumcised when he was in Ethiopia so we decided against it when he came home as well. BUT we were not going to do it if Molly had been a boy anyway. I see no medical reason for my son to go through it.