Circumsicion

[SueC]

I'm not trying to start a debate about whether or not it should be done (we've decided to do it), but I'd love some advice from anyone else regarding the anesthetic issue. My husband thinks its kind of barbaric not to use anesthetic, and I think I'd have to agree. What I'm worried about is that we can't use our regular ped. since he doesn't have hospital priveleges where I'm delivering. I'm currently searching for a pediatrician that takes our crappy insurance plan (it's an HMO so many don't)--what if I find a group that does but the doctor on call that particular day doesn't happen to agree with whether or not anesthetic is necessary? Will they argue with us or are they usually pretty good about going with whatever your wishes are. I'm picturing a big confrontation at the hospital with my husband and the ped. because I know my dh will not bend on this issue. I'd like to have it all worked out in advance. Can I just wait and have our regular pediatrician do it at the baby's first checkup, or is it better to do it before even leaving the hospital. I was so thankful to have girls because I've never had to confront this issue before!

[mommax3]

Sue,

I don't have any advice about the particular issue you asked about....but you might check if your OB does circs. My OB did the circumcision for our first, and I know my husband is trained to do them also, although he doesn't do them currently. Just a thought.

(This was probably my LEAST favorite part of having a boy. )

Sally

[SueC]

I hadn't even thought to ask the OB Sally, thanks!

[Auspicious]

Re: Circumsicion

I'd love some advice from anyone else regarding the anesthetic issue.

When I first read this I thought it said "advice from anyone else regarding the aesthetic issue." I thought, "Whoa! Really?" 8O

When my FH did a clinical mentorship with an OB/GYN last year she did a circumcision without anesthetic one afternoon while he was there. Her theory: "Some doctors use anesthetic for this, but people are always trying too hard to avoid pain. Pain is part of life!" 8O 8O 8O He told me this story and I said, "Well I won't be going to HER for treatment anytime soon." and he was like, "Good!"

He did say, though, that the baby boy started crying the minute he was strapped in the little chair thingy, and stopped crying the minute he was unstrapped, and didn't cry any harder or less hard during any of the cutting or anything in between--he seemed to just hate being strapped down. He said the mother at first hovered in the doorway biting her knuckle, but then bolted for the waiting room as soon as things got intense.

So I have no advice, either. But good luck getting it worked out.

[SueC]

I'm laughing about the aesthetic thing Julie!

[Michele]

I just wanted to pipe in and say that although I know puppies and babies are different, I think when they are that young they don't feel the same pain we do....if they did feel the same pain, don't you think it would hurt real bad to be born? We dock tails and cut dew claws at days old and with no anesthetic...sometimes lidocaine locally if the tail is big...and the puppies only cry because they are away from the litter and their mom.

[mommax3]

!

I think you have to do what makes YOU feel comfortable on this one, since the baby can't communicate what he feels....however, my husband tends to agree that the babies cry as soon as they are strapped down, no matter what, and getting the anesthetic via a shot in that area has to be pretty painful as well.

I get clammy just thinking about this.....

I unfortunately heard my oldest crying (screaming!) when he got his circumcision.....I guess the place they did it was right across from my room and my doctor didn't close my door after he rounded on me and made sure we wanted my son circumcised. I was by myself, (DH was an MS II and was at class, an hour away!) and I can still remember myself crying, trying to eat my breakfast, and listening to Luke cry. I made my husband watch the other two, but I didn't even want to be in the same time zone! I don't know how Jewish mothers do it, having the bris and everything. I am a lightweight about medical procedures at the best of times, but when I am a post-partum bundle of hormones, I truly cannot deal with it.

Whew......I am glad to be done with that forever! Good luck, Sue! 8O

Sally

[Meenah]

Alot of the OBs do it here, and they use a cream (Emla sp?)) before they do the procedure, I think they let it sit about 30 minutes. I'm glad I had girls!!!
Luanne

Surprisingly, after I went to a bris, I thought "I can do this" if we had a boy. The reason? The EMLA cream.
My friend put it on her baby 30 m before the ceremony and then had to put saran wrap on his penis to keep it on there. It must have worked because her fingers were numb from putting it on! (Before the ceremony started, she said -- have you ever tried to saran wrap a penis, it's not easy! Uh....isn't that kind of a personal question? )

I guess the trick is that you have to do the EMLA cream for a certain amount of time before the procedure. That is what we planned to do if we had a boy. I would have had the ob do it, but at our hospital the peds residents do it. For that reason, I would have waited to have our pediatrician do it in his office or go to the mohl who did the bris (he's a pediatrician). I'm not knocking the residents, I just felt like someone who had more of a medical relationship with us, knew us, would be more likely to follow our wishes. Eric had a disturbing experience during a med school rotation when the dr told the parents he would numb/EMLA the baby....and didn't. 8O

Surprisingly, after I went to a bris, I thought "I can do this" if we had a boy. The reason? The EMLA cream.
My friend put it on her baby 30 m before the ceremony and then had to put saran wrap on his penis to keep it on there. It must have worked because her fingers were numb from putting it on! (Before the ceremony started, she said -- have you ever tried to saran wrap a penis, it's not easy! Uh....isn't that kind of a personal question? )

That's funny, Nellie! It reminded of that chinese/japanese? (you'd think I know but I don't) practice of wrapping women's feet tightly to they can be nice and petite - a sign of aristocracy or something. But then I can't imagine that catching on with wrapping penises tightly for the same effect...

Sue, I'll have to ask my husband about it but I would be surprised to hear of any resident refusing to abide by the parents wishes to have an anesthetic. I was never asked my preferences other than to have it done or not and ashamedly never questioned how it was performed. But I know my husband was there for both and can't imagine him letting his sons suffer needlessly without an anesthetic.

By the way, is it supposed to be better aesthetically? Never mind!

That's funny, Nellie! It reminded of that chinese/japanese? (you'd think I know but I don't) practice of wrapping women's feet tightly to they can be nice and petite - a sign of aristocracy or something. But then I can't imagine that catching on with wrapping penises tightly for the same effect...

Just to clarify on DH's experience -- it was in a private hospital with an attending. They felt the numbing wasn't worth the time they would have to wait for it to work. That's why I wanted someone we knew to do it and have DH and/or me there to watch.

[PrincessFiona]

We didn't circ, but if we had decided to, I would have gone with the anesthesia cream as well. Sure, it takes a few extra minutes....but the doc can wait

kris

[SueC]

Good to know about the EMLA cream. A friend of mine told me she had to basically fight with the doctor when her son was circumcised because he wanted to do it before letting whatever they used (maybe it was the cream) go into effect. She had done her homework and knew they needed to wait 30 minutes. She stuck to her guns, though, and they waited. Nellie, your story scares me that they would tell the parents they are going to use it and then not do it. I'll have to make sure I send dh along for the procedure. I'm getting queasy just thinking about this.
You don't think wrapping penisus to keep them "petite" would ever catch on Thu Van?

[DCJenn]

My husband is 100% against doing it but has stated that he believes that part of the reason is residual memory!!! So his bottom line when he did general peds was whatever makes it more comfy he is all for.
Jenn

[Meenah]

Our hospital also uses this cream on the Oncology floor, it is put on the port before it is accessed for chemo. Makes it much better for the patient who has to be "stuck" so often. They swear by this cream. I have only used it once in the ER when a patient came in and briought it with her, she had to wait 30 minutes for it to work before I could start her IV.
Luanne