New Circumcision Recommendations

[MrsK]

Turns out that there isn't a mohel in Wichita. The rabbi and a urologist tag-team. The rabbi does the blessings and the urologist does the proceedure. I couldn't be happier.

My brother and sister in law moved to Ireland last summer, and immediately experienced a surprise pregnancy.

They welcomed the adorable boy into the world in May. They used the public health care system through the entire pregnancy and delivery. (they are more adventurous than I am.) Once the little guy was born within the first 12 hours my brother in law asked...when does he get circumsized. The doctors looked at them totally confused and asked why they would circumsize him.....

....it never crossed their minds that wouldn't be standard procedure. Neverless, they opted to wait until they come back to the US where it is much more common, and the Drs. performing it will be more experienced....good idea!

Anyways, thought that was interesting. It is obviously the norm in other countries to let it go, probably for a variety of reasons. Personally, this may be superficial but I don't want my child to grow up getting ridiculed in the locker room because of his turtle neck.

[SuzySunshine]

Personally, this may be superficial but I don't want my child to grow up getting ridiculed in the locker room because of his turtle neck.

I don't think so - DH and I's reasoning basically was that it would be better if he looked like his dad, we didn't really have a medical reason one way or the other.

[MarissaNicole]

I don't think so - DH and I's reasoning basically was that it would be better if he looked like his dad, we didn't really have a medical reason one way or the other.

This is my thought exactly - and probably what will govern our decision. My other thought is that I think as a woman I would rather have my husband make the decision as 1) he is a man and 2) he would be the one answering any questions as to why "it" looks different.

None of my nephews are circumsized and I think the decision is personal. Although I admit I was worried that they would be teased in the locker room, and I am relieved to learn that it (circumsion)isn't the standard anymore.

[Auspicious]

Before Cora was born and when we had this discussion, I asked my husband if he cared if his penis looked like his father's when he was a kid, and he looked horrified and said, "I spent as little time as possible thinking about my father's penis when I was a kid!"

I just asked my husband if he was ever made fun of in the locker room b/c he's not circumcised (born in India). He didn't.

That said, both of our boys are. I totally left it up to dh (boy parts, he's got 'em, etc.), and he decided to do it for hygiene reasons.

[SuzySunshine]

I left it up to DH too - I know NOTHING about raising boys. It was his call.

Before Cora was born and when we had this discussion, I asked my husband if he cared if his penis looked like his father's when he was a kid, and he looked horrified and said, "I spent as little time as possible thinking about my father's penis when I was a kid!"

It is obviously the norm in other countries to let it go, probably for a variety of reasons.

Because is isn't medically necessary, so why would healthcare systems pay for it? Kris is right when she says it is a cultural thing here in the US. I think elsewhere people do it for religious reasons only.

Before Cora was born and when we had this discussion, I asked my husband if he cared if his penis looked like his father's when he was a kid, and he looked horrified and said, "I spent as little time as possible thinking about my father's penis when I was a kid!"

LOL, yes I have always questioned this logic. But each to their own!

[Pollyanna]

I would prefer to not cut off a piece of my kid to prevent locker room teasing that probably won't happen. Classmates think your kid's penis looks weird? Maybe they should stop checking out his crotch.

Heehee, Cassy you crack me up!

Our boys are, we never really had a huge discussion about it, I guess we both just assumed that would be the plan. We mainly discussed who was doing the circ. My dad is not (born in Italy) but my brother is (born in USA), I completely agree about it being a cultural thing.

[Rapunzel]

My obstetrician just about had a heart attack in my recovery room when I told him that my son would NOT have a circumcision (that was almost 13 years ago).

But, dh was insistent on this subject. His mom is not from this country and so I think that might have had something to do with why he didn't have a circumcision.

I never noticed a hygiene problem. I actually think that keeping baby/little girls clean is a WHOLE lot harder than any boy - circumcision or not! There are a lot more girly "bits".

I think it's entirely cultural as well. Either side can come up with reasons to do it or not.

I really have no opinon on the subject - I left it up to DH and both boys were circumcised. But on a side note, my SIL is having her first boy and we were telling funny stories about taking care of my firstborn's healing circ. DS (age 9) overheard us and asked what a circumcision is - so I explained how he looked when he was born and that the doctor in the hospital cut the foreskin off, etc. etc. He was totally grossed out and obviously uncomfortable (with the legs crossed and everything). He seemed to think it was barbaric that we had the nerve to do that to him as a baby!

[migirl]

How's this for odd? One of our boys is circumcised, and the other isn't!

DS#1 was circumcised at birth (I left the decision up to DH, I really didn't care one way or the other), but when DS#2 was born he had some urologic issues that required a "wait-and-see" approach. There was a possibility that he might need some corrective surgery if things didn't "straighten out," so we just figured we would have him circumcised at that time. Well, the urologic issues kinda went away on their own, and by that time he was already a year old and would have had to have been put under anesthesia just to be circumcised and we just weren't really comfortable doing that.

Part of me feels like it's kinda weird that they don't look the same, but oh well!

[Chrisada]

I wanted DS1 circumcised but DH absolutely refused too. We had several heated discussions about it. Now I'm fine with it. Also, all of the boys we know here in Ann Arbor are not circumcised.