A
astegallrnc
Guest
My reason was medical, but my DH wanted it for other reasons.
I know of a family who did not circumcise because dad was not. The son chose to have the surgery as an adult so he would look like other men.
- Status
I know of a family who did not circumcise because dad was not. The son chose to have the surgery as an adult so he would look like other men.
P
Peace-bwu
Guest
My husband and I were at a toss up before our daughter was born (we didnt’ know her sex before birth) so when we knew we were expecting a boy for our second child, I was a little taken aback at my husbands suddenly strong objection to circumcision. He studied the issue and came up with a strong “no” I, myself had to learn all I could about it before I made the decision.
I read about it on a American Academy of Pediatrics website, several studies, including one from Canada. It seems the risk of bladder infection or a UTI is much more slim than the risk of an infection from a circumcision or complications resulting from it.
He is five now and has never had any kind of infection whatso ever. Some people are concerned with how difficult it will be to clean. A boy’s foreskin doesn’t completely retract for many years. All you have to do is pull the skin back a little (never forcing it) and wash with the baby wipe or washcloth. and be sure to do the same in the tub and make sure you rinse well.
Some American parents have been known to cause problems with trying to force the skin back or clean it with Q-tips or something. They think they have to do this in order to clean. In fact, it is much easier to do than this! Most of Europe is uncircumcised and they all seem to be ok.
The proposed benefits were far outweighted by the potential complications. For us it was socially accepted genital mutilation for the sake of the cultural norm and cosmetic purposes.
It isn’t hard to find the exact statistics, you probably already have them, so I won’t get into that, but I can tell you that My husband and I are very happy with our decision to keep our son’s penis pain free and intact. This is not a judgement to other parents who did circumcise their sons, or to people who do it for religious purposes. But, in my opinon, the proposed health benefits are very, very low and do not warrant cutting a baby’s penis. Some cultures circumcise girls too. :bigyikes:
I read about it on a American Academy of Pediatrics website, several studies, including one from Canada. It seems the risk of bladder infection or a UTI is much more slim than the risk of an infection from a circumcision or complications resulting from it.
He is five now and has never had any kind of infection whatso ever. Some people are concerned with how difficult it will be to clean. A boy’s foreskin doesn’t completely retract for many years. All you have to do is pull the skin back a little (never forcing it) and wash with the baby wipe or washcloth. and be sure to do the same in the tub and make sure you rinse well.
Some American parents have been known to cause problems with trying to force the skin back or clean it with Q-tips or something. They think they have to do this in order to clean. In fact, it is much easier to do than this! Most of Europe is uncircumcised and they all seem to be ok.
The proposed benefits were far outweighted by the potential complications. For us it was socially accepted genital mutilation for the sake of the cultural norm and cosmetic purposes.
It isn’t hard to find the exact statistics, you probably already have them, so I won’t get into that, but I can tell you that My husband and I are very happy with our decision to keep our son’s penis pain free and intact. This is not a judgement to other parents who did circumcise their sons, or to people who do it for religious purposes. But, in my opinon, the proposed health benefits are very, very low and do not warrant cutting a baby’s penis. Some cultures circumcise girls too. :bigyikes:
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Peace-bwu
Guest
For Release: March 1, 1999, 5 p.m. (ET)
Below is a highlight of a policy published in the March issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
**CHICAGO - **After analysis of almost 40 years of available medical research on circumcision, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued new recommendations today stating that the benefits are not significant enough for the AAP to recommend circumcision as a routine procedure. The new policy statement was published in this month’s issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the AAP.
“Circumcision is not essential to a child’s well-being at birth, even though it does have some potential medical benefits. These benefits are not compelling enough to warrant the AAP to recommend routine newborn circumcision. Instead, we encourage parents to discuss the benefits and risks of circumcision with their pediatrician, and then make an informed decision about what is in the best interest of their child,” says Carole Lannon, M.D., MPH, FAAP, chair of the AAP’s Task Force on Circumcision.
The policy concluded, however, that it is legitimate for parents to take into account cultural, religious and ethnic traditions, in addition to medical factors, when making this decision. It states that to make an informed choice, parents of all male infants should be given accurate information and be provided the opportunity to discuss this decision with their pediatrician.
For the first time in AAP circumcision policy history, the new recommendations also indicate that if parents decide to circumcise their infant, it is essential that pain relief be provided. To assist parents in making the decision of whether or not to circumcise their sons, the AAP policy outlines the potential medical benefits and risks and discusses the use of analgesia.
AAP Policy History Regarding Circumcision
Beginning in its 1971 manual, Standards and Recommendations of Hospital Care of Newborn Infants, and reiterated in the 1975 and 1985 revisions, the Academy concluded that there was no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision.
In 1989, due to new research exploring links between circumcision status and both urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases, particularly AIDS, the Academy concluded that newborn male circumcision did have potential medical benefits and advantages, as well as risks.
In light of continued medical debate over the last decade regarding those benefits and risks, as well as the publication of new research, the Academy chose to reevaluate its 1989 policy. The new policy recommendations released today are based on analysis of all available medical literature on circumcision currently available, including new studies published in the last 10 years.
Urinary Tract Infections
Although studies show the relative risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI) in the first year of life is higher for baby boys who are uncircumcised, the AAP policy concludes that their absolute risk of developing one is low ¾ at most approximately 1 percent. Research indicates that during the first year of life an uncircumcised male infant has at most about a 1 in 100 chance of developing a UTI, while a circumcised male has about a 1 in 1000 chance.
Penile Cancer
Studies conclude that the risk of an uncircumcised man developing penile cancer is more than three-fold that of a circumcised man. However, the AAP policy notes that in the United States only 9 to 10 cases of this rare disease are diagnosed per year per 1 million men, indicating that while the risk is higher for uncircumcised men, their overall risk is extremely low.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Some research suggests that circumcised men may be at a reduced risk for developing syphilis and HIV infections. However, the AAP policy states that behavioral factors continue to be far more important in determining a person’s risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases than circumcision status.
Analgesia
Considerable new evidence shows that newborns circumcised without analgesia experience pain and stress measured by changes in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and cortisol levels. Other studies suggest that the circumcision experience may cause infants to respond more strongly to pain of future immunization than those who are uncircumcised.
Below is a highlight of a policy published in the March issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
**CHICAGO - **After analysis of almost 40 years of available medical research on circumcision, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued new recommendations today stating that the benefits are not significant enough for the AAP to recommend circumcision as a routine procedure. The new policy statement was published in this month’s issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the AAP.
“Circumcision is not essential to a child’s well-being at birth, even though it does have some potential medical benefits. These benefits are not compelling enough to warrant the AAP to recommend routine newborn circumcision. Instead, we encourage parents to discuss the benefits and risks of circumcision with their pediatrician, and then make an informed decision about what is in the best interest of their child,” says Carole Lannon, M.D., MPH, FAAP, chair of the AAP’s Task Force on Circumcision.
The policy concluded, however, that it is legitimate for parents to take into account cultural, religious and ethnic traditions, in addition to medical factors, when making this decision. It states that to make an informed choice, parents of all male infants should be given accurate information and be provided the opportunity to discuss this decision with their pediatrician.
For the first time in AAP circumcision policy history, the new recommendations also indicate that if parents decide to circumcise their infant, it is essential that pain relief be provided. To assist parents in making the decision of whether or not to circumcise their sons, the AAP policy outlines the potential medical benefits and risks and discusses the use of analgesia.
AAP Policy History Regarding Circumcision
Beginning in its 1971 manual, Standards and Recommendations of Hospital Care of Newborn Infants, and reiterated in the 1975 and 1985 revisions, the Academy concluded that there was no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision.
In 1989, due to new research exploring links between circumcision status and both urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases, particularly AIDS, the Academy concluded that newborn male circumcision did have potential medical benefits and advantages, as well as risks.
In light of continued medical debate over the last decade regarding those benefits and risks, as well as the publication of new research, the Academy chose to reevaluate its 1989 policy. The new policy recommendations released today are based on analysis of all available medical literature on circumcision currently available, including new studies published in the last 10 years.
Urinary Tract Infections
Although studies show the relative risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI) in the first year of life is higher for baby boys who are uncircumcised, the AAP policy concludes that their absolute risk of developing one is low ¾ at most approximately 1 percent. Research indicates that during the first year of life an uncircumcised male infant has at most about a 1 in 100 chance of developing a UTI, while a circumcised male has about a 1 in 1000 chance.
Penile Cancer
Studies conclude that the risk of an uncircumcised man developing penile cancer is more than three-fold that of a circumcised man. However, the AAP policy notes that in the United States only 9 to 10 cases of this rare disease are diagnosed per year per 1 million men, indicating that while the risk is higher for uncircumcised men, their overall risk is extremely low.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Some research suggests that circumcised men may be at a reduced risk for developing syphilis and HIV infections. However, the AAP policy states that behavioral factors continue to be far more important in determining a person’s risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases than circumcision status.
Analgesia
Considerable new evidence shows that newborns circumcised without analgesia experience pain and stress measured by changes in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and cortisol levels. Other studies suggest that the circumcision experience may cause infants to respond more strongly to pain of future immunization than those who are uncircumcised.
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Peace-bwu
Guest
In response to this data, the AAP policy states that analgesia has been found to be safe and effective in reducing the pain associated with circumcision, and should be provided if the procedure is performed. Analgesic methods include EMLA cream (a topical mixture of local anesthetics), the dorsal penile nerve block and the subcutaneous ring block. Complications
Research suggests that circumcision is generally a safe procedure. Complications occur in 1 in 200 to 1 in 500 circumcised newborn males and are most often minor; the two most common are mild bleeding and local infection.
Research suggests that circumcision is generally a safe procedure. Complications occur in 1 in 200 to 1 in 500 circumcised newborn males and are most often minor; the two most common are mild bleeding and local infection.
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Peace-bwu
Guest
When it comes to making the decision as to whether a parent should circumcise so that son can look like dad, my husband saw this as a rediculous argument, why should he put his son through unnecessary pain and voluntary surgery so that his penis could look like his own when he was born at a time when it was a wholly routine procedure. I guess my husband feels a little angry that baby boys are forced to undergo genital mutilation so that they can fit in with the crowd of fellow Americans who have also been forced to undergo it.
There will be plenty of uncircumcised boys in the locker room by the time our sons are in highschool, because so many parents are realizing that they don’t need to put their son’s through a circumcision, especially those in the medical field (at least the peds and OBGYNs I have been in contact with.
Still, although I am personally against it, I see it as unnecessary and, honestly, cruel, I think it’s strange for our society to perpetuate an unnecessary, painful procedure, it isn’t that HUGE of a deal so I have no ill-feelings about other parents making the decision to do it, and I’m not going to join a brigade of protesters
I also wanted to mention that my 5 yr old son takes his own showers now, with very little help from us. I remind him now and then how to do it, and we taught him from the time he was a baby how to clean. We started letting wash his penis by himself when we was about 2, with our help and supervision and he started taking showes by himself (with us nearby) when he was 4. He seems to have no problem with this part of the shower, as it has been routine to him all his life.
I am happy to answer any questions you might have for a mom of an uncircumcised son.
There will be plenty of uncircumcised boys in the locker room by the time our sons are in highschool, because so many parents are realizing that they don’t need to put their son’s through a circumcision, especially those in the medical field (at least the peds and OBGYNs I have been in contact with.
Still, although I am personally against it, I see it as unnecessary and, honestly, cruel, I think it’s strange for our society to perpetuate an unnecessary, painful procedure, it isn’t that HUGE of a deal so I have no ill-feelings about other parents making the decision to do it, and I’m not going to join a brigade of protesters
I also wanted to mention that my 5 yr old son takes his own showers now, with very little help from us. I remind him now and then how to do it, and we taught him from the time he was a baby how to clean. We started letting wash his penis by himself when we was about 2, with our help and supervision and he started taking showes by himself (with us nearby) when he was 4. He seems to have no problem with this part of the shower, as it has been routine to him all his life.
I am happy to answer any questions you might have for a mom of an uncircumcised son.
J
Jennyanydots
Guest
Our first was born with mild hypospedia. On my son, this has created an incomplete formation of the foreskin, almost like a hood, and two holes, one is only barely visible and is not complete nor is it functional. We did not have him circumcised because he may want to have that corrected as an adult and will need the ‘material’ for the fix. Having to not make that decision was a great blessing to me and we have not had any cleaning or infection issues. Referring to the original information posted, his skin has not separated 100% yet, he is 3 ½. (he would not be happy if he was 12 or so and I was posting this!!) Having said that, if our third is a boy (due in feb) we will not be having him circumcised. Our second is a girl, so that made the question moot. Just our little experience.
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astegallrnc
Guest
Reading through this, I think we can all agree that our decision needs to be in the best interest of our children. I find it fascinating that we all have access to the same information and yet may come to opposing conclusions.
MamaGeek, pray for guidance and congrats on your newest family member to be.
Autumn
MamaGeek, pray for guidance and congrats on your newest family member to be.
Autumn
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Peace-bwu
Guest
Ok, my husband said that when he explains the birds and the bees to my son, or when he discusses our decision not to circumcise he will expain this to my son and just say “you’re welcome.”
An intact foreskin is supposed to keep the head of the penis from coming into regular contact with the pants, or other objects, etc. So it is supposed to make the head of the penis more sensitive, in fact, they began doing nonreligious circumcision in America as a routine procedure in an attempt to prevent boys from the sin of masturbation.
An intact foreskin is supposed to keep the head of the penis from coming into regular contact with the pants, or other objects, etc. So it is supposed to make the head of the penis more sensitive, in fact, they began doing nonreligious circumcision in America as a routine procedure in an attempt to prevent boys from the sin of masturbation.
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wabrams
Guest
How in the world did you come up with this?
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jrabs
Guest
What I have noticed on this thread??? Not many men are chiming in to give their take. Wonder why???
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wabrams
Guest
I’m a guy, I’m circumsiesed. If I have any boys, they will be as well. My fiance has two brothers who are as well, so she agrees with me.
J
jess7396
Guest
Ha, my husband could’ve written your post 6 years ago- LOL. (not really laughing at you by the way, just how life changes sometimes
)
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wabrams
Guest
And sometimes things don’t change.Ha, my husband could’ve written your post 6 years ago- LOL. (not really laughing at you by the way, just how life changes sometimes
J
jess7396
Guest
From what I understand the circumcision of that time removed a very small amount of the foreskin, sometimes was even just a small cut in the foreskin, it is my understanding that the almost complete foreskin of removal of today was not used at that time.
As to your second question- to be honest, I regretted it when I heard him screaming during it, even moreso when he came back to me and would not nurse but laid there with this really spacey look on for a long time.
He also had “foreskin adhesion” as a toddler, which is when a circumcised boy who is usually good and fat (as my BFing babe was- LOL) has so much fat in that area, that the penis is almost overtaken by the fat, anywho- that makes whatever amount of foreskin they have left act as a foreskin does and it basically attaches, well, then the little guy has an erection and the foreskin is ripped away and bleeds. I am not sure I am explaining this well, but suffices to say that the pediatrician said to me, “If he were not circumcised, this would not have happened”.
Other than that, he has no ill effects. My main regret is that I removed a healthy functioning part of his body for poor medical reasoning and cosmetic reasoning, and he can never get that back. I feel that was a disrespectful “choice” to make for him, and I will explain to all of my children the issue of routine infant circ. when they are older (seperately of course) and I will apologize to one one son who we did circ.
J
jess7396
Guest
carol marie:
I truly believe that the biggest issue I will have will be explaining to the one we did, not to the one we didn’t.
Well, we do have another son, and he is intact. I only worry about how I will tell my first son what I did. Frankly, my sons’ penises are not going to look like their dad’s no matter what, a child’s penis and a man’s penis don’t look a lot alike circ.ed or not, yk?I’m wondering what it will be like if you have another boy and he looks different from his Dad & his brother? Do you think he’ll care? I’m not judging you - nor do I think it’s my business - nor do I particulary care… I’m just curious, that’s all.
CM
I truly believe that the biggest issue I will have will be explaining to the one we did, not to the one we didn’t.
M
MooCowSteph
Guest
That’s very sad and painful sounding. I feel for you and your son. We think we’re having a girl, but we’ve discussed circumcision just in case. I think we’re going to have to talk about it more in depth after reading some of the posts here.
J
jess7396
Guest
That’s why I said “sometimes”
. I wasn’t trying to upset you, just laughing at how things sometimes do change in ways we don’t expect.I do think it is a good thing to be able to reconsider some of these things that we are so sure about, when they actually happen(like when you have the child). Out of my group of mom friends with intact boys, every single one thought that they would circumcise before the became pregnant and researched it, and every single one had a husband who wanted it done before learning more. I also know many moms who did keep to what they thought they would do, I am just saying, things sometimes do change. So long as it is not our faith or love of God, I think reconsidering things is good
.I could go ona dn on about the things I was SO sure about before having kids, I was sure that boys would be circ.ed, I was sure I would wean at 1 year (and that BFing would go well right from the start), I was sure that my baby would NEVER sleep in my bed, and that I was use all vaccinations on schedule (then I learned of those made from aborted fetal tissue). Our babies change us, medical “facts” change, our feelings on issues change. Changing opinons has been one thing I have had to get used to.
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wabrams
Guest
I’ve done all the research on the pros and cons and I still see nothing wrong with it.That’s why I said “sometimes”
I do think it is a good thing to be able to reconsider some of these things that we are so sure about, when they actually happen(like when you have the child). Out of my group of mom friends with intact boys, every single one thought that they would circumcise before the became pregnant and researched it, and every single one had a husband who wanted it done before learning more. I also know many moms who did keep to what they thought they would do, I am just saying, things sometimes do change. So long as it is not our faith or love of God, I think reconsidering things is good
I could go ona dn on about the things I was SO sure about before having kids, I was sure that boys would be circ.ed, I was sure I would wean at 1 year (and that BFing would go well right from the start), I was sure that my baby would NEVER sleep in my bed, and that I was use all vaccinations on schedule (then I learned of those made from aborted fetal tissue). Our babies change us, medical “facts” change, our feelings on issues change. Changing opinons has been one thing I have had to get used to.
P
Princess_Abby
Guest
I’ve been thinking a lot about this thread, being pregnant and not sure what the sex of my baby is.
I’ve read a lot and discussed with a few friends over the last couple days. I was surprised by how vehement a friend was about the sexual relationship between a man and wife being compromised, in her experience with him and due to her expectations. One friend said that even though her husband washes it specifically 2-4 times a day (in the shower, after the gym, before intimacy and after intimacy) there is simply an odor there that she finds offensive and it harms her ability to want to be intimate with her husband. She wants him to get circumscised now, at the age of 28.
I asked my mother what led her decision to circumscise her son, and she said that it actually had to do with a good friend of her’s being a geriatric nurse. She went into great detail about how difficult it is to cleanse an elderly man’s penis and how painful and unhealthy the area can become when the skin does not retract easily and body fluids dry in and around the foreskin. She said (the nurse told her) that it’s a breeding ground for bacteria and infection when there is no circumscision.
Anyway, that kind of summed it up for me and my husband agrees that we will go ahead and circumscise if we ever have a little boy. We will look into what DJGang posted about the seemingly less painful version, however…
I’ve read a lot and discussed with a few friends over the last couple days. I was surprised by how vehement a friend was about the sexual relationship between a man and wife being compromised, in her experience with him and due to her expectations. One friend said that even though her husband washes it specifically 2-4 times a day (in the shower, after the gym, before intimacy and after intimacy) there is simply an odor there that she finds offensive and it harms her ability to want to be intimate with her husband. She wants him to get circumscised now, at the age of 28.
I asked my mother what led her decision to circumscise her son, and she said that it actually had to do with a good friend of her’s being a geriatric nurse. She went into great detail about how difficult it is to cleanse an elderly man’s penis and how painful and unhealthy the area can become when the skin does not retract easily and body fluids dry in and around the foreskin. She said (the nurse told her) that it’s a breeding ground for bacteria and infection when there is no circumscision.
Anyway, that kind of summed it up for me and my husband agrees that we will go ahead and circumscise if we ever have a little boy. We will look into what DJGang posted about the seemingly less painful version, however…
J
jess7396
Guest
OK, I really was not trying to upset you- peace!
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