circumsicion

[mommytobe97]

I'm not really sure where to put this, but wanted to get any help on this situation. My husband is uncircumcised and doesn't like it at all. We had both pretty much agreed that if we have a son he will be circumcised. Though I wonder about later on when our son is growing up and wonders/questions why he looks different than daddy, what do you tell him?? I'm not sure how to handle that conversation. Any ideas/suggestions?? thanks!

[mum2beagain]

It is true that in The USA lots of males are circumcised. World wide that is not the case.

[feather2e]

This seems to be a controversial topic. I am from England where it is not commonly done and I chose to have my son circumsized and he is no worse for it. As far as parents making choices for their children what about those that choose to get there daughters ears pierced at a young age that is painful also but I dont hear anyone criticizing mums for doing that. Mommytobe was not asking for your opinion on circumcision she was asking for advise on how to tell a child, so If you dont have anything useful or helpful to say I dont think you should say anything at all.

[mommytobe97]

Well I can see that you are very passionate about it, but it's not about the look. I can care less about how it looks, since my husband is uncircumcised. We both decided to do it for health reasons. I work in the hospital and have seen a number of boys who are uncircumcised come in with serious infections. I want to protect my son and doing this will help him.

I don't think anyone said anything about rectal or cervical cancer. I did talk about the statistical numbers of penile cancer being higher. And you can't fight the numbers.

The majority of boys/men are circumcised. Especially in California. I live there, too. The appendix did something back in the day, but no longer does anything. Hence why it can be removed with NO problems at all.

Hygiene is important, but even with the best hygiene many boys who are uncircumcised will many times still get an infection. My husband had a couple as a young boy.

I think you should re look up the information on what you know about it. It's still very much advised that it be done in hospitals. And it's done by the majority of people. I do not "spat words of hearsay" as you stated, and would like it if you could try to be more respectful. thanks.

[mommytobe97]

Oh, no. I didn't take offense to it at all. Before I met my husband, I had thought of it to be weird/gross, too. haha. I had only known men that had been circumcised, like the majority of Americans are. Though my husband had come here from Mexico and it's not real common there to get circumcised. He does wish he was though. I feel bad that he gets annoyed with it, and had thought about getting it done now, but that would be too painful. It's just so much easier to get it done as a baby; less skin, less cutting.

[DoulaSummer]

There is so much misinformation in this thread and it makes me very sad!  When you are going to make statement about rectal cancer and cervical cancer be prepared to show RELIABLE and RECENT resources from studies that factor in cleanliness and is not sponsored by people who adamantly oppose/support the procedure.

I think its disturbing that moms are so obsessed with the look of their son's penis.  I have also heard mother's (not in this thread) express how they like how a cut penis feels versus and uncut penis.  Who are moms to make a choice for the partner(s) of their sons?

The majority of boys are NOT circumcised.  In the next few years its estimated that over 65% + of boys will be left intact.  That is the majority is untouched and left whole.  This will increase more and more as insurance companies cover the procedures and some hospitals stop offering to do it (which is happening in a lot of places).  

The appendix serves a purpose, therefore it is not just some part that is cosmetically taken out.  There is information showing it can play more roles in hormones and secretions as well.  It used to be thought that the gallbladder was useless as well. but we now know that is not a fact.  Sure we can live without the appendix, but to date there is no study that covers patients over a lifetime to see effects of removal.

Circumcision became mainstream because of lack of parent involvement in teaching proper hygiene and for no other reason.  There is still some skin when a penis foreskin is cut and can cause just as many problems when proper hygiene is not taught.  Removing of the skin causes the glans to toughen and becomes less sensitive over time.  Its a fact, loss of sensation is a big part.  That hospital who had the cleanliness issue in their paper work is severely outdated and needs to be sent more accurate and current information because they are lying to their patients.

There is nothing "easy" or "2 minutes" about the process.  I have watched too many of them and it never gets easier.  The pain is similar to the fingernails being pulled from the nail bed.  The foreskin is attached to the glans and penis and is literally ripped away and cut off.  The foreskins are then sold to cosmetic companies for use in products such as lipstick (true, look it up, hospital make money off selling boy parts).

I am passionate about treating our boys and girls alike.  We cringe at female circumcision that removed the clitoris hood (same as removing foreskin from the penis), but since its on a girl its worse and should be outlawed?  I am very adamant that we should not treat the bodies of our boys and girls differently.  I am more passionate about passing on correct information, not spatting words of hearsay.

[krichar]

I agree with doulasummer and ashleigh...i am totally against it but it is a personal choice. There is no proof one way or the other that it is "cleaner" that was something they did to the troops in the 1st and 2nd world war when it was impossible to keep clean in the trenches. Living in a society now where water is running from the taps and people clean themselves daily it is no longer a worry.

If this is a choice you make, by the time the child can tell the difference they probably won't be standing around naked together. As for in the locker room it was about 50/50 when my son was born 10 years ago and now it is more to the no side, but i doubt he will have questions for you then!!