Circumcision - Did you circumcise your son? xpost from general parenting

[IWantToBeAMommy]

xpost from general parenting

Hi,

I am having twin boys!

Are you planning to circumcise your son? If so, when was it done, what can be done for pain relief, how to take care of it when it is healing, and how long is the recovery?

If you do not plan to circumsise your son, is it possible to explain why you did not?

I am trying to decide between circumcise the boys or not.

Thanks!

[tdg119]

I'm PG too...don't know sexes yet.
If one or both are boys, chances are we will not get him/them circumcised.

We personally don't see having to put the baby through the experience, and from everything we've read, the child will be equally healthy whether circumcised or not.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I'd recommend doing some research and doing whatever your gut tells you.

And though the least of your worries, if you have not already, you could check w/ your insurance company to make sure they cover the procedure.

[em4444]

One thing to think about. Uncircumsized men have a higher chance of penile cancer. I just had a patient with it. Food for thought I guess. As for pain meds, depends on the place and the dr. For my LO they did numbing lotion and I asked that he be given sugar water which is a natural pain med for babies. (i would take sugar water with me for his shots before he was 3 months and coat a pacifer with it). They did the 'bell' procedure on my son. No additional care needed, just the bell plastic part fell off it about a week.

[Christine_T]

It is debateable whether men who aren't circumcised are at greater risk of penile cancer. Most cancer societies do not mention circumcision to prevent penile cancer. It is likely that it is a myth as this article explains: http://cirp.org/library/disease/cancer/

Penile cancer is a very rare disease occurring in men over 60. It is mainly caused by smoking. Men in Scandinavia (where the circ rate is near zero) have lower penile cancer rates than the USA. I doubt men in Britain or Ireland (where the circ rate is near zero) have lower rates of penile cancer than the USA.

I did a lot of research before my son was born and came to know a lot about circumcision. There are many reasons why I think it shouldn't be done. The first reason I didn't like it was the pain aspect. You might hear people saying "oh but they use pain relief". The pain relief isn't enough to completely mask the pain. Second of all, they don't use it sometimes. As it is done behind closed doors, you don't know what torture your son will be going through. See this recent video by a nurse who just watched his first circumcision:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouCFU1xs0qI

There are other reasons not to do it.

Care is a lot easier with intact boys as there is nothing to do. The foreskin is unretractable in infancy so it should be left alone. No cleaning under it or pulling it back is required. In fact, it is advised by doctors to just leave it alone:
http://www.kidshealth.org.nz/index.p...page/pi_id/266

Circumcised boys require a lot more care. Circumcised boys are in discomfort for some time post-op because there is an open wound. This wound can easily become infected. It can also become irritated by ammonia in the urine. Another possible problem is that the severed skin can re-attach to form a skin bridge. Moms with circed boys have to be constantly vigilant and take measures to make sure this doesn't occur. Basically, it is a whole lot of extra hassle (that usually nobody tells you about).
http://www.coloradonocirc.org/files/...plications.pdf
http://www.cirp.org/library/complications/vanhowe/

The foreskin is a highly specialised piece of skin found nowhere else on the penis. It helps in masturbation and during sex.

Functions of the foreskin: a 20 minute video made by doctors opposing circumcision: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9DoCn3gATE

Facts about the foreskin:
http://www.enotalone.com/776-1.html

It isn't necessary health wise. Although some studies in Africa (which had some flaws in them, as Dr Dean Edell explains: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlsUg0sdAtE ) show that men acquire HIV at a slightly less rate if they are circumcised, it wouldn't be a good measure in the USA to combat HIV for a number of reasons.

1) In the USA, the epidemic is largely restricted to men who have sex with men and drug using communities. Circ has no beneficial effect with anal sex.

2) It is hard to get HIV. This table http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwr...402a1.htm#tab1 shows that the chance of a man acquiring HIV if he has sex with an HIV infected woman is 1 in 2000 per sexual act. This is without a condom and when the woman has HIV. So he would be unlucky to find a woman with HIV; and he if he is wearing a condom anyway then it makes no difference. If the woman has HIV and he uses no condom it is like Russian roulette - he would get it eventually. This is why most intelligent commentators do not recommend infant circumcision to prevent HIV. It is also interesting that Europe, with near zero rates of infant circumcision have lower rates of STI's including HIV than the USA. So circumcision does not prevent infection: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/pub...heet/fsest.htm

When you weigh in the complications, the pain, the loss of sexual functioning and the breach of bodily integrity, it is definitely a net-negative operation:
http://www.circinfo.org/index.htm

As for what circumcised men think. They are likely to be highly biased in favour of getting it done. This is mainly because they don't want to admit they are worse off. This article called "The vulnerability of men" is interesting:
http://www.udonet.com/circumcision/v...ty_of_men.html

To me these reasons were sufficient enough not to do it.

As for it having to be done later. That is rare if you just leave it alone and let nature take care of things. Misdiagnosis of a tight foreskin by unexperienced doctors is not unusual USA. An unretractable foreskin is normal in infancy (see the kidshealth link above). Some doctors do not know this - hence their recommendation of circumcision. In fact, the average age of boys being able to retract their foreskin is 10 years of age.

Most kids experience ballooning - where the pee fills up the foreskin before it comes out. Over time, the hole becomes wider and eventually the foreskin becomes retractable. This can happen any time up until puberty. The important thing is not to force it as this can create scar tissue which will impede retraction. So just leave it alone. It requires no cleaning on the inside.

See, 'normal development of the foreskin':
http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/

[carolsue]

I am up in the air about that decision too. I just don't know

[BC-LittleaBige]

I did not. Simply because there is no medical necessity behind it. Why put them through something like that that is not needed?

[MGUERRERO81]

My husband was against it as he is not. I am for it. Now my husband wishes he wouldn't have been so agianst it. My son who is 7 has issues with the skin being so tight. He pee's all over the place. At one point we consulted with a dr on having it removed a few years back...but it would have been extreamly painful for him and would have required 4-6 weeks of narcotics/recovery for this very active little boy. As a mom I couldn't put my son thru that.

As a women/wife I would strongly encourage it. Yes...im sure it hurts...but your baby will never remember the pain. I know there are a million studies that would disagree..but seriously...do you rember when you were a newborn....NO!

[chicadee1245]

Should all males be circumcised?
Some call it genital mutilation. Others, a lifesaving STD stopper (for men and women). Whether or not you still have your foreskin, you have a stake in the battle over circumcision.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/297779...health/from/ET

Just food for thought!

[mis3nenes]

We circumcised our boys. My husband was not circumcised as a baby, but he did have a circumcision as an adult do to some discomfort. He is much more comfortable now that he is circumcised and wishes he would have had it done a long time ago. FWIW.

[Khrissys3girls]

My husband and I circumcised our singleton (didnt have to worry about our triplets as they were all girls). My husband is so it was a very easy decision for us. He was circumcised in the hospital the day after he was born. After it was done he was brought to me to eatand didnt have any discomfort on his face, as he was sleeping . In terms of care, I just put on a lot of A&D (globs) and sealed his diaper. Healed in a few days. Very easy procedure and we had no problems.