Who performs circumcisions (other than mohels)?

[Anonymous]

For non-Jewish people who had this done -- who do you hire for this? How do you go about making the arrangements? When and where does it happen?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I think a lot of people have it done in the hospital a day after delivery. Not sure how you'd arrange to do it otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Usually the OB who delivers your baby will also do the circumcision a day or so later. It is so bizarre to me but that's the way it's done!

[Anonymous]

Oh, and it's done in the hospital before you check out - usually the last day - baby goes off to have it done and comes back a few minutes later. mine was asleep when he came back! However - a warning, the skin looked AWFUL and I felt really sad about it but DH insisted on it. It healed realy fast though.

[Anonymous]

they will ask you about it at the hospital. in my case, the OB who did my C-section also did my son's circumcision. I have to say, he did a great job with my section and I also have to deal with the pediatrician always telling me what a "beautiful circumcision" my 7 month old has. what do you say to that? "thanks" doesn't really do it. also, what does a BAD circumcision look like??

for the record, it was dr. gschwend from the sibley medical group, for all your c-section and circumcision needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually the OB who delivers your baby will also do the circumcision a day or so later. It is so bizarre to me but that's the way it's done!

It is often done this way since the OB has surgical privileges at the hospital. In some areas, it is the pediatrician, but around here it tends to be the OB's.

[Anonymous]

Your OB will do it.

[Anonymous]

If you prefer, a pediatric urologist does them, and is probably better at it than many OBs. Also be sure to ask your OB if they use local anesthesia or other pain management.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Shoot -- I see I left out some info that was relevant. We're having the baby at an out-of-hospital birth center, with midwives; I don't have an OB. I'll ask the midwives for info at my next appointment, but honestly, I'm nervous about asking on the birth center's listserv or similar places, because people who are into natural birth are sometimes REALLY AGAINST circumcision and I don't want to get flamed to a crisp (under my real name, no less) just for considering it.

So, if you didn't have it done at the hospital (or with a non-doctor mohel), who did it? Harder to find answers to that, maybe... Anybody?

[Anonymous]

Hmm, I'm a NP, and the OB did my DS' circumcision also.

Not sure about the birth center, but I bet you could take your DS to a hospital a few days after the birth and have it done there. Do you have a pedi yet? Maybe ask them.

Or, the midwives should be able to advise you. I'm sure you're not the only natural birth mama who'd like their son circumcised. I would have loved a natural birth (didn't work out that way) but would have still wanted a circ.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

There are some mohels who provide the service in non-religious settings. I have no idea how to find them, but have heard this statement made. I've also heard that mohels are better at circumcisions than doctors (sweeping generalization I realize) because they do so many more of them.

Don't wait too long. After a few days, the procedure becomes more complicated, painful. My ped said that if you changed your mind after ~10 days (skipped the procedure then wanted it later) it had to be done by a pediatric urologist, with more extensive pain management (because it was more painful).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Shoot -- I see I left out some info that was relevant. We're having the baby at an out-of-hospital birth center, with midwives; I don't have an OB. I'll ask the midwives for info at my next appointment, but honestly, I'm nervous about asking on the birth center's listserv or similar places, because people who are into natural birth are sometimes REALLY AGAINST circumcision and I don't want to get flamed to a crisp (under my real name, no less) just for considering it.

So, if you didn't have it done at the hospital (or with a non-doctor mohel), who did it? Harder to find answers to that, maybe... Anybody?

Go to a pediatric urologist.

[Anonymous]

Look into this before the baby is born. Your pediatrician (have you selected one?) is a good resource. It's not uncommon for babies not to be able to have circs in the hospital, but you want to make sure you find out who will take your insurance and who will do an outpatient circ on your baby. If too much time goes by after the baby is born, you could be stuck with an operation that require general anethesia.

Its less important what type of doc (OB, urologist, family doc, pediatircian) does the procedure and more important that they do a lot of them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some mohels who provide the service in non-religious settings. I have no idea how to find them, but have heard this statement made. I've also heard that mohels are better at circumcisions than doctors (sweeping generalization I realize) because they do so many more of them.

Don't wait too long. After a few days, the procedure becomes more complicated, painful. My ped said that if you changed your mind after ~10 days (skipped the procedure then wanted it later) it had to be done by a pediatric urologist, with more extensive pain management (because it was more painful).

Is that true? I'm Jewish and was thinking about having a doc do it instead of a mohel and then partaking in the ceremonial aspect of a bris because I am worried about it. I also am not sure how I feel about it being done without pain management. I hear that it can be done at the hospital by a doc and still conform to the Jewish tradition (I think a prayer is said beforehand). I was going to look into that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some mohels who provide the service in non-religious settings. I have no idea how to find them, but have heard this statement made. I've also heard that mohels are better at circumcisions than doctors (sweeping generalization I realize) because they do so many more of them.

Don't wait too long. After a few days, the procedure becomes more complicated, painful. My ped said that if you changed your mind after ~10 days (skipped the procedure then wanted it later) it had to be done by a pediatric urologist, with more extensive pain management (because it was more painful).

Is that true? I'm Jewish and was thinking about having a doc do it instead of a mohel and then partaking in the ceremonial aspect of a bris because I am worried about it. I also am not sure how I feel about it being done without pain management. I hear that it can be done at the hospital by a doc and still conform to the Jewish tradition (I think a prayer is said beforehand). I was going to look into that.

If you find a seasoned mohel, he will be much more experienced in doing circ's than your average doctor - they do them several times a day, some days. And they provide pain management, usually local anesthetic (but I think that's what you'd get at a hospital anyway). That's something you can ask if you interview them. And of course there are some mohels who are doctors too. And a bit of an anecdote - I recently heard of an OB who hadn't done a single circ during her residency, and who was freaking out about doing one during her first week in private practice. I hope the parents of that little boy didn't know that!