Circumcise tomorrow ....what to expect

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My baby will be 14 days old. Will he be fussy the rest of the day, or days following? Could he catch a fever? What sort of post care did you take for your baby?

I'm ignoring all the other crap here, but I'd like to know - do you have to request this in advance at the hospital? Of your OB? I want to get it done but don't know how to go about it.

Are you currently pregnant? Or are you a new parent and chose not to circumcise at the hospital, but have since changed your mind?

If you are currently pregnant, they will usually ask you if you want it done before your son is discharged. MY hospital told us that if we did not want it done before discharge, they would usually make you wait until the boy is a year old before doing it. That policy might vary by hospital/doctor.[/quote


I have never heard of waiting a year. You might want to check with your pediatrician.

http://americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/circumcision.html

[Anonymous]

Op here. I didn't do it at birth, bc ds was born somewhat jaundicedandminor breathing issues, so his ped did it today at 13 days old. I talked to the ped about who normally gets this done. He said more than half the boys born in us hospitals, and not just Jewish or Muslim people, but parents for a wide variety of health benefits. He went on to explain those to me. That is why hospitals perform them generally right after birth, bc it's requested so often and so it's easiest to do it there. In other countries, like Canada that's not the case, with approx, 1/3 of parents requesting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Really -- so what about all those Muslims in the rest of the world who also circumcized and their doctors?

Please give it up. There are some things that are legitimately left to families to decide -- and this is one of them.

And, yes, I am against female genital mutilation because it is a completely different and much much much more drastic procedure.

Is that a serious question? Muslims do it for religious reasons. Their doctors, if they advocate for circumcision, are religiously biased. Obvious, no?

Please give it up and just admit that you circumcise for cultural or religious reasons, not because the medical evidence is compelling. Then we can stop arguing.

(FYI, I'm not the poster who keeps bringing up female genital mutilation. While I do think she has a point, you are probably right that that procedure is more drastic.)

[Anonymous]

I'm agnostic on male circumcision.

To answer those who say female genitle mutilation is more/less/same in terms of severity, it depends on the country and culture. In its most severe form it is devastating, will all external tissue removed and the opening sewed almost shut. In its least severe form a doctor pricks the area with a lance to draw blood, symbolically adhering to the tradition. All femal genital cutting, including the symbolic prick, are outlawed in the US.

[Anonymous]

I would have no problem locking any parent who allows their sons or daughters to be circumcised in prison.

No qualms at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have no problem locking any parent who allows their sons or daughters to be circumcised in prison.

No qualms at all.

Same.

[Anonymous]

To the PPs asking how to arrange a circ:

Yes, you can tell your OB, who will do it in the hospital either immediately or about a day after birth. Or you can have it done at 4-8 weeks by a pediatric urologist at a place like Children's.

We went the latter route with boy our boys. Our first showed no fussiness after the procedure. Our second was mildly uncomfortable for the first couple hours and then didn't fuss. Our second did develop mild adhesions after the initial circ had healed when we stopped using vaseline. So I do recommend that if your son has fatty penile tissue that envelops the head, continue to use vaseline every day until he grows out of it as a toddler.

One benefit to urologist is that you'll have 3 visits: a consult, the procedure, and a follow-up. Circs done immediately after birth have no follow-up.

[Anonymous]

PP again, to add:

After a certain age/weight (12 weeks or so), circs require general anesthesia rather than topical. That's why the 4-8 week window is important. (You can call to arrange the consult as soon as your son is added to your insurance. Then it's usually another couple weeks before they can schedule the procedure.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What are you talking about? Do you actually read the medical studies? the recommendations of the World Health Organization? You can choose to ignore inconvenient facts if you want to, but don't act like those of us who make a responsible, reasonable choice are idiotic monsters who enjoy inflicting harm on their children.

On another note, if circumcision really caused enormous problems for men and their sexual abilities do you really think men would allow it to continue?

I'm pretty sure Americans aren't known for their sexual prowess. European men, on the other hand, are rarely circumcised and ARE known for being studs.

So, yeah, I think American puritanical mob-mentality idiots would and do allow it to continue.

That is SO untrue. Americans win on technique and sexual manners, hands down. It is very individually driven but I find that the bar on what is acceptable and expected in bed is set higher for the American males, much to my delight. I'm European.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have no problem locking any parent who allows their sons or daughters to be circumcised in prison.

No qualms at all.

Same.

Well, we obviously don't have the laws to justify that, and even in other Western countries where routine circumcision is not recommended it is not illegal (although there have recently been efforts in several Western European countries to outlaw it). It would just be good if Americans realized that they are ALONE among Western civilized nations in clinging to this practice, and that cultural bias is the real reason why US medical professionals advocate its routine performance. That might speed up the process of abandoning circumcision as a routine intervention in this country as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have no problem locking any parent who allows their sons or daughters to be circumcised in prison.

No qualms at all.

Same.

Well, we obviously don't have the laws to justify that, and even in other Western countries where routine circumcision is not recommended it is not illegal (although there have recently been efforts in several Western European countries to outlaw it). It would just be good if Americans realized that they are ALONE among Western civilized nations in clinging to this practice, and that cultural bias is the real reason why US medical professionals advocate its routine performance. That might speed up the process of abandoning circumcision as a routine intervention in this country as well.

Sure we do. It is called child abuse. Do you think for a second that someone who cut their baby's nose or ear or elbow with a knife wouldnt be thrown in jail? Doesn't seem that unreasonable to extend the same standards to protect a child's genitals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have no problem locking any parent who allows their sons or daughters to be circumcised in prison.

No qualms at all.

Same.

Well, we obviously don't have the laws to justify that, and even in other Western countries where routine circumcision is not recommended it is not illegal (although there have recently been efforts in several Western European countries to outlaw it). It would just be good if Americans realized that they are ALONE among Western civilized nations in clinging to this practice, and that cultural bias is the real reason why US medical professionals advocate its routine performance. That might speed up the process of abandoning circumcision as a routine intervention in this country as well.

Sure we do. It is called child abuse. Do you think for a second that someone who cut their baby's nose or ear or elbow with a knife wouldnt be thrown in jail? Doesn't seem that unreasonable to extend the same standards to protect a child's genitals.

I agree, but our current laws don't classify male circumcision as child abuse, unfortunately. Don't compromise our good argument by being unreasonable (not saying that it is unreasonable to call circumcision child abuse, but it is unreasonable to pretend the laws to punish parents who circumcise are already in place).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I didn't do it at birth, bc ds was born somewhat jaundicedandminor breathing issues, so his ped did it today at 13 days old. I talked to the ped about who normally gets this done. He said more than half the boys born in us hospitals, and not just Jewish or Muslim people, but parents for a wide variety of health benefits. He went on to explain those to me. That is why hospitals perform them generally right after birth, bc it's requested so often and so it's easiest to do it there. In other countries, like Canada that's not the case, with approx, 1/3 of parents requesting it.

See..this is why circumcision of newborns should not be allowed. OP, you sound completely uninformed and a bit uneducated. You admit to knowing almost nothing about the procedure, yet you subject your son to mutilation. From your posts, it appears that you did no independent research *on your own*, but instead let doctors (who are paid for the service) dictate what you should do with your child's body.

Did you watch videos of the procedure? See pictures? Did you do ANY independent research before arbitrarily mutilating your son's body without his consent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I didn't do it at birth, bc ds was born somewhat jaundicedandminor breathing issues, so his ped did it today at 13 days old. I talked to the ped about who normally gets this done. He said more than half the boys born in us hospitals, and not just Jewish or Muslim people, but parents for a wide variety of health benefits. He went on to explain those to me. That is why hospitals perform them generally right after birth, bc it's requested so often and so it's easiest to do it there. In other countries, like Canada that's not the case, with approx, 1/3 of parents requesting it.

See..this is why circumcision of newborns should not be allowed. OP, you sound completely uninformed and a bit uneducated. You admit to knowing almost nothing about the procedure, yet you subject your son to mutilation. From your posts, it appears that you did no independent research *on your own*, but instead let doctors (who are paid for the service) dictate what you should do with your child's body.

Did you watch videos of the procedure? See pictures? Did you do ANY independent research before arbitrarily mutilating your son's body without his consent?

For god's sake, SHUT UP ALREADY. Go back to the lawn of the Capitol with your insane "Circumcision is Torture" signs and allow people to point and laugh at you as they walk by rather than annoying everyone here on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the American Academy of Pediatrics
Policy Statement
Circumcision Policy Statement
TASK FORCE ON CIRCUMCISION
ABSTRACT

Male circumcision is a common procedure, generally performed during the newborn period in the United States. In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) formed a multidisciplinary task force of AAP members and other stakeholders to evaluate the recent evidence on male circumcision and update the Academy’s 1999 recommendations in this area. Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks and that the procedure’s benefits justify access to this procedure for families who choose it. Specific benefits identified included prevention of urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and transmission of some sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has endorsed this statement.

Thank you for posting this. This is a personal decision made by parents for various reasons, not the least of which is that it has been identified as beneficial by the AAP. If you disagree with this choice, I trust you won't make it for your own child. Your proselytizing is not appreciated and more than likely a waste of your time and ours as readers. It is also incredibly offensive to parents who made the decision to circumcise based on sound medical advice or religious beliefs (I happen to fall into both categories). This should be a forum where parents support other parents and constructively discuss issues that arise doing one of the hardest jobs on the planet and when you use it to judge and condemn others, you undermine what could be an incredibly valuable resource. What a shame.

+1

The posts switching male for female are not relevant. There is no comparison between male and female circumcision. Both the AAP and the WHO highlight the benefits of male circumcision.
Medical studies back this up
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/malecircumcision/

I circumcised my two sons for religious reasons and for the health benefits. It was a rational choice, not based on tradition/religious reasons alone. If the medical evidence demonstrated that it caused harm I would not have done it.

So how do you explain that none of the European governments recommends routine circumcision? Are they not up on the latest research regarding the medical benefits that justify altering an infant's natural body without his consent?

Just admit that the real reason for the practice in this country is cultural bias. Here is a recent commentary, published just last month on the website of the AAP:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/03/12/peds.2012-2896.abstract

("The other claimed health benefits, including protection against HIV/AIDS, genital herpes, genital warts, and penile cancer, are questionable, weak, and likely to have little public health relevance in a Western context, and they do not represent compelling reasons for surgery before boys are old enough to decide for themselves.")

They try to save money because of universal healthcare.

By the same token, you could argue that American doctors recommend it because they make money off the procedure. Not that I believe that that is the reason they recommend it. I believe the reason is cultural bias.

If you want an unbiased perspective on the medical facts, it's always helpful to look at things in the international context, and when you do that with regard to circumcision, you can only come to the conclusion that the evidence for medical benefits is not compelling enough to recommend routine circumcision. And by international I mean Western secular societies, not Muslim countries who do it for religious reasons.