Early.. but who is not planning to circumcise?

[Misselle44]

This may be an issue that is more of a debate in the States, where many parents still circumcise baby boys, but I wnted to see what you all thought. If this baby is a boy I don't want to circumcise him. Many/most people in the U.S. aren't doing it anymore and it is not a religious issue for us, but I cannot convince my husband to bend on this. He is insistant that we circumcise because to not do it is "unhealthy and gross". I disagree - that is an old argument that I think has been disproven.

Anyone got any info to help me argue with him?

 

[DNA0930]

This may be an issue that is more of a debate in the States, where many parents still circumcise baby boys, but I wnted to see what you all thought. If this baby is a boy I don't want to circumcise him. Many/most people in the U.S. aren't doing it anymore and it is not a religious issue for us, but I cannot convince my husband to bend on this. He is insistant that we circumcise because to not do it is "unhealthy and gross". I disagree - that is an old argument that I think has been disproven.

Anyone got any info to help me argue with him?

I was in the same boat....and i had a boy, and the hubby won. I remember being in the office, and they do a few babies at once, and you could hear the cries, but you had no idea if it was your LO or not. I was crying like a baby, so they turned up the music to drown out the crying.

If you let him when this one, DO NOT watch any medical videos of babies getting circumcised online , it'll terrify you to bits. Even though everything went great with my LO, its still scary.

best of luck!

 

[scrubgrub]

Sorry, I'm with the hubby. Most guys I know (and not for religious reasons) are circumsised in the US now. Not sure where your stats come saying most are not. Anyway, my point is that my gpa had to get cicumsized at 45, as it got infected. He wishes it occurred when he was younger, wouldn't remember it, and didn't need to walk. Especially now that he's 80 he's glad he doesn't have to worry about always cleaning it (TMI I'm sure). My sis's hubby's not and she is glad he ended up with a small foreskin, versus some of the bigger ickier ones out there.

 

[Misselle44]

Sorry, I'm with the hubby. Most guys I know (and not for religious reasons) are circumsised in the US now. Not sure where your stats come saying most are not. Anyway, my point is that my gpa had to get cicumsized at 45, as it got infected. He wishes it occurred when he was younger, wouldn't remember it, and didn't need to walk. Especially now that he's 80 he's glad he doesn't have to worry about always cleaning it (TMI I'm sure). My sis's hubby's not and she is glad he ended up with a small foreskin, versus some of the bigger ickier ones out there.

The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) produced by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which is an agency of the Centers for Disease Control = my source (one of my sources = health info is my research interest), 2006 only 56% of boys born in u.s. were circumcised, and while the CDC has not collected specific data since then, the medical estimates I have heard vary around 50%, which is why I said "many/most" - I was talking about current births versus grown men, so perhaps that is where the confusion lay.

Yeah, I have heard many men say they are glad they did it, including hubby, but then many of my male friends who are not also say they are glad they did not get circumcised. I don't know. It seems so wrong to have to choose for a child, but then that is the role of the parent and that role is not always an easy one. Sigh.

 

[amelia222]

I still haven't decided, hopefully I will have a girl and it won't be an issue. LOL I know there's no medical reason to do it, but I've only seen one uncut and it was kinda icky.

 

[Junebug]

We are WTT at the moment but DH has already said he would get our boys circumcised because he is and thinks it would be better for our son(s) to 'look' like him. Also there are proven facts that it is better for women if a man is circumcised something to do with HPV (I don't recall exactly, it was on the doctor's on more than one episode). I don't think I'd be able to be in the room for it though.

 

[xxKelxx]

This is one issue that I cannot get my head around. If it's not for religious reasons, then why? why? why? would you want to have this done to your child.

In my mind it's not natural, it's obviously there for a reason, and shouldn't be messed with. It's like cosmetic surgery for a baby.

As far as I know noone in my family (in UK) has had it done, but I hear more talk about it now i'm in Canada.

I just don't get it at all. Sorry.

 

[Alexis]

my OH and i are TTC right now but have talked about this if we had a boy. My OH isnt circumsized and i personally like it better. they are more sensitive and it doesnt really get in the way. it all feels the same in the end. just looks different. althought it is harder to clean, who cares? people should wash their children properly anyways so whats the big deal? thats what i think.

now since he isnt circumsized he WANTS our son to be circumsized. he said that he was made fun of growing up for not being 'normal'. guess well have to get more into this when we actually have our first

 

[genkigemini]

If I have a son, I will definitely circumcise him. It is how everyone in my family and my husbands family does it and to us, it is normal and fine.

I don't really care what other people do or don't do but I honestly have never understood why this topic is always such a heated debate.

In fact, until I joined this site, I had no idea how uncommon it was in other places in the world.

 

[Dizzy321]

If its not for religious reasons why? how can it be gross to have a natural body part that they are born with? x

 

[Nutmeg]

Here in the UK its very rare to be circumcised. Its normally only done for medical reasons and they are very few and far between. It will not be done by the NHS for any other reason.


Heres a bit about when circumcision is generally carried out in the UK on the NHS if anyone is interested in seeing how the other half works . If you wanted it carried out for a non-medical reason you would have to pay to go private.

https://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=649&sectionId=1

 

[lazydaisybaby]

I am not from the states, so had no idea that this was done so commonly over there, but why oh why would you object your tiny new baby to what i can only imagine is such a painful experience??!! Its there for a reason, thats how god made man, and i dont think we should mess with it!!!

I know nobody that has had it done!!!

xx

 

[Alexis]

im neither for nor against it, but my OH is for it. you can bet that i will be having him watch a medical video of one though. because i saw one and i was in tears the whole time.

lazydaisybaby, i have been with a few guys before my fiance' and all but him have been circumsized. its rare to find someone who isn't over here. at least in my 'age group'. seems that its getting to be more common to have your baby boy uncircumsized though. my nephew was born about 3 months ago and was circumsized, but my 2 friends who just had their sons chose to leave them uncircumsized.

we'll see i guess!!

 

[Lyns]

I've heard so many comments before about supposed infection risk from an uncircumcised penis, but I promise you...a HUGE percentage of the male population in the UK is uncircumcised (80 or 90%) and we don't really have many fellas wandering aoround with infected penis's.

Interestingly enough the national statisitcs office along with the relevant health aiuthorites reported that of the tiny percentage that were done, even 91% of thsoe were unnecessary. Most were for religious reasons.

I just wouldn't and couldn't put my child through the pain and potential infection risk of the procedure, I haven't got facts to back it up to hand, but I've always been led to believe that there is greater risk from infection from the actual procedure than onging in the future if proper cleanliness is observed.

 

[xxKelxx]

What if he grows up and decides 'well actually I wanted to keep that' ?!?

I think it should be left alone, then he can make his own choice when he's older.

 

[hypnorm]

there are various threads on here if you search for them, i'm not getting involved in this one again.
personally i suggest you look at videos of it being done.

 

[glamgirl]

my lil boy is going for circumcision today and im worried, as in my family we do not believe in circumcision but OH and his family believe this should be done! I feel bad for LO, as i hope the pain he will be into will ease quickly!!!

So i can`t be against it as i have no choice really!

 

[Abz1982]

I do not think that it really is any more hygienic to have it done. But from a grown up male point of view - all my boyfriends bar 1 have been uncircumcised and they all said that the foreskin was a very sensitivce part of their penis, and in fact in 2 it was MORE sensitive than the head and so they were of the opinion that had they been done they would have had problems with sexual function.

But then, maybe that is why it is done for certain reasons.......to put them off sex.

 

[claire roach]

i think therers more chance of getting an infection during a procedure in hospital than a perfectly healthy un circumcised penis getting a random infection!!!!

its totally cosmetic can you imagine getting a newborn girl botox or a boob job!!!! erm no

 

[cybermum]

I can't understand it.
I have two boys and would never ever have put them through it.
God made them that way,who are we to decide to alter them at such a young age as well.