How important is it to get a baby boy circumcised? (bullying, autism)
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2, kids and teens are cruel and being teased when boys are intact, (turtle head is one name that comes to mind)
.1) Teach good general hygiene and this is never really an issue.
.2) Growing up playing sports in HS, I never heard a single peep about some of the guys being uncircumcised. Given that the latest trend is away from it, who knows if it will even be an issue in 14-18 years. In my social circle, most of my peers have elected not to circumcise, so by then, the "snipped" boys could be in the minority and the ones potentially being made fun of. I wouldn't be surprised given the progressive nature of our culture.
I am circumcised. I'm glad I'm circumcised. I wouldn't have it any other way.
But I grew up in a time when it seemed everyone was circumcised. I didn't even know there was a word for it. I remember the first time I saw what I would eventually realize was an uncircumcised penis. A bunch of us were changing to go swimming at a friend's house. I won't go into my usual description as I don't want to get banned. I'll just say I was always nicer to that kid than I might otherwise have been because I knew he had a deformed penis.
In adulthood, I never thought about him, or circumcision, again until the internet, where the topic seems to pop up every now and then. It seems it has become more common now in America to be uncircumcised. At least, that's what some people type. I don't have children. I am never going to have children. But I doubt I would have left any sons uncircumcised had I had any sons (and the woman I would have married is Jewish, so I think the circumcision option would have been a done deal).
Oh, and everyone else in my gym class seemed to be circumcised. Not that I was thinking about it. It's just that no one looked different from each other like the kid I went swimming with that day.
I did not read through the responses but the answer is clearly to ask your pediatrician.
In terms of fitting in culturally, there is nothing to be concerned about. He won't be an outcast based on whether or not he is circumcised. And it will not prevent him from reaching a middle class existence.
By what I have seen circumcision is a big thing in American culture; I have heard being uncircumcised is very uncommon here. I really want my son to be fully integrated into American culture and never doubt his being an American. I really want him to be a part of the mainstream middle-class American culture that I felt I could never really integrate into.
This is a big reason why I made the decision to have my son circumcised (that, and thinking of his future, considered that would be a favor, because I've seen both and thought that "cut" definitely looks way nicer, imho! )
Afterwards, when reading out of curiosity on my native parenting forums of the problems that un-circumcised boys seem to have fairly commonly (I did not know, despite having a brother), I was only happy for that choice! Seems a lot easier and more hygienic (and even less traumatic, comparing to some issues that boys apparently have back home).
Last edited by Dreams2Plans; 01-11-2018 at 09:55 AM..
As for modern people that study medicine and can weigh in with science and such, there are very few medical reasons for circumcision. Most of the reasons so cited have more to do with unsafe sexual practices and poor hygiene - these are not matters of medicine. You can basically forget about HIV as its a lifestyle disease (nothing to do with the foreskin), and there is a readily available vaccine for HPV. In the future, nobody should be getting the cancer-causing strains of HPV. Just like nobody should get Diphtheria or Polio.
Ideally, yes... but, considering all the freaking out about vaccines, unfortunately, I expect a lot of easily-preventable diseases start showing up a lot more frequently in the near future! They already do
I am glad your OB-GYN took a firm stand against this barbaric practice. I wish you had followed his advice and allowed your son to choose for himself as an adult what he wanted done or not done to his beautiful body.
It seems to be a lot more traumatic to do when a person gets older. (worst is probably as a young-kid stage: old enough to perceive pain and remember the whole experience, but not old enough to be able to care for it properly). I've talked to a couple of people who had it done later in life and wished to have done it back in infancy and have zero memory of it!
Not to mention, it's done under local anesthesia and afterwards my son seemed to not be bothered by it one bit... the wound was covered with PlastiBell and required practically zero extra care on my part, and was healed even before the umbilical cord stump!
I do not feel the same way about circumcisions done out of hospital environment, purely for religious reasons and with outdated technology. THAT's when the risk of unintended mutilation really comes in, imho.
This is a big reason why I made the decision to have my son circumcised (that, and thinking of his future, considered that would be a favor, because I've seen both and thought that "cut" definitely looks way nicer, imho! )
Afterwards, when reading out of curiosity on my native parenting forums of the problems that un-circumcised boys seem to have fairly commonly (I did not know, despite having a brother), I was only happy for that choice! Seems a lot easier and more hygienic (and even less traumatic, comparing to some issues that boys apparently have back home).
Where are you from? I have never really heard of any issues in my home country but I don't know for sure how common they are.
Yea I always saw circumcision as the American thing to do so maybe I will have it done, even though I don't think it's the nicest thing to do to an infant and I don't really believe in the claims that major health problems are that prevalent.
Is it true that it heals right away? I've heard different people say that it stays as an open wound for a couple of weeks.
I have to think more about it I guess, wife is due in 4 months.
In what region of the United States do you live, OP? As pointed out earlier, rates of circumcision vary widely from place to place? When my sons were born, the rate of circumcision on the west coast was a little more than 1 in 3; therefore, I never worried about the social aspects of the argument, i.e., whether or not they would fit in. I still don't. Uncircumcised men are fairly common in our region of the country; therefore, it's no big deal either way.
This was a discussion at my previous job a few years ago. The girls in the break room pretty much all said they preferred the circumcised ones, saying the uncircumcised ones looked gross. Yes, the break room sure had some deep conversations. LOL.
I really think this is a decision the parents need to make together. But its just to contentious of a topic...
This thread will go sideways with fighting and be closed. You can do a lot of research online, but be prepared to be terrified by the people against it. There is a lot of propaganda out there.
Just know, it is up to you and your wife and talk it out together. There really isn't a "right" answer. It does decrease disease and disease transmission. And some people find it more appealing. But then there are people who think its the worst thing you can do, and they have their reasons.
Well said.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jay5835
I am circumcised. I'm glad I'm circumcised. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Same. I was born in 1971 in the Northeast US and it certainly seems like the vast majority of men my age are circumcised as well. My dad, however, was not. But he had to have his done late in life due to a medical reason and it was a difficult process. I actually know 4 people personally including him who had to have it done later, or their kids did. It's way simpler to do it when they are babies.
My wife left it up to me when our son was born, and I chose to have it done. I have no regrets even though we had to endure a Nurse who loved to use the word "mutilation" in an effort to bully us into making a different choice. That experience served a clear indicator as to how strongly some people feel about this issue, and how brazen they will be in trying to force their decision on you.
My son hasn't complained. He's welcome to make a different decision with his own son if he has one.
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(worst is probably as a young-kid stage: old enough to perceive pain and remember the whole experience, but not old enough to be able to care for it properly). I've talked to a couple of people who had it done later in life and wished to have done it back in infancy and have zero memory of it!
