Circumcising baby boys

[Rayoflight]

Hi girls,

Just been getting involved in a debate on the 'Peaceful Parenting' page on Facebook about circumcising baby boys. I had absolutely no idea it was commonplace to get this done in America. not for religious reasons either. They reckon it's cleaner and also stops masturbation!

I'm honestly shocked. Do you know anyone that's had their baby circumcised? I don't. They're also told to peel the baby's foreskin back over there when changing nappies to 'properly clean' the area. Therefore lots of babies end up with infections and those mothers who refused circumcision or couldn't afford it end up being bullied into getting it done when baby gets infections. Over 300 babies die on average a year from complications during the circumcision op - usually from bleeding. A lot of the time a heavy bleed will go unnoticed because nappies are so absorbent these days.

Just can't get over it. Makes me so sad.

 

[inky]

it's not something that even crossed my mind tbh, I didn't realise it was so commonplace either! If it aint broke don't fix it eh?!

 

[Lander]

My Mum considered it for my Brother as my Dad had apparently had 'problems' as a child but she decided not to and he's thankfully not had anything cause problems. Apparently what ever it was my Dad needed some kind of surgery at about age 8?

As long as things do get cleaned properly there should not be any infection issues right?

 

[amyjayne77]

Just read through the posts. Such a shame so many babies are put through this purely out of procedure and not even religious or cultural reasons. Seems like thinking from the dark ages.

 

[MrsR]

There's a lot of practices in the USA I disagree with regarding pregnancy, childbirth and children. This is one of them.

 

[vixforever]

Truly awful. I only believe in it for true medical reasons like it getting infected etc. My OH had to have it done as a baby for that reason.

 

[kellylou]

wow I only read in my book last week that oyu should not peel back the foreskin, I couldn't put Alex through it for no reason at all, religious reasons I can understand but not jut for hygiene or to stop masturbation.

 

[polo_princess]

The only child that i know of is my youngest brother, but he had to have a couple of op's as a baby because one of his testicles hadnt dropper either, so medical reasons really, i dont know anyone who has had it done through choice.

 

[Tinkerbell3]

I don't think I could put my baby through it.
Though OH has been circumcised, he had it done when he was about 4 or 5 and not for medical reasons and yes he is british, it all happened when his mum married a muslim

 

[megsmeadow]

crazy practice isn't it! If you watch any of the 'bringing home baby' type american programs on the discovery channels you see it a lot. I couldn't imagine putting my wee guy through that without a damn good reason. It's all natural and yet another example of the over-medicalisation of pregnancy and birth!

 

[midnight]

my ex had this done as a baby!!

i would never get any of my boys done unless they needed it for medical reasons i dont agree with doing it for doing sake they are born with it so it must be there for a reason

 

[bethx]

My son turns three on the 9th of january and is having it done this month, also the boy im pregnant with will be done when hes around 1. Although I do agree its a very unessacary thing, my husband is muslim and my sons will be brought up in a muslim country. Im not keen on the idea but its part of the religion I chose to marry into. Why people wouldd get it done just because they think it looks good, i dont understand. Its no cleaner than an uncircumcised.

 

[titch]

I can understand when its a religious thing but think its ridicuous otherwise. If a guy develops problems he can have it done at anytime inhis life anyway.

Its an example of the medical profession in america having no trust in nature and the perfection of the human body. A girl in my uni was from america and came and told me horrified that she had discovered her new BF wasnt circumcised. She has always been told it is dirty and she was worried she' get an STI from him because he had a foreskin

Ive never heard the masturbating thing tho, is there any evidence to backup the claim that it stops masturbation!? I wouldnt get it done even if there was tho, as long as my child doesnt masturbate in public then its perfectly normal!

 

[FebMum2Be]

I don't agree with it AT ALL unless it's to help the child.. My brother had it done as a small child because something was wrong, I'm so shocked at them pulling the babies foreskin back to "clean".. One thing that vividly sticks out in my mind was being told in hospital NEVER to do this.. Unbelievable x

 

[Toonlass]

I would NEVER consider getting any of my boys 'cut' just for the hell of it and IMHO I don't think religion is a good enough reason either. God gave men a foreskin so why would god condone cutting it off. Each to their own and all that but I just don't think the risks outway any possible benefits.

Jacob was very close to being circumcised (tight foreskin and ballooning upon urination) but I took him to a specialist who prescribed steroid cream to thin the foreskin and we had to pull his skin back 5-10 times every nappy change. He has had no infections since and his pee hole is much bigger and he no longer gets the ballooning. He's not out of the woods yet but it's looking good.

As for the masturbating. OH was cut whenhe was 2 and leads a healthy self servicing life he needs lube, but he still manages it lol xx

 

[Pudds86]

My family is Canadian and I know this used to be a widely practiced operation when my parents were younger and even when they had my brothers 36 years ago. My mom and Dad declined to have their first born circ'd because of him size. They then felt they would not have their second son done just because the first wasnt. I cannot say I know of any friends of family who have been 'bullied' into having their boys done.

It was a common practice not only in North America but South Africa and also in England. In England it was a pretty common precedure up until the 50's when the NHS cut it out of their 'free' services. Once parents had to pay for it out of their own pocket it fizzled out.

I dont agree with it and see no need for it to be done but it was drilled into people back then that it would stop boys from being 'dirty' and also protect against certain illnesses. If you dont know any different then you go along with what you are told my health professionals!

xx

 

[flexilexi394]

Me and my little brother were born in America. My mum is English and she said as soon as my little brother was born they literally whisked him off and did it and she wasn't even asked if this was ok!! I had this discussion a while back because she was saying how angry she was that they literally did it and that was that. She also hated the fact that in American hospitals, babies are automatically given a dummy just after they are born. Madness eh! X