BR and Poll: Argh

tarmar81

This was posted on the June 11 Bump board early in my pregnancy but I'm wondering what you guys think.
[Poll]

tarmar81

I posted this because I have a few friends and family members who are shocked that Craig and I chose not to circumcise Kyler. The rate of circumcision is dropping in this country; I didn't think it was that horrifying to people that some parents are now choosing not to have it done.  Craig (who is circumcised) was adamantly against having it done to Ky but I was on the fence. I couldn't bear to put Kyler through it though when he was in the NICU and then when we brought him home, I realized it wasn't going to happen.

There's a lot of literature out there on the issue, and I haven't read anything that has convinced me that not doing it has any negative implications.

macdidlyicious

Jesse didnt want it done if we were having a boy. He didnt see the need for it. Then we watched a video of it being done in our Bradley class and he seriously almost passed out. I didnt want to do it either so it wasnt something we discussed at length.

 

MBMcC421

We both agreed that if we had a boy, we would do it. 

law67

I think, only because it's not the norm, seeing an uncircumcized peen is freaky. I dated a guy when I was younger who wasn't circumcized and it freaked me out to be perfectly honest.

I don't know about any medical implications other than, like with any other fold of skin, you have to be really careful to keep it clean and dry otherwise you risk infection. I can only assume the same would be true with foreskin?

If you don't mind me asking, why was Craig so adament about not getting Kyler circumcized?

michelle142

I didn't answer the poll because I'm indifferent to it.

I don't think it's strange to not circumsize your child, that's just fine. But we're planning to have it done if our baby is a boy. I'm ok with either way - there's nothing wrong with either.

Nunu&Eddie

We both wanted to have DS circumcised. It ended up that we didn't have a choice in the matter. He was born with a partial circumcision and a very mild hypospadia. They use the foreskin to repair it.

I don't think uncirc'd penises are weird or uncommon.

K-hart

michelle142:

I didn't answer the poll because I'm indifferent to it.

I don't think it's strange to not circumsize your child, that's just fine

I agree with this! We are getting our little guy circumcised.

tdmd09

DH and I just talked about this (thanks to this post). We're kind of on the fence. I'm pretty neutral about the issue. DH says he isn't convinced it's "necessary", but he is concerned that if it's a social norm to be circumcised, he doesn't want his son to have self-esteem issues over looking different, or have it impact his ability to date women in the future (we want grandkids someday, after all!). We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

kmo630

I don't think it is strange.

Floyd is not circumcised (it is not as common where he is from) and Weston is.  This was both of our decisions. 

dbucks

law67:

I think, only because it's not the norm, seeing an uncircumcized peen is freaky. I dated a guy when I was younger who wasn't circumcized and it freaked me out to be perfectly honest.

Ditto.  I actually think I offended him a bit, because I was very clinical the first time I saw it.  I'd never seen one before, so I was all up close (but not in a sexy way) inspecting it and asking questions.

FWIW, it did not make me find the guy any less desirable.  I don't think it's a bad thing not to circumcise, but we will be circumcising if we ever have a son.

Mrs. Mo

If we have a boy, we will not circumcize. There is no medical need for it and it is a simply cosmetic procedure. Also, cleaning a non-cirmuncized pee-pee is not all that different/difficult from cleaning a circumcized one. I have seen my fair share of both and honestly don't think twice either way ( honestly, a penis isn't that great looking anyways). Also, the forskin is filled with all sorts of nerve endings and I wouldn't want to take those/that extra sensation away from my son.

YouandMe912

We did it and will do it again if we have another boy. Kevin is and his is for religious reasons although at the time, most people had it done regardless. We did not have a bris for Nate but we circumcised him bc he'll be primarily raised Jewish and Kevin is. We actually never really discussed not doing it. I know there are studies that show that it isn't necessary but I still like the idea of it.

sarges05girl

I actually asked Danny this question the other day after reading a chapter in the Guide to Getting It On about circumcision. I am indifferent and don't care either way whether our (possible) son is circumsized or not. I told Danny it was his decision as  he has a matching body part and will probably be the one Son comes to with questions. Danny is circumsized and even telling him exactly what a circumcision entailed he still wants Son circumsized.

I'm kinda hoping we just have girls....that's my comfort zone.

ETA: I voted "no" because I don't find anything strange about non-circumcisions. I don't think either way is right and like any body part both ways have pros and cons. It just depends where you are on the fence about it.

MBMcC421

tgoff248:

We did it and will do it again if we have another boy. Kevin is and his is for religious reasons although at the time, most people had it done regardless. We did not have a bris for Nate but we circumcised him bc he'll be primarily raised Jewish and Kevin is. We actually never really discussed not doing it. I know there are studies that show that it isn't necessary but I still like the idea of it.

Not being Jewish, and never doing the research myself, I'm curious -- what are the religious reasonings behind a bris and circumcision?

YouandMe912

MBMcC421:

tgoff248:

We did it and will do it again if we have another boy. Kevin is and his is for religious reasons although at the time, most people had it done regardless. We did not have a bris for Nate but we circumcised him bc he'll be primarily raised Jewish and Kevin is. We actually never really discussed not doing it. I know there are studies that show that it isn't necessary but I still like the idea of it.

Not being Jewish, and never doing the research myself, I'm curious -- what are the religious reasonings behind a bris and circumcision?

From my knowledge, which isn't the most vast because I didn't convert and Kevin isn't here to ask why, it's because Abraham promised God that he and his descendants would always have a special relationship with their creator. It's a divine covenant with a Jewish male and God essentially. It's considered a bond between them. Kind of silly bc there isn't anything in particular for the women lol. The bris is done 8 days later and its done in front of friends and family (this is why we didn't want to do the actual bris. I know its religious but I can't have a party to celebrate the removal of my sons foreskin. We had it done in the hospital.) They also give the baby a Hebrew name at the same time. We chose to have a naming ceremony instead. That's what they do with girls. Since typically Jewish families don't host or have a baby shower, these occasions are typically when you give the baby a gift. Sorry for the text, I'm on my phone.

fitnessgirl630

It was mutually agreed upon to have Nate circumcised.  However, I think it is a personal decision for every family and I could care less if others decide to or not.  To each his own (peen)

tarmar81

law67:

If you don't mind me asking, why was Craig so adament about not getting Kyler circumcized?

Mrs. Mo pretty much summed up Craig's (and mostly my own) thoughts about it.  Also, Craig didn't think it should be our choice to take away a part of Kyler that Kyler can't consent to having removed. It's just not medically necessary.  In Tonia's case, circumcision is a religious thing, so that's perfectly understandable, but for other baby boys born in the U.S. it's entirely a social/cultural norm.  I was on the fence about it for that reason, and because Craig is circumcised, I felt like Kyler would want to look like daddy, but Craig said he'd do all the explaining to him when he's old enough to understand.

Kelly, I think it's interesting you chose to circumcise Weston when Floyd isn't cut himself.  (I don't think it's weird, just interesting.) Did you guys choose to do it because of the social norms?

Should Kyler feel like he's too "different" from other guys when he's older, he can be circumcised then (although I can't imagine many older guys would actually want to have it done at that point, it's more difficult and painful to do it to a young adult.)  One of my coworkers and her husband also chose not to circumcise their son, and they felt the same way, so I know we're not too "out there" in this decision.  Our pediatrician also mentioned that she's seeing more couples choose not to have it done, though it's much more common to forgo circumcision on the west coast than it is in the midwest.  It's just upsetting that some of my own family has to act like our poor son is a freak of nature just because he has a foreskin! 

kmo630

tarmar81:

Kelly, I think it's interesting you chose to circumcise Weston when Floyd isn't cut himself.  (I don't think it's weird, just interesting.) Did you guys choose to do it because of the social norms? 

I guess it has to be it for me.  My thought is, if it aint broke, don't fix it.  I have been given no strong reason to question the "norm."  I didn't have a strong opinion either way.  Floyd just wanted it done, simple as that lol.   He didn't ever lay out an exact reasons for it.  It was simply what he wished to be done. 

telatovich

law67:

I think, only because it's not the norm, seeing an uncircumcized peen is freaky.

That's exactly how I feel.... Why make a kid have to deal with that?  It's easier to clean, keep healthy and (IMO) much more attractive for his future girlfriends.  Maybe that's a culture shift that is happening in this country though and more girls are going to be completely okay with it in the near future.

Mye

I dont want to do it, its seems painful and unnecessary, Dh doesnt agree, so if we have a boy(s) they may get circumcised but by a real doctor not a jack of all trades at the hospital