Circumcision questions

[MummysLittleSunbeams]

Hello mn'ers. I gave birth to my ds yesterday (I already have 2 dd's) & I'm wondering whether to get him snipped.

My dh was circumcised aged 19 for medical reasons & it turned into a disaster what with burst stitches/pain etc. So, if ds needs to be 'done' we'd rather it be now whilst it's a relatively minor procedure.

I spoke to the paediatrician today who said its better to get it done within the first 7 days of birth. She sounded like she was all for it but I wondered what your experiences were.

Where did you go to get it done? Did you go privately as she mentioned it might take a while to do on the NHS?

Thanks ladies.

Why does it need to be done at all? There is absolutely no medical need for it to be routinely done to a newborn. It is unnecessary surgery and I really wouldn't do it.

the NHS won't do it .

worry about the medical reasons when and if they come up.
don't chop off a healthy part of a child's penis for no good reason.

Er, why?

Yes this is what I was wondering .... I know nothing about boy babies!

The paediatrician did make it sound like a good idea as she said they get loads of infections in their foreskins & also foreskin cancer is one of the most common types of male cancer??

Bollocks do they get loads of infections in their foreskins. I have three brothers, two nephews and a DS of my own and not one of them has ever had an infection.

And penile cancer is extremely rare, so I'd imagine whoever 'told'# you this is talking out of their arse.

Still, you go ahead and mutilate your baby if that's what tickles your fancy.

err why would you?

4 boys here and we almost had to get ds1 circumsised as he did have some issues with his foreskin being too tight, thankfully it was sorted easily wiht some steroid cream :)

leave him be, if there are issues as he gets older by all means get him checked out but most boys are fine with their foreskin just as nature intended!

Very unusual to find a dr routinely recommending this. I honestly wouldn't. The risk of cancer is v small. The risk of conplications from the circumcision is much higher (and it will be very painful). Plus, circumcised men have a different experience of sex than uncircumcised ones. Personally as a mother I think it's not my place to make a decision that will affect my son's future sex life...

Are you in the UK? NHS will not circumcise health newborns.

No reason to mutilate your perfect boy. Deal with issues IF they arise. Most foreskins give no trouble to their owners.

It doesn't 'tickle my fancy' to mutilate my baby ffs. No need to be so bloody rude.

I'm asking a serious question about something I don't know much about after having asked a professional this morning has left me with more questions than answers.

She's talking out of her arse.

All you need to do is to teach your son a good hygiene, which means washing under the foreskin when they are a bit older (not when babies).

I don't now one uncircumcised who had any infections tbh (afaik). DS (10) never had any issues.

Not a nice thing to do to your newbor baby, cut off a piece of him and cause him pain, isn't it? And for no good reason, really.

You are being ridiculous. I find it extremely hard to believe that a paediatrician in a UK hospital would endorse this operation on a newborn child unless a. they wanted the money to do the op and b. were pressurising for religious reasons.

It DOES NOT happen in hospitals in this country as a matter of routine.

Is the paediatrician American by any chance? It's v common over there and there are a lot of myths floating around about infections, cancer, STDs etc.

There is no need to circumcise a healthy penis and it's very unlikely that circumcision will be needed in the future, so no point (IMO) doing it "just in case".

penile cancer info

It is extremely rare, so the paed has no clue what she is talking about.

It is true that infection/inflammation can be one of the risk factors, but good hygiene will take care of that.

Thank you for all the other answers. Yes I'm I'm the UK. Tbh I was leaning towards the 'not getting it done unless necessary' school of thought. It's just that the paediatrician made it sound as though it was more desirable & normal to have it done rather than not have it done.

And Academy of American Pediatrics doesn't recommend routine circumcisions.

No she wasn't American, she said she was from Pakistan.

Mummys just so you know, this is one of those Big Topics on MN and people do get heated about it - and rightly so IMHO

Like others have said, if it ain't broke...leave his little willy be

Ah, so a ruck inducing thread after all. Gosh, what a surprise.

Ah okay, I don't know much about Pakistan, but perhaps it's culturally normal over there too?

Yes maybe it is bertie.

Thanks hambles no I didn't know this topic was a hotly debated one but I've never ventured into this type of conversation before as I've only had girls before yesterday!

If she was from Pakistan she might have been Muslim therefore common in her culture. However the nhs will not do it for non medical reasons. Only rabbis and Muslim clerics will circumcise babies for religious reasons

I think circumcision is common in Muslim cultures, which might be why your paed had the approach she did.

But I'd definitely vote for leaving his willy thoroughly unsnipped :)

X-post with gruffalo!

I am in the US and asked about this as we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl. My obn and paediatrican (who is Jewish) both told me they do not recommend the procedure. The paediatrican went on to say that if there is a problem later on they have lots of methods for treating these issues without removing the foreskin.