circumcision yes or no

[morocco]

My 5 month old has a tight foreskin and doctors here recommend circumcision but Im really not keen. I spoke to docs in the UK and they said to wait and see but then I started worrying about whether it would be traumatic for him to be circumcised at say 4 or older and whether it might be better to just go ahead now. Has anyone been through this with a child of this age/older? All advice gratefully received

I'm still confused about this. I read Ghosty's description of the circumcision her dh witnessed and it sounded very painful for the baby. Others here say it is a very minor operation, quickly over and done with and virtually no pain. So, not knowing more, it's difficult to make up my mind.

If circumcision is no more painful than an injection, say, than agree with lil that words like 'abuse' for the operation itself are a bit strong. But Ghosty's description sounds like the pain to the baby was for greater.

And, if you say it's abuse, do you mean the baby undergoing an unneccary operation? the pain the suffer? or simply the taking away of the skin? different things entirely - the act, the consequence.

Lil, I've had the local anaesthetic cream for an injection, and it did numb the pain on the surface of the skin a bit, BUT I still felt the needle go deeper. I don't believe that this is enough for circumcision.

How can anyone say that a one day old baby's perception of pain is different? They can't tell you. I accidentally nipped my daughter's fingernail when trying to cut it, and she yelled! It hurts.

This site has lots of information.

And this is a site about Jewish questions about circumcision. I don't think my ex or any of the other Jewish men that question the value of circumcision would appreciate the insinuation that there even questioning of the practice makes them less Jewish than those that just accept the practice.

Tigermoth - I think the act (as Ghosty descrbed it) is abuse (again I'm not including the proper medical procedure in that statement). The consequence doesn't seem to make a difference at all, but surely it would still be the individuals choice.

I am going to look into this Bobbins as it is still distressing me that babies are routinely put through this. I want to set my mind at rest a bit!!! Cheers for the link.

How did your baby react when it had the 5/7 days heel prick test. They do feel pain at that age.

OH MY GOD!! I've just read that link and I'm even more sickened than I was before!!! Some babies sh*t themselves or lose consciousness when they get circumcised coz it's so painful!!!!!!! And to strap a baby down to do it!! THIS IS BARBARIC.

Good bye. I no longer want to discuss this with people who think this ok to do to a baby.

Damn> really didn't mean to disturb anyone. I'm sure someone else can fid some links that give a positive view of the procedure....fo the sake of balance?

Bobbins, I certainly hope you are not assigning that "insinuation" to me. It was my understanding that the vast vast majority of practising Jews endorse circumcision. After all, this is the only reason it persists.

Think someone is due on.

Croppy, don't worry. I'm just trying to make the point that not all Jewish people who have been circumcised do endorse the practice. In fact some feel that they have lost something because of it. But this doesn't make them less Jewish. There are alternative religous ceremonies within Judaism, but circumcision still prevails as it is seen as the norm, "it is a tradition". Therefore it is seen as just "common sense" to have your son circumcised.

I can't understand why anyone would want to cut off something you are born with, unless you have a problem.

If you are born with a foreskin it is part of the way you are made, an entirely natural thing, there must be some reason for it, so why take it off for the sake of it.

My DS had to have her eldest son done because of problems, but didn't ever consider doing her youngest son when he was born done to match!

Exactly Tissy it hurt, but its not so terrible is it!You nicked her skin with the scissors, she cries, it heals, its forgotten. Its not a BIG DEAL! Its just one incident in their childhood that pales into insignificance alongside the real traumas of growing up!!

Blimey this thread is buzzing I'm at least 5 postings behind!

Lil - you really should read that link that Bobbins put on. I bet Tissy's child didn't pass out with the pain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, Lil, my point was the pain I inflicted on my daughter was relatively mild, short-lived and accidental. Circumcision, even with anaesthetic will be sore for how long? Weeks probably.

Don't get stressed Mum2toby - The trouble with the net is that its so extreme, and it tells so many distortions of the truth. I have NEVER heard of strapping down babies for this!! The father usually holds the baby while its taking place in the jewish and muslim faiths and in the US its done in the hospital.

I think a lot of extreme scare stories written about circumcision are by people who want to believe that other religions/cultures are barbaric. There doesn't seem to be any realisation that the parents who do this are normal people who love their children.
I'm not religious and I haven't had ds circumcised - but I do have the common sense to realise that this procedure is not the gorey act sites like that one make out.

Mum2Toby please don't give extreme stories like that any credit by taking it seriously!!

It's a Jewish web site though - Lil!

No its not its called fathermag.com, nothing to do with jewish people???

and the other site is a personal site written by a man who is against circumcision. This is definitely not a balanced site for information!!!!

Lil> have you looked at any of the links? For example this one about Alternative Bris?

But they're not making it all up!!!!! Common sense tells you it's going to hurt ..... LOTS... during and after.

Mum2Toby If you really want to know about it then look for a medical site...I'm not saying they will be pro-circumcision, but at least you won't get sucked into just one side of the debate!

And on the "personal site" have you looked on any of the links to WOMEN'S stories? Surely it is men that should be most concerned about male circumcision though?

Also, I did suggest that somebody else could find other sites that would give the different side of the story. Shall I look for them?