Circumcision

When I found out I was having a little boy, I did my share of research. I decided to go against it. Research is inconclusive in whether there is a benefit or not, so I chose not to have a surgucal procedure done on my baby. They say babies don't feel the pain, but I figured he already went through enough with child birth. I didn't want to chop his skin off too. It's really up to the parents. It's a hard decision because there really isn't any hard evidence to go on.

there's no good reason to have it done. it's hardly ever done in the UK, and from what people are saying you would think we were awash with men with reeking winkies and urine infections. this is simply not the case. hygiene is, quite simply, washing yourself regularly and adequately. I've actually heard of people who have encountered very smelly circumcised men. I suppose they think they are clean without washing, when this is not true. I feel the same about this as any body modification, like tattoos or peircings. a parent has no place to choose a body modification for a body that isn't theirs. the child has to be old enough to choose that modification for themself. and give INFORMED consent. to understand fully all of the benefits and all of the disadvantages. all of the possible risks associated, and to still want it done. we shouldn't body mod our babies. it's not our body to choose.

I had a son and could not go through with it. It was a very emotional time for me when my husband and I were trying to decide on this. My husband was not with me when my son was born (I was in New Zealand and he was still in Samoa) and we spoke on the phone. He wanted my son to be circumsized because he was and because nearly all the boys in Samoa were and he didn't want his son to get teased at school (you know kids these days can be so cruel). I had 3 days to decide (according to my midwife) and I just couldn't do it. To this day he has not had any infections. I make sure he cleans himself everytime he showers and or bathes and have spoken to him about making sure he keeps it clean.

When I had my eldest, 18 years ago, the 'research' said that it was healthier. Also his father was done & it was important to him that his son be done. When I had my second son, 5 years ago, I was starting to question the practice but still felt the final say should be the father's and my youngest was done. I'm expecting once again now & there is NO WAY this child is being done. My partner has also completely changed his mind after reading the research. It wouldn't have mattered to me now if he had or not, as I know understand that there is really no valid reason to routinely amputate healthy parts of anyone's body.

My son was born a preemie and had to have several surgeries including open heart surgery. He was a very sickly infant and when asked by the doctor if I wanted to have him circumsized I originally had always thought I would have my son cicumsized but knowing that my baby was already sliced up for all of his life saving operations and seeing him still in the hospital hooked up with a feeding tube and IV etc.. I declined the circumcision because he had already gone through so much pain and operation and hurting I didn't want to bring more on to him. I did ask a bunch of questions though to ensure it was the right decision. I do understand that it can be painful to have it done when you are older however, as long as you keep that area clean circumcision I think is nothing more than esthetics. I am glad that I chose to not do it.

Beware of a lot of hurled mess in this debate. I've seen a lot of REAL MEDICAL articles that did conclude that Circumcision was healthier and drastically cut the risk of HIV, but the thing is, for every article, there are ten people who are anti circ that will say it's inconclusive. Look up the issue on the BMJ.com and see what doctors say. And yeah, it was VERY conclusive.

When our son was born a little over 30 years ago, it was an automatic thing for the child to be circumcised before you left the hospital. I know nothing about why it may have changed. I guess it is like anything else...it is what you have been used to and what seems normal. If your family never did it, they probably won't want to start now. Back then, it was told to everyone that it was easier for boys to keep clean if they were circumcised.

I never thought about these until I get married my husband.At him religion the boys must do circumcision so I start do some searches about these.I find almost all doctors said that is more health for the man . I have a son ,is 11 years and I circumcised him.I did when he was a baby,is more easy then than if you wait be older.If I had boy again I would do it.

I have two daughters, so didn't have to consider the issue. Its certainly not an easy decision, as many people feel its to hard on the baby by causing a lot of pain. I think if we had a boy many years ago, then its likely it would have been done, as every other male at the time in my family was circumcised.

I think leave it as nature intended. Everyone says its cleaner to get it done, but if you teach them proper hygiene and cleaniness there should never be a problem. The big trend was when the guys went to war and could not bathe everyday.

At the time my sons were born, the medical opinion was that circumcision was healthier and more hygienic than non-circumcision. I think the opinion is changing today. I took care of newborns for one of my student nursing experiences, and the poor little boys who had the circumcisions had to be given tylenol for pain. It really made me think, and if I had it to do over again, I would reconsider all the options.

Well I have a son and I didn't have him circumcised. The reason I didn't is because there is no reason outside of cosmedic or religious to have it done. On a medical standpoint there is no reason to have a child circumcised. I know that people will argue till they are blue in the face that there is but there really isn't. I've worked in a hospital long enough to know that medically there is no valid reason to have it done. So when my son was born we didn't have it done. He is now 4 almost 5 and has never had any problems. No male in his fathers family has had one done and not a one of them has ever had a problem.

i'd rather have my son circumcised. here in our country, circumcision is a passage rite. from being a child to being a teen. a guy who isn't circumcised by his 1st year of high school is the recipient of mockery by his peers. i'd rather have my child endure a week uncomfortably than be marred by mockery and low self-esteem. another thing, circumcision makes is easier to clean the glans, the helmet like head of the p*nis. hence, it's a hygiene issue. also, our religion, (roman catholicism) implicitly directs that boys be circumcised. me, i'm thankful to be circumcised. however, i'd like to know, why is your fiance against circumcision?

i am a male... although embarassing, i would like to share my thoughts. i have not had circumcision surgeries preformed on me (thank goodness) and do not plan to... i do not see any problems with me.

I use to think that the child should follow the father. If dad is circumsized then maybe the kid should be too. But then I realized that I could not put that on my kid. I would not want him to have pain or anything. So we both agreed that if we had a boy we would NOT circumsize. It is just our personal choice. I have two girls and we are done with having children so I do not think that there is any reason for us to worry about whether to circumsize or not, but I do not put anything on others for their choices, My friends all mostly have boys and all have Circumsized....no judgement here.

I had both my boys circumside and believe it to be a good decision. I think it truly is a personnal choice because both ways are equal. Some people say the circumzition helps with hygenie for a toddler.

I was really surprised to read here that circumsision is such an everyday occurrence in the States. Here in the UK it is virtually unheard of, apart from in the relatively small Jewish and Muslim communities for religious reasons. From personal experience of my friends who have had sons, no one has ever been approached on this subject - it is just assumed that it won't be done, - and this is the same in France, Germany, Spain, and, in fact, most parts of Europe. Personally, I personally think it's awful to inflict pain and an unnecessary surgical procedure on a tiny baby for no viable health reason, but I know everyone has different views on this.

My husband and I decided to have our son circumcised. Not for any medical reasons because there is no substantial medical research that proofs either way. It was just a personal preference. From my experience, it was not a big deal for our little one. The circumcision was done very quickly. He had a few drops of blood on his diaper the first day. And it healed very quickly and it didn't bother him at all. Now that he's older (2 y.o.), I find it MUCH easier to keep him clean being circumcised. I don't have to pull any skin back to clean any areas...know what I mean? And I figured it would be easier too when he's older and begin to use the potty himself and bathe himself, I can be assured that he's able to keep himself clean. So, in hindsight, if I had to do it again, the answer is yes.

I have a 31 year old son who was circumcised the day after he was born and two teenaged grandsons who were also circumcised. Our reason for having it done was the cleanliness issue. At one time I ran a day care and had a little boy who was not circumcised and every day he was in my care I wished he had been. He was 3 and definite hygiene problems in "that area". If I or my girls were to have another boy...me ..lol...ha ha....we would have it done again. I've actually asked my son what he thought about it and he and his fiance have said if they have boys they will also have them circumcised.

i think in our country it is a form of tradition for men to undergo that procedure, and in old times and some in the present use the old method of using a large knife without any pain reliever just the leaves of guava, chewed by the boy. Boys who haven't undergone this procedure will suffer from the teasing made by his classmate unless he will take it. I think it is more healthy for kids to take the process especially it is more clean i think there is this worldwide organization which takes all the risks just to make the people in an area which std is common to undergo this procedure to somewhat lessen the possibility of getting a std disease, and i think if the boy had taken this his private will not be more prone to many unwanted disease, but i heard this news from other doctors that it shouldn't be taken, but i still believe in the old ways, or in circumcision cause many and a big organization is into it..(shared by my son and did some research).///thanks^^