Circumcision Question...

research this decision, it is a big one. there is a strong chance that after you have read more you will decide it is unecessary. if you decide to have it done then you will be more informed. it is such a big decision that you should be totally informed. i have two sons both uncircumsized and have not regretted it for a moment. i meet more and more moms who have made the same choice.

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I just had a baby boy 2 weeks ago (I too have an older daughter and hadn't been around boys much). They did the circumcision in the hospital. My OB actually did it, but if yours doesn't, then I'm sure there is someone qualified at the hospital to do it. I didn't witness it, so I can't tell you how it is done, but all I had to do to take care of it was put vaseline on it every day for about a week. It's perfectly fine now and he is completely healed. It really isn't as big a deal as you might think. I was freaked out about the whole thing too, but honestly, it was no big deal at all.

Now, if someone can just explain to me how to change his diaper without getting peed on, THAT is some advice I can use (seriously, how do you tame these things)! Good luck to you. You're gonna love your little guy!

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Congratulations Rachel! What an exciting time for you and your family. I wish you all the best with the delivery and welcoming your son.

I have a few, pretty strong ideas that I feel compelled to offer in regards to circumcision. And although they are strong ideas I assure you that I offer them with compassion, for your soon-to-be-born sweet son and you, as you make this decision. You asked many questions about circumcision, but in my opinion the most important question is "Why circumcise?” Would you ever consider female circumcision for your daughter? It seems brutal and absurd to even ask such a question, but I would guess your answer would be a definitive "NO". So why not offer the same loving protection and respect for your son's body and spirit as you have afforded your daughter?

As Mom to a 3.5 year old uncircumcised boy I am honestly shocked that people routinely accept this procedure as necessary. It is becoming less common in the U.S. but we are late to the game and the rest of the world is way ahead of us. Many countries have never had a mainstream practice of circumcision and those that still do have with much lower and faster declining rates than us. I believe the movement to leave our boys "intact" coincides with efforts across the board for less medical intervention in birth, more breast feeding, etc. and an overall greater regard for our infants as sensitive, emotional, fully feeling, spiritual beings - beliefs regarding infancy that I obviously agree with. But if beliefs and philosophies aren't enough, check out the list of just some of the many organizations that in the past few years have stated that circumcision is a medically unnecessary procedure: The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

It breaks my heart to hear moms and dads who have had their baby boys circumcised talk about the experience and the regret – not long ago a friend tearfully shared that if she weren’t Jewish she never would have had her 2 sons circumcised and that both boys had problems healing.

There are many advocacy (anti-circumcision) organizations out there that you can look into to get more information and a better understanding, but for starters, here is a good, fairly mainstream, article: http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/ncare/0,,j8v1,00.html

Peace,
E.

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Are you doing this for religious reasons? If not, there is no medical reason to have a baby circumcised.

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If you choose to circumcise your son (as we did ours), you should have it done at the hospital before you leave. Having a resident do it isn't a bad thing - since they do them more often, they're actually in "better practice" than the attending pedi who may have only done a few in the past year. You just want to make sure it's not an INTERN or medical student, but in June you shouldn't have a problem (they start a new class in July, so everyone in June should have at least a year of practicing under their belts).

If you wait until you're out of the hospital to find another clinic or rabbi to do it, not only might the insurance not pay for it (or at least make you hassle with a separate claim from the birth), but you'll have to do research into the center you choose to make sure they are medically sound.

As for caring for it, just have a large jar of vaseline and the hospital should give you some gauze (but a 1 or 1.5" wide roll of plain sterile gauze would be good to have on-hand). A nurse will show you what to do, but the key is to make sure it always has a clean layer of vaseline and vaseline-covered gauze over the raw tip. All this is doing is keeping it from getting stuck to the dry diaper and forming scabs. I also used to rub vaseline into the area of the diaper where it would touch, just to make double-sure it wouldn't stick.

Hope that helps - and it's not as scary as it seems to have a boy - I was raised as the youngest of three girls, had no nephews, basically unfamiliar with what young boys were like, but now that mine's almost a year old, I realize I've got time to learn, and he's a great teacher! You can also find friends who have older boys to tell you a bit about what they've learned. Good luck with the first few weeks post-partum - they can be rough, but it doesn't last forever!!

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I researched circumcision before I had my son. I found no good reason to have the surgery done. Please do more research on this topic for your son. I recommend this website:
www.nocirc.org
"National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers, founded by healthcare professionals to provide information to expectant parents, healthcare professionals, educators, lawyers, ethicists, and concerned individuals about circumcision and genital cutting of male, female, and intersex infants and children, genital integrity, and human rights."
Even the national society for pediatricians lists 35 possible side effects form the circumcision surgery including death. They list no proven reason why the surgery is necessary.
Good luck and God Bless.

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I also had an ob that would not do it and the on call pede wouldn't do it either so my son's got there's done at their own pede's office which was hard for me to listen to him cry i was at south Austin hospital so you might ask for sure at your hospital if someone will be available to do it
good luck
J.

Really research circumcision. I believe you can even watch a video of one being done on youtube. Many people, myself included, believe it is a very outdated, unnecessary and painful (afterwards anyway) medical procedure. Be fully informed about everything from how it's done to long term complications then make your choice. There's many websites out there to look through.

If my son wants to be circumcised he can make that choice himself when he's older. It's not my body, not my decision.

Your pediatrician can perform the circumcision a few days after birth in her office - you will not be present (be glad!) and your son will not remember it after 2 minutes. AT HOME CARE IS SIMPLE - SHE WILL EXPLAIN. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT!

Good Morning R.,
I just wanted to weigh in on the matter. I know at least one other mom said this, but I felt it was important enough to say again. Circumcision should be on the 8th day. Apologetics Press.org says: In 1935, professor H. Dam proposed the name “vitamin K” for the factor in foods that helped prevent hemorrhaging in baby chicks. We now know vitamin K is responsible for the production (by the liver) of the element known as prothrombin. If vitamin K is deficient, there will be a prothrombin deficiency and hemorrhaging may occur. Oddly, it is only on the fifth through the seventh days of the newborn male’s life that vitamin K (produced by bacteria in the intestinal tract) is present in adequate quantities. Vitamin K, coupled with prothrombin, causes blood coagulation, which is important in any surgical procedure. Holt and McIntosh, in their classic work, Holt Pediatrics, observed that a newborn infant has “peculiar susceptibility to bleeding between the second and fifth days of life.... (1953, pp. 125-126). Obviously, then, if vitamin K is not produced in sufficient quantities until days five through seven, it would be wise to postpone any surgery until some time after that. On the eighth day, the amount of prothrombin present actually is elevated above one-hundred percent of normal—and is the only day in the male’s life in which this will be the case under normal conditions. If surgery is to be performed, day eight is the perfect day to do it. Vitamin K and prothrombin levels are at their peak.
I know that was a lot of information, but prayerfully you'll take it in consideration when making your decision on WHEN to circumcise your son.
D.

Hello, We have a son that is six months now and we had him circumcised. It was done within a month of him being born by my obgyn. They used a cream that numbed the area and then you wait until it starts working then they took him back and it was done right at my doctors office. I was under the impression that the pediatrician would do it but not the case. I have a daughter too. She is 4 years old. She is a big help to me and crazy about her brother. Don't worry everything will work out fine. If you don't find someone ask the nurses at the hospital about it. My nurses were so helpful with any questions I had they may know someone or there maybe someone on staff who can do it for you. My Dr is Dr. Abbott. She is wonderful in the clear lake area. Sleep as much as you can now. After the baby I never got any sleep. I hope my info helps you. Thanks, K.

I had my son at home with a midwife, so we took him when he was 8 days old to our pedi and she did it in her office. They gave him a shot directly to the area and then permormed the "surgery". My pedi does it the old fashion way with out the bell clamp so I just had to put vaseline on it and wrap it in gause for about a week until his check up and he was fine.

Wow for Umber to think its your choice she seems to be really pushing all the negative out there. There is no problem with it being done, however when they don't have it done there is a really big chance of them getting infection. Probally hurts worse than the incision anyway. I had my sons done. I baby sat alot when I was a teenager and I have saw what happens when you get an infection for when you don't get it done. A little boy that was 4 had to go a head and get it done because of the infections he kept getting. Plus it looks alot better when they get it done and why have your child explain hisself when he gets older to his peers when they are in locker room. About the religious thing that Umber mentioned I wanted to add that God told Abraham to get all the males circumcised. Since they were to be God's people it was to show cleaniness and afterall cleaniness is God. So why not want to do it if God thought it was something worth doing. Plus I promise you its not that bad you clean it with a a cotton swab and put vaseline on it for a few days and then they are fine. If your husband is done, don't let your son not be, you want him to feel equal to dad not different. About the pain killer when they do the surgery, they don't want to sedate a newborn, but they do numb the area, I'm not sure how but it couldn't be any worse than the pku they have to do twice and the vacines they get. I cleaned my son's and he never acted as if I hurt him. I had my done while I was there, I had c sections so it worked best for me to get it all done and over with and us both be down at the same time while I had help.

You have to do what you think is right for your son. Keep in mind though, that it is best to have the baby boy look the same as daddy. If daddy is circumcized, then the baby bot probably should be too. That way there is no confusion on why daddy looks diffrent than him.

I also recommend that you do it before you leave the hospital. In Houston, the pediatricians normally do not do the circumcision, the OB does. They use lidocane to numb the area and then proceed. It is very quick. While it hurts them at the moment, they soon forget about it and fill their diapers just the same. Don't worry about post op; they will have you put ointment on it for about a week after and it heals up nicely. Good luck.

I have 2 little boys. both of them are circumsided and it was done in the hospital. One by my OB and the other by the OB on call that day. They gave them an oral pain med and a topical pain killer to do it. Depending on the type of procedure used, the care is different. Each of my boys had a it done differently. Both were not difficult to care for. I used to work for a pedi that did the procedure in office, so it is possible that yours could too within the first few days of his life. Good luck with your little boy. They are fun to have around.

I have 2 boys. 1 just 10 months ago. And I had each one of their circumcision done in the hospital while we were there waiting to go home. It doesn't have to be the Pedi, but the Pedi will be local and him/her will come in talk to you and give you there card. My first son the pedi came in and meet me. Explained what she was doing and took him. I'm guessing it was because I didn't have a Pedi picked out just yet. She then took him and brought him back, he was fine. She showed me how to put the cream on it. And it was very easy to take care of.
My newest son I had pre-arranged his Pedi and I didn't even know he was going for his, it was like immediately after he was born. But with him too the Pedi came in showed it to me and gave me the cream. They keep a gauze on it. And the great thing about it is the Nurses help. And by the time you go home it's already healed.

And to answer your question about PAIN MEDS. No they are awake and they feel it. But they say they have no memory of it. WELL OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T my husband nor my sons have any problems with it.

We're not allowed in and I am pretty sure it's a good thing. We'd probably cry our eyes out.

However, I recommend the procedure. I have a friend who choose to wait till her son was old enough to make the choice on his own and he insisted to have it of course at his peak age or you know which for him was 17 and he said it hurt so so so so bad.

I also had a friend who waited till he was two and he too said it hurt. He cried for 2 weeks about it and would point at it and say OUCHY OUCHY..

So I think with our baby's having a short time memory ( what I've Heard) is why they don't remember after it's done cause they don't cry at all when there back and they fill those diapers up and shed no tears.

Oh and I have friends who were Catholic and didn't do it at all. And I personally think it's ugly and they say they have to pull back the skin to clean it etc.

Sorry it's long. Just thought I'd share.

I raised three boys and they are so easy, you will love it. As for the circumcision it can be done at the hospital or you can wait and let your pedi do it. They will do right there in the office. Just takes a few minutes . I had my youngest sons done when he was 2 weeks old. It is very quick and I am sure they do a local. Not to worry, it is best that you get it done for hygiene purposes. It will be alright. Have a blessed birth and blessings to you and yours.

the circumcision is usually done before you leave the hospital. they will give you instructions on how to take care of it. some women will probably tell you not to do it, bit it is much better to do it as an infant than to wait until he is older. it may not be a pleasant experience, but it isn't as traumatic as some will lead you to believe

I had my son in January and they did it the day we left.I delivered on Friday evening and checked out on Sunday. Once it's done you have to stick around for about an hour so they can monitor him. At home care is pretty simple. The nurse will show you before you leave. Every time you change him wipe him down good, pull the skin back down, put plenty of vasaline, and a small square of guaze. It's not that bad kinda of weird but like I said they show you before you leave. Just remember cover his part with vasaline. It doesn't hurt them. Good luck.

Don't let everyone scare you. You can request that it be done in the hospital. They did my son's the next day after he was born. He wasn't even upset or srying when they brought him back to the room. It does bleed for a few days after, but no big thing as long as you keep it clean. They will instruct you how to take care of it before you leave the hospital. It is my advice that you get it done now rather than having to get it done later in life when he can remember.

I also have never been around boys and don't know the first bit about them until our little one was born an year ago. It is a learning process. We had him circumcised in the hospital a few day after he was born. We talked to our doctor and he also did not do them. We asked him to put down in the paperwork/charts that we did not want a resident to do it. We specifically let the nurses know what our wishes were. Luckily for us they sent the doctor who would be doing the procedure to talk and explain it to us. She was very nice and thorough. It turned out fine. Just stress the importance of the procedure to the hospital. Caring for it was easy and it healed within a week. Good luck.

I would do it either the next day or w/in a couple of days. Your pediatrician should be able to do this or know who to goto. It's a very simple process. My sister had her son's just a couple of days afterwards. I would never go without circumcising my boys. For one thing, cleanliness, another, I think he'd be made more fun of by other boys if he wasn't, another, when he grows up & gets married, the wife's sexual satisfaction in bed. PM me if you need to know why I think that. Most people who replied seem to be expressly against it but I wouldn't take heart to anyone who speaks up who is expressly against it & seems to want to talk you out of it or sway your decision. It is YOUR decision, you want to do it & they should respect your decision!! GOOD LUCK & congratulations!!!!!

Hi R.,
I have a 6 month old precious boy and he was circumcised at the hospital about a day after he was born. To take care of it, I would put a blob of neosporin on his tip with an infant q-tip and that seemed to provide the most comfort since it won't stick to anything that way. Don't worry, it will be healed in about a week. Best of luck.

R.,
I have two boys. The best advice to give you is to block it out and let them do it, if you've decided to go ahead with it. Your baby boy will hurt, but they will give him immediately to you to hold and nurse. They did not use any numbing stuff on my boys and they did not tell me ahead of time when they were going to proceed. It was within hours of their births. Let them do it immediately - I would not put it off. They will give you instructions on how to take care of it.
He will cry and you will cry - but they have been doing this for years and it is quick!
My boys are 22 and 20 so I am sure they've changed some things since then.
I am sorry for sounding so cold about it - I actually don't like to remember that part of their birth!!!!
Be strong mama! You will both be fine. God bless, I will say a prayer for you both - may your baby be happy and healthy and have a beautiful life!

I have three boys. The circumcision was done in the hospital the day after they were born. THeir regular pediatrician did it. Yes there was a local anesthetic used. My boys are 15, 12 and 5. IT is very quick and they are so little they don;t remember a thing. The care afterwards was simple, you just keep polysporin on it. Every time you change the diaper put some on. Good luck and congrats.

It's been 23 yrs since I had my son, so I don't remember all of the details, But I do remember that they did it before we left the hospital. He didn't seem to be in discomfort after the fact. I had heard that they cry a minute and it's over. Looking back and from my experience I would definitely do it again. I think it helps them keep a lot cleaner, and it prevents them from being too sensitive when they are adults, during sex. Plus sometimes the other boys and even girls/women can be cruel when a guy isn't circumcised because they look so much different. I say let the hospital tell you how and when it is done, but yes ...do it.

Hi
I have a lot of research about this, but no time to type it in right now. We decided to circumcise. I checked Jewish sources and used a Mohel also a pediatrician who came to my house, (we are not Jewish) I have 7 sons and 1 daughter, and I decided to wait until their vitamin K came in on it's own, the 8th day of life, naturally to do it. The evidence is very positive for circumcision. 100% of penile cancers are in uncircumcised men!! Wives of circumcised men have lower rates of cervical cancer. The pain killer he gave both an oral and a local, be sure you nurse first so their tummy is full and then they sleep really a long time after it was done. It was great to have them make a house call for this.

When my sons were born, there was a pediatrician on call that did theirs. They did it about 2 hours before we left the hospital and will keep you there until the little one can pee. They do give a local anesthetic, but it is just one small nip. If your husband chooses, he can accompany your son if you don't feel up to it. It really does sound worse than it is. It is just a small nip. They will put a plastic "bell" to keep the skin back to heal. Just keep it clean and put on an antibiotic ointment at each diaper change. Good luck.

my son was circumsized at the pediatrician's office on his first visit, at 7 days old. they used a local anesthetic - they did not let me watch. there was a little bleeding after, i gave him tylenol right away and he was fine. we had to apply vaseline or neosporin ointment at each diaper change for 1-2 weeks. we had a follow-up with the pedi 1 week later and 2 weeks later (the last one just to make me feel better). he is now 5 months old and doing great!!!

My pediatrician took care of our sons, being first time parents to a boy we just assumed he would be given some form of pain medication. Unfortunately our pediatrician did not believe in any pain relief. My poor son was in a lot of pain. I would not have done it if I had known he would suffer like he did. Make sure you ask for pain medication. I do believe most hospitals let you be present during the procedures, you may want to ask, so you can cuddle him as soon as it is over. Good luck.

Congrats on your impending boy :) My son is now 19 months & we had him circumsised on day 2 & before we left the hospital. I had a CS so I knew we would be there several days. His daddy was with him the whole time (altho many pedis won't allow parents in the room in fear of passing out). They used a local anesthetic I believe & my hubby said he cried temporarily. They give you cream to put on it until it heals & you can buy it over the counter. Your pedi will be able to tell you what they'd prefer you to use. They will get poked & prodded many times within the 1st year, so this won't be much different! It is temporary pain & they won't remember it :) Every time we changed diapers, we put the ointment on. Boys are a lot of fun - this is our 1st & he is wonderful! Just be prepared to get peed on frequently the 1st 3 months :) Good luck & God Bless!

I have a daughter as well that is almost 15 now. My son is almost 6. I had no experience with boys prior to him being born. I did lots of research online and with my daughter's pedi. I found that the reason's for circumcision have long been disproved, and that it is not medically necessary. Not only that, it is very barbaric. As I said, my son is almost 6 now, and we have never had a problem with him not being circumcised. When he is a baby you just have to wash it well as you would if he was not circumcised. And as he gets old enough to do it himself, you teach him to keep it clean. Of course research it yourself, and choose what you feel is best. Hope this helps.

Personally I would have someone at the hospital lined up to do it before you come home. If there is such a thing as "standard" practice I believe that is it. They use a local/topical (I believe) anesthetic and send you home with care instructions. It should heal quickly and the doctor should check it when you take him in for a check up. Congratulations on your upcoming new arrival. We are expecting our 2nd grandbaby in December!

PLEASE don't circumcise your son, please research it heavily before you make your choice, I want to have a conversation with you about the reason circumcision was started and how medically pointless it is now. It is the most sensitive organ of the body, and it is a useful functioning organ. They usually don't use anesthetic.
____@____.com

One of the first things you need to do is check with your insurance and see what their policy is on coverage. When my daughter's youngest son was born they got a nasty surprise because their insurance didn't cover the procedure when it was done after they left the hospital.

No. Don't put it off. Go ahead and do it before he leaves the hospital. That's how my sister did her two boys, and that's how I did with my son. I'm told the older they get or the later you wait, it will be more painful. You don't want to put a child through that type of pain. Get it done before you leave.

When they do it, they're gonna wrap it up, of course and when it's time to take the wrapping off, you just have to keep vaseline on it. But whoever performs the surgery, or even the nurse, will be able to tell you how to care for it.

Please don't put it off, because you'll keep putting it off and putting it off and either you'll never get it done or when you do he's gonna be older and it's gonna be more painful. I was told that men who haven't been circumcised experience a little burning sensation when urinating, or something like that. I think it's easier for them to get an infection, too. When they bathe or shower they have to make sure they pull the skin all the way back so they can clean real good there, and of course, they may not do it.

When my oldest son was born 18 years ago the hospital I had him in did not do circumcisions either. I took him for his 2 week check up and that is when his doctor did the procedure. I don't want to scare you but they sent me down to the What-a-burger for coffee with my mother. They did not want me to hear my son crying. As far as I know, they did not use anything when they did it. It was about the worst 45 minutes of my life but we both survived the ordeal. The doctor will tell you the procedures of taking care of it afterwards. Good luck and god bless you.

My husband was a medical supply rep. when my son was born so he requested that the doctor (a pediatric urologist) use Emla Cream before my son's circumcision. The Doctor was so impressed with the results that he said he would continue to use it. my son does not have a high pain tolerance so I think it really helped. The procedure was done right after his birth and before we went home. The circumcision healed within a week. Congratulations!

Blessings,
M.

I have two boys and they were both circumcised. My first son did not have the procedure till after he came home. Once you get past a couple of weeks the risk's increase. I would suggest not doing that. With my second son I made sure it was done at the hospital. The doctor will put gauze on it and you will apply petroleum jelly after each diaper changing for about a week. See if your doctor can suggest a good pedi at the hospital to do the procedure, but make sure you get this in the works before you deliver.

We circumcised our son. It happened at the hospital before we left. Once they confirmed that we wanted to have the procedure done...a doctor came by to introduce himself and explain what was going to happen. I think he used a local but i was so out of it...I am not quite sure. Once it was done, we just had to make sure that that area kept clean and the doctor gave us some ointment to keep on it as well.

They did my son's the day after he was born. He never even woke up. It was quick and didn't seem to hurt him at all. The Pediatrician on duty did it, and the nurse showed me how to care for it after diaper changes for the next day or so. It was really no big deal for us.
I have known men who were not circumcised, and they say it is somewhat embarrasing in the shower room and such, because they ARE different from most here in the US. I also know women who will not sleep with an uncircumcised man because of the cleanliness issues.

Talk to your pedi, ask her about it. They usually do it before you take the baby home. She may be willing to do it in her office when you go in for your 4 day check up. I would definately ask for a local for him. I had a horrible experience with my son's & wish I had known more at the time. It was 26 yrs ago & I still get upset about it. I would def talk & ask questions, read, etc..
Good luck & congrats! =}

I have a 2 year old boy. 3 days after he was born, they performed his circumcision right before we left the hospital. I am almost certain they give them a local anesthetic. My OB did not perform the task but he was in practice with his fathers office and his father was the one who did it. I think you should ask the hospital if they have someone available to do it. I would just check to make sure they have had plenty experience. My advice would be to definitely do it very early but maybe give them a day (at least) to adjust to their new world.
Also, when it comes time to care for it, make sure you use gauze with PLENTY of petroleum jelly until it heals (within a few days).
Congratulations... aside from this, boys are such a joy!

Hi
The hospital should know how to take care of that. I would do it there. It is very easy & local anesthetic should be given. I'm surprised that your OB does not have any suggestions for you & that your Pedi is not going to check the baby after you have him. Call the hospital & make sure that it can be done there or soon after & let them know in the maternity ward that you want them to perform the circumcision.(they might even ask you on the spot if you want it done) Know before you go. (if you go that route)
Good luck.

That's odd that your OBGYN does not do this. Ours did and we had it done at the hospital 2 days after he was born. They wrapped it in gauze which you keep vasoline on for the day of the procedure. Worked out great that we were still in the hospital as we had a wonderful nursery nurse who helped us that day until the gauze came off. They will give you instructions for when you go home (basically you keep vasoline on it for a week or so). They gave our son some type of local so he wouldn't feel any pain. Hope this helps some.

My son's was done at the hospital within a day of birth. He didn't have any reaction or bleeding that I saw. I'm sure it wasn't too comfortable for him, but he didn't fuss very long according to the nurse. I don't think they give any sedatives or anestesia because of the age and risks invovled. But from what I hear, having it done later in life can be very painful (when healing). I made sure that I kept his diapers changed frequently and inspected for any swelling or infection. I didn't know what to expect either, but it turned out to be not so big of a deal as I had anticipated. Good luck and congrats on the baby you are having.

Please consider not circumcising him. Just look up a few articles on it and just be sure you are making an informed decision. I personally did not circumcise either of my two boys; even though their father is. After just a little bit of research, I was seriously considering an alternative against dad's wishes, then after more research and sharing what I found with my husband, we both decided to not circumcise was the best.

I'ts best done in the hospital, tell them you want a local anesthetia, just keep it clean and dry, it will have a gauze, and it heals very qick. (by personal experience)M. Colman

Well, my OBGYN did my son's in the hospital after he was born. A couple days later wont matter much either. The ped can do it at their office. I wouldn't wait too long to get it done, I'd get it done ASAP after you leave the hospital. With my son, the doc just used some sugar water on a paci and did it. It was quickly over and he stopped crying after a minute or so. He actually cried more after they did the big heal stick for the five panel blood test in the hosp. As long as you don't wait too long before getting it done, a couple days later shouldn't matter.

It's done at the hospital before and I'd recommend getting it done right away because I read somewhere (not sure if it's true) that their nerve endings aren't fully developed yet so they're not in as much pain as later? Anyways, then your dr can follow up and check to make sure it's not infected in the weeks afterwards since you're going to visit him/her anyways.

I had it done a week later in my son's doctor's office. When baby's are born, they do not have the vit K to clot blood. They give them a shot of vit K in the hospital to make up for it. I waited to have the circumcism done for a week because he was supposed to be making his own by then.

As for care, make sure you pull the skin back every time you change his diaper. The skin could reattach and it may have to be done again. Also, my doctor told me to put Vaseline in it to keep it gooey so it wouldn't stick to the diaper.

Waiting a week also allows time for things to settle down a little before you have make sure you pull the skin back every time.

If your pediatrician does them, then let him do it where ever he usually does them. A hospital is not required. They have a little board that they strap him to.

Good luck.

R.,
My now 2 year old son was circumcised by my OB 2 days after he was born. Typically circumcisions are done while the baby is still in the hospital. My experience has been that the ob's do them as they have more "surgical" experience.

My advice to you is to have a physician do it-either ob or ped who has a LOT of experience doing circumcisions. While they are fairly simple procedures, if not done properly, your son can have complications. If you have to switch doctors or hospitals, I would suggest that you do this as it is quite important it is done right.

Good luck!!

My doctor told me it was best to do it before leaving the hospital. My son is now 19. My friend recently had twins, boy & girl, the doctor that did her sons messed it up. I believe that they do not use anesthia of any kind. Find out what you can about the doctor who may do it and if you do not trust the doctor that will be there when you deliver it may be best to take him to your pedi. My friend had her babies in the medical center.

Circumcision is done at the hospital but perhaps you should read a little bit about the pros and cons of circumcision. There is a reason why your OB doesn't do the procedure. I would caution against letting a resident do it.

Congratulations on your little boy!

I haven't given birth to boys, but I always thought that I would not want to have them circumcised, mostly based on two men in my life. I'll speak candidly here: One had loose skin as a teen and actually grew into that skin in his 20s! The other was circumcised and has irritation and pain during erections. The skin cracks a little if he doesn't keep it adequately moisturized. I decided after those cases that ti woudl be unnecessary for any son of mine.

(I hope that I didn't scare you.)

Hi there, I personally have a little girl myself, but when I took my child birthing class through First Birth Ministries, I remember my dula recommedning a doctor that does circumcisions, so may want to give her a shout. Here's her contact info: Sharon Tilotta - Houston, Texas
Email: ____@____.com
Telephone: ###-###-####. Love this lady, she's into all natural and I really trust her. I have a 22 month old and am a 40 year old mom. Sharon was my dula and I loved the all natural birthing expierence...If you talk to her tell her I said Hi:) God Bless, TammyT & Brooke Jolie...

Great question R.. I too have 3 beautiful step-daughters and both me and my husband have lots of sisters with a couple of boys in the mix. I'm a new mommy to a 7 mo old boy that has just been the joy of my/our life and its true...their different. As for the circumcision; even though we are not jewish, we choose to use a moyal (jewish doctor) that ONLY does circumcisions. In fact is has done about 3 or 4 thousand in his career. We also loved the tradition of the jewish relegion of circumcising on the 8th day after birth because that when Jesus was circumsised. Also, we couldn't imagine having our son poked with a needle when he was just born, how intrusive. We used Dr. Max Mintz - ###-###-####. We had the ceramony at our home. It was beautiful and private.I hope this helps. Congratulations on having a boy...it's the best!
A little about me: happy 44 yr.young step mom & mommy. Great husband; managing a day spa in Brenham, Tx and my little joy comes with me every day.

Just to let you know, he doesn' HAVE to be circumcised. My two boys weren't and amongst the 6 male friends of my older son (3 years old) 3 are and 3 aren't. Add my son to that equation and you have 4 who are NOT circumcised, a majority. National average figures suggest circumcision is on the decline and roughly only 55% of baby boys are circumcised these days. http://www.cirp.org/library/statistics/USA/ (the part of interest is about halfway down the web page) So, no worries about locker room jokes or a boy feeling "different."

Having said that it is a personal choice, not a medical one and if you feel it is important for your family - we were told that we would need to find a pediatric surgeon to perform the proceedure when we were debating the issue with my eldest. You may write back a query specifying the actual hospital you are considering and see if anyone has had any luck with a particular "on call" pediatrician at that hospital. Good Luck.

My OB didn't do them either, and I didn't make plans to have it done in the hospital. I think I was naively thinking if we didn't do it there, my husband would forget about it and we wouldn't do it at all. Well, my husband was adamant about doing it, so we took him to a urologist when he was a couple of weeks old, and it was awful! They numbed him up when they did it, so he was fine when we left the office, but once the local wore off, he was screaming. It was red and bloody and way worse than I could have expected. It was 6 years ago and it still makes me cringe thinking about it. If I can give you any advice at all, make arrangements to do it in the hospital and get it over with first thing. Ask your OB how to get it done. They should be able to recommend someone that can come to the hospital and do it. I was so glad my second child was a girl and I didn't have to go through that again!

I believe that they are suppose to do it at the hospital. We have decided not to circumsize my son (who is coming via c-section in 7 days). My husband watched some videos on circumsizing and was very adament about not having it done (although he is). So I really don' tknow, but it is my impression that it should be done at the hospital unless you wait for religious reasons.

Don't do it! There is no need to put your precious little angel through that. It is totally unnecessary.

Dearest R., congratulations on the sweet new addition to your family. This is a rather easy procedure that will be easy to care for just as you will be caring for the umbilical cord cleaning. I am a mother of 4 boys and have answered this question so many times it is unreal!

The procedure can be done at the hospital or in the office, which ever you are more comfortable with, I've dealt with both and they are pretty similar except that you will be involved if it is done in the doctor's office. I know it is a bit nerve wracking since you haven't dealt with baby boys before, but just know, it will be healed much quicker than the umbilical cord. Also, it will be much easier to clean the area once it is healed versus a baby that is not circumcised.

Why do it at all? It just causes pain and trauma for your baby for no reason. My husband is not circumcised and he has no problems. I would never do this to my child. Your son can opt to do it later when he can make the choice - when he's old enough to know if he wants it or not. (and sex is better with an uncircumcised man.) It just works the way it's supposed to when it's not tampered with. I'm not a very religious person, but my thought is, God doesn't make mistakes, why change a perfect little human?

I hope that helps.

Just wanted to say that my son was circumsized on day 2 in the hospital, and we had no problems with healing or cleaning. He's a very happy little boy, and I have ZERO regrets on circumsizing him. I just felt compelled to say that since you're getting such STRONG responses from those against circumsizing, I feel that you should see both sides. Sure, there's no medical reason to do it, but I have no doubt that he will thank me when he's older.

PLEASE go to http://nocirc.org/ and reconsider having your precious baby circumcised!!!!!!!

My son had his done on day 2 I believe. He was so traumatized he couldn't speak or walk for a year! All jokes aside, he did fine. My husband was with him when it happened. The pediatrician at the hospital performed the procedure. As far as care goes after, you just clean it with mild soap and water occassionally and add vasaline so it doesn't stick to the diaper. They will teach you how to care for it at the hospital. Don't be afraid to ask questions at the hospital either. best of luck. Little boys are a lot of fun packed energy and there is nothing quite like the relationship between a momma and her boy.

R.,

Arrange with your doctor and DO IT immedaitely right after birth. My daugher had her baby in May, 2007 and circumcised a few days after birth.

Having this extra skin causes INFECTIONS, my ex and his dad HAD IT DONE as adults due to infections and you imagine the PAIN !

M.

Don't do it! Unless you have a strict religious upbringing that requires the procedure, don't put your child through that pain on his second or third day on this planet! It makes the first two weeks of life painful for him, there is a high risk of infection and complications, and it is a completely unnecessary surgery motivated by an ancient myth with no basis in science. Do your research. My son is whole and I am glad of it.

Do it when the baby is born. They are so little they do not remember. Call your pedi, they should come and check on the baby at the hospital and will do it then. My pedi. did it during one of his hospital visits when checking on the babies. In the beginning the baby sleeps so they do not know the difference. My son who is 6 had not problems. They give you ointment to keep in it and you just keep it clean. I could not imagine doing it when he was 3, 6 or even 9 months when I truly know his personality and would have had to be in the pedi. office watching. Do it in the hospital. No big deal and it is done.

Good luck,
B.

You can have whomever you want do it. Make your request clear at the hospital! Many obgyns do it; a few family doctors can as well if they choose - many don't because they have to carry extra insurance. My husband worked in surgery many years, and recommends having a urologist do it, though my obgyns did ours (2 different ones). It is usually done in the hospital before you take the baby home with either a local anesthetic or a special clip that minimizes pain. Both my boys had it done - no problems. It's care is very similar to the umbilical chord care. You pour on the "antibiotic plus" that you use for cuts for each diaper change for a few days up to a week. Viola. Many people choose not to - it does cost an extra $300 or so. It is usually separate and won't meet many deductibles because it is a first procedure for your baby. The delivery, and main care for baby, etc. is listed under your deductible, but not the circumcision. They wouldn't let us be in the room, but were able to with our boys right after. I've talked to many people about this and done research. It is cleaner in the long run for the boy and easier to care for usually. The few people I know who aren't circumcised wish they were. My sister chose not to because her husband had seen boys in school that had a messed up job and didn't want to take that risk. To each his own. Be comfortable with your decision - but I would really let your husband call this one since your boy will usually compare himself to him.

I wouldn't let the resident on call or the pedi do the circumcision. I would get a pediatric surgeon. I worked in a recovery room where they did repairs of circumcisions and circumcisions. THe doc that did most of them did an excellent job and I think he's affilitaed with TCH. His name was Dr. Bloss. The babies wake up crying (but all babies do when they wake up from sedation). It was a very quick procedure and they heal quickly from it. I didn't work in the OR so I can't tell you how they did the procedure. I just saw them after they had it done. I was surprised to see so many of them done at the surgical center as I thought they would be done in hosptial by the pediatrician but it seems that more of them are getting away from doing it and passing the job off to the surgeons. (Some of the pediatricians aren't very good at doing them so I definelty would be looking for a surgeon).
Good luck and congratulations with the upcoming birth of your baby! What a wonderful, exciting time this is!!!