https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:41:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736294 Mon, 15 May 2017 18:49:55 +0000 pachamama 2736294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Alba4: we did. In my area (upstate NY) it's very uncommon not to.<br /> My reasoning is vain..., I've been with uncircumcised guys and it freaked me out. Also my husband played sports and he didn't want him to feel weird. His best friend hated it so much he got circumcised at 21!!<br /> Sometimes I wish we didn't do it though, tbh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736293 Mon, 15 May 2017 18:49:06 +0000 ShootingStar 2736293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did circumcize, but I'm not sure I'd do it again. I mostly left it up to DH. He is and he felt like it was a more known quantity to him. And we'd also heard some horror stories about needing it later and it being much worse to deal with. </p> <p>I was really upset though when they came to take him for it and I felt awful afterwards. I didn't know what I'd been thinking - we took my brand new, perfect baby, and cut a piece off of him just because. </p> <p>I was really glad we had a girl second. And I couldn't bring myself to pierce her ears as an infant because of the way I felt after the circumcision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736289 Mon, 15 May 2017 18:30:30 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2736289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did not. We debated and took in opinions from some close male friends but in the end it just didn't feel like it was a decision we could/should make for our son. Then he was born prematurely and there wasn't a second thought given. I don't think we know anyone who isn't circumcised but I feel totally fine about our choice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736268 Mon, 15 May 2017 17:31:40 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2736268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: I don't see it as an argument either since I am not trying to persuade someone else for making the decision for their son. It's just how we ultimately decided to make the choice. I don't think there is anything wrong when one parent makes a decision if the other parent really doesn't have a strong opinion about a matter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736259 Mon, 15 May 2017 17:16:14 +0000 erinbaderin 2736259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: I'm with you on your second point as well, I just couldn't figure out how to phrase it as thoughtfully as you did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736253 Mon, 15 May 2017 16:50:49 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2736253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. DH is circumcised and I let him make the final decision on wether to or not. He did the research for pros and cons and also who best to perform it. My OB did the procedure in her office. One parent was allowed to be there with LO and DH went back. When I was brought in after I was able to nurse and comfort LO.</p> <p>ETA: caring for LO's healing penis the weeks after broke my heart. DH was home most of that time and did the majority of diaper changes. Thank goodness. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised/page/2#post-2736236 Mon, 15 May 2017 16:18:32 +0000 Alba4 2736236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@RonjaL7: My cousin's kid had issues too and he had to be circumcised around age 12!😢 Gah! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736206 Mon, 15 May 2017 15:11:43 +0000 Mrs. Marshmallow 2736206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I ultimately left it up to my husband to decide. He is circumcised, and I thought he would decide to. Ultimately he decided not to. Our reasons were<br /> - it's not as common anymore<br /> - it's not medically necessary<br /> - our son could not consent<br /> - it can affect breastfeeding<br /> - it costs money<br /> - we didn't want to decide solely for him looking like his dad<br /> - it's painful </p> <p>I have zero issue with them - but we couldn't follow through with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736205 Mon, 15 May 2017 15:10:00 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2736205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: maybe it's not an argument. Maybe they genuinely just wanted their kid to be the same as them. I dunno, like I said, I ultimately left it up to dh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736199 Mon, 15 May 2017 15:04:52 +0000 youboots 2736199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is one of the very few topics DH and I disagree on. </p> <p>Our DD is 26 months and we are talking about a second in the next couple years. We will probably have to go to see my therapist together (so far he has not been with me in three years) to hash this one out if we have a son. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736168 Mon, 15 May 2017 14:14:06 +0000 littlejoy 2736168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: I agree with you. DH and I have talked about this - he has no idea what his dad's penis looks like, and he's totally ok with that. :) </p> <p>I also don't understand the, "I don't have a penis so I let my husband decide" stance. It's an actual medical procedure that physically changes your child - there are risks. I think this should be a thoughtful, mutual decision (made after reviewing information on both sides). The only time I would consider letting my husband's opinion trump mine would be if there was a religious belief at play. Even then, I'd want to be sure it fits with *our* philosophy as a family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736165 Mon, 15 May 2017 14:07:30 +0000 erinbaderin 2736165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is obviously a personal decision, but I really don't get the "we wanted them to match their dad" argument. Little boys are different from their dads in a lot of ways. I obviously don't have a penis, but do little boys really look at their dad's and ask why theirs is different? And if they do, it is a hard thing to explain? "People used to think that that way was better, but now they know that it isn't really, so babies don't need it anymore." It seems like a pretty simple explanation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736143 Mon, 15 May 2017 13:30:45 +0000 Mrsbells 2736143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Veggie: I think for most people its religious or cultural reasons. We are christians but have african heritage and it is the norm for our boys to be circumcised. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736140 Mon, 15 May 2017 13:23:01 +0000 Alba4 2736140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both boys are circumcised- tends to be the norm in our social group and family. We wanted our boys to be like their dad. I actually don't know many people who haven't circumcised their sons, so this post is super interesting to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736135 Mon, 15 May 2017 13:19:11 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2736135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also let DH decide and both kiddos are circumcised. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736043 Mon, 15 May 2017 11:19:42 +0000 MrsSCB 2736043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: I appreciate that and can relate -- the procedure went totally fine, and my son has always been a very happy, easygoing (as far as small children go...) kid. But I still think if I could go back in time, I don't know that I would make the same choice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736041 Mon, 15 May 2017 11:16:59 +0000 littlejoy 2736041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I have a best friend who found herself centering PPD around the circumcision decision. Even though everything went really well and there were no issues, it was the one choice she was dwelling on. She saw a counselor about the depression, and once she realized that was the root of it (well, maybe not the root, but where she was letting it manifest), the doctor was like, "You know you don't have to make the same choice next time if you don't want to." - It helped her immensely ... she realized that her son was super healthy, happy, and she made the right decision at the time. The whole situation was really interesting to me, and I appreciated that the doctor didn't bash her valid decision and resulting feelings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736039 Mon, 15 May 2017 11:16:40 +0000 MrsSCB 2736039@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: Yes, exactly. AAP is basically neutral, and our doc said the same thing -- outlined the arguments on both sides and then said it was mostly down to what we wanted. I'm kind of hoping we have a girl next so we can bypass the decision altogether... :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736037 Mon, 15 May 2017 11:13:50 +0000 littlejoy 2736037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: Sure. It used to be recommended, and it's no longer recommended. Good distinction though. Language can be tricky - like someone might think that means they suggest NOT doing it, when they just don't take a stance either way at this point. But, it definitely did influence my overall opinion of the procedure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736034 Mon, 15 May 2017 11:11:45 +0000 MrsSCB 2736034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is. To be honest, I don't know that I would do it again. But it went fine and all is good now. Not sure what we'll do for future sons.</p> <p>@littlejoy: the AAP basically says it's up to the parents' preference--it is safe for those who want to: "Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks and that the procedure’s benefits justify access to this procedure for families who choose it." Just wanted to clarify that the AAP doesn't recommend against it either, more that it's down to preference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736011 Mon, 15 May 2017 10:43:31 +0000 littlejoy 2736011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Veggie: We decided before having kids that we wouldn't circumcise our sons if we had any. The AAP doesn't recommend it anymore, and there are not true medical benefits. I also worried about the associated trauma and pain (there are risks involved), and it just wasn't worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2736001 Mon, 15 May 2017 10:29:56 +0000 kes18 2736001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, we didn't see any reason to. They do say that the benefits outweigh the risk (meaning you might get miniscule benefits but the risks are also miniscule, basically) but they don't recommend routine circumcision as far as I'm aware. I find it really odd to cut something off just for aesthetic reasons, and that is really the reason everyone is doing it. My husband is, but still didn't see any good reason to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735940 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:42:31 +0000 bushelandapeck 2735940@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let DH decide and we opted to do it, as DH is also circumcised, If it had been up to me only we would not have done it because I don't think it's necessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735935 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:38:02 +0000 looch 2735935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't circumcise. My husband is, but given the fact that procedure is now done only in the hospital under general anesthesia, we elected to skip it for our then newborn (this is not in the US, it is continental Europe). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735928 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:30:06 +0000 catlady 2735928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, we didn't. I asked my OB for current recommendations and she said it was just personal preference. DH has it done but we couldn't think of a good reason to do it for DS so we didn't bother.</p> <p>@Ajsmommy: You don't actually need to do anything special to take care of it, just fyi. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735920 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:21:30 +0000 Ajsmommy 2735920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did. We both wanted to. DH is as well. It's the norm in our area (not that this mattered one bit). Personally I'm glad we did I think it's easier for me to take care of. And it didn't really bother DS and it healed very quickly.</p> <p>eta: I find it odd that the majority of votes say yes but the responses seem to lean heavily towards no. interesting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735912 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:18:14 +0000 RonjaL7 2735912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did it. The doctor made it clear that the diseases it helps prevent aren't something we need to worry about unless we lived in a 3rd world country, but I have a friend that needed to do it for medical reasons as an adult. He talked with me about how it was the most traumatizing thing he had ever done. And previous to this happening to him he had a son he didn't circumcise. So after that we decided to do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735910 Mon, 15 May 2017 08:15:13 +0000 Eko 2735910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did. DH is and he wanted to so I let him decide. It wasn't a big deal to me. It didn't cause DS ant pain and was healed in less than a week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735869 Sun, 14 May 2017 23:41:58 +0000 Autumnmama79 2735869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes for cultural reasons and now that all is said and done I'm glad we did it. Honestly though the experience was really difficult for me. I'm so squeamish that I couldn't even be in the room when the procedure was performed. Even during the few days it took to heal DH had to do all diapers bc I couldn't bear look at it :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-sons-circumcised#post-2735854 Sun, 14 May 2017 21:02:54 +0000 Corduroy 2735854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS isn't. I had DH make the decision. I didn't feel strongly about it but wouldn't have it done. </p>