Help! information please!

[emma2938]

Hi all,

Well I am pregnant with Number 2 and dont know the sex yet, but have a feeling it could be a boy, and it has come up previously with my DH that he is pro-circ. I am not pro or against.

I know if this is a boy, this will definitely come up, so im wanting to get some useful (not just emotional) info from all those others out there.

DH's reason is because he was NOT circ'd, and he has had nothing but problems since he was little, he really wants to avoid his son having the same issues with it.

He knows there is no proof to say his son will ahve the same issues, but I think its just been so hard on him that he dosent want to take the risk that his son will ahve to endure what he has.

Any advice (both pro and negative)

Cheers
Emma.

[MotherNurture]

First, what are your dh's concerns? What problems has he experienced?

[Father]

Emma, Not sure whether you have looked at these circ threads before. My recommendation is that you do your own research to gather the pros and cons yourself to make your own informed decision. It looks like your husband has some good reasons though, when he is talking from experience. Good luck with your research. Whatever decision you come to will be the right one for your family.

[Fellow Traveler]

It would certainly be easier if we knew the more specific concerns your husband had or that you have.

[emma2938]

hi there,
thanks for the replies. Mainly to do with s*x. It was very tight and incredibly uncomfortable for him when it needed to be pulled backwards, and would often tear a bit etc.

[JimJamsMum]

We got some really good, unbiased information from a paediatric surgeon. Basically it said that there is no medical reason to get your son routinely circumcised although people do it for reasons such as religious, cleanliness or just because the father is done. It also detailed the common risks of circumcision and explained there are also rare risks.

Regarding the procedure, our sons were both done at around 4 weeks old. They were first given a numbing gel and then a nerve block was given. The foreskin was cut off (apparently this gives a better result than the plastibell). Penis was bandaged and that was removed after 24 hours. We then rubbed vaseline into the penis at each bath and nappy change. Took about 7 days for it to heal.

BTW, I made a big fuss about having our sons circumcised but DH absolutely insisted. My opinion is that if a paediatric surgeon can't come up with good reasons why circumcision should occur routinely then it's probably unnecessary and not worth the risk not matter how small of complications. Having said that, the procedure was simple and not ******** like others here would have you think.

If you want to be properly informed I suggest you go and talk to at least one paediatric surgeon who performs circumcisions so you can get some facts regarding the actual procedure. Talk to some mothers of sons about why they did or didn't get their sons circumcised.

[serendipity22]

Emma, is there a possibility that your DH had his foreskin forcibly retracted when he was little? People are much more likely now to know you should never do this, but decades ago there would have been more ignorance about the foreskin (assuming your DH was born here).

In the US forced retraction through ignorance is a very common problem.

It is possible your DH had his foreskin damaged when he was young? (Obviously with correct care this would not have happened).