The Circumcision Discussion

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I know this can be a HUGE debate, and I'm not looking to start any arguments. I was just wondering as you are OB nurses. I'm expecting a boy in July and not sure if we should circ. or not. My husband says yes, it's better medically in the long run. My gpa who just turned 70 had to have a circ. due to endless complications lately.

As nurses in this area, is the medication that they use good? And what are some questions to ask my Dr. about it. I already know that my hospital i'll be at uses a med. when they perform it, I"m just wondering what you all think.

Thanks

Jen :)

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
Seriously, bless your heart!

My hubby felt the same exact way. Once he heard about the baby passing out he wanted nothing to do with it.

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I have seen literally thousands of "circ"s, from the '50s through the '90s, working in OB. I have NEVER seen a baby pass out during one! Now it's possible that a compromised newborn with respiratory distress could, if the circ is done immediately following delivery (I've seen that happen less times than at 2 days of age). Exposing a newborn infant to air cooler than his mom's insides causes respiratory problems and I suppose freaking out over being cold could cause extreme crying, too. (A warm blanket may be too bulky

or cool off too soon.)

The best circs I've ever seen are ritual ones done on the 8th day of life by a specially trained "moile" of the Jewish faith. They inspect, sharpen and keep their scalpels better than any central supply ever would, and part of the ceremony includes putting a balled up, securely stitched gauze blob, saturated in red wine in the baby's mouth, and sucking occurs. That is a sign that the baby is healthy, and then sedated. (It does not lead to alcoholism, in fact for centuries Jewish males had a very low incidence of alcoholism.) There are many loving relatives and friends in the room (as it's usually done at home), and I swear those vibes are perceived by the baby. Much less crying is seen in those kiddos. (And that was also the case previous to the existance of EMLA.)

Circumcision is an ethnic decision. Some cultures believe it creates better hygiene and less disease and as we know, belief turns into fact, like a placebo (but keep on with the research, y'all). Some TV and radio docs have audiences who love to hear that it's unnecessary.

An earlier post explained that the EMLA patch was given 30 minutes to work, which is insufficient. It needs about an hour. I went to a seminar about 30 years ago at Stanford University Medical Center regarding Pediatric Pain Prevention. The audience numbered about 750 professionals, and everyone was convinced that any pain producing procedure should include local anaesthesia.

So what happened to the "ripple" effect? Am I the only participant who's been proclaiming ever since, the necessity for more humane treatment of babies and children, a voice in the wind? I do a lot of public speaking, and my voice carries......... I've told all the students in my prenatal classes to ask for EMLA for their sons before a circ and including girls for phlebotomies, or splinter removal or whatever happens to their children that's painful. I can't see why it has to be prescribed, when bandaids and ointments contain local anaesthetics! Where are the humanitarians? :confused:

Please print this, and post it in NICUs, newborn nurseries, phlebotomy departments, EDs, and doctors' lounges and conference rooms at your facilities, especially geriatric ones. Most of our little old almost mindless folks don't have defenses against pain any more than children do. :twocents:

Many doctors' chauvanistic tendency toward doing things the way it's always been, prevents this from being carried out, so we still have phobic adults refusing or not showing up to have blood tests, escapee children hiding somewhere rather than have a blood draw, or injections of vaccine/antibiotic (and with the number of vaccines given today, it brutalizes

infants and young children). Don't tell me they don't remember, when they start crying upon hearing that they're going to the doctor's office! :banghead:

Adults who suffer their anxiety in silence, have more stress produced diseases. Preventing pain is an act of kindness, folks! :saint:

But then the local wears off and it hurts!!! Every time the baby pees, they scream! And many don't want to breastfeed for a long time afterward.

No medical reason to do it. None.

I agree 100%! Actually, uncircumcised males have better orgasms as they have more nerve endings... Just food for thought :bow:

Me, too. The thought of cutting away part of someones genitals makes me shudder.

Me three...I think it is barbaric, and cruel...to say the least.

I am a mom of an intact son, I am in nursing school and am so afraid for when I have to do my clinical's in L&D....even though that is where I want to work. I personally hope that they outlaw it...and yes, I do believe that it is wrong. I know there are a lot of people here who will disagree (and I respect your opinion, even if I don't agree) but I think it is genital mutilation. I have don very extensive research on the topic, and even wrote a Medical Ethics paper on the subject. I just don't understand why this barbaric practice is still allowed in today's society. It is that boys member....autonomy alone states that HE is the one who should be making that decision. Not to mention that 80% of the worlds men aren't circ'd.

Anyhow.....JMO.

i, too, am a mother of an intact son! during my l&d rotation, i refused to watch the procedure being performed as i truly and wholeheartedly think it's completely ludicrous, cruel, and unnecessary...period! plus, and possibly most importantly, our little baby boys should be able to make that decision themselves (when they get older, of course). part of their member is being removed for goodness sake!!!

I am so tired of people getting on their soapboxes and preaching to us parents that choose to circ. So tired of it.

My 3 year old son was circ'd with a plasti bell, didn't cry, and has had no ill effects from it whatsoever. Everything is fine. I did not 'mutiliate' my son as some on their high horses have stated that's what they consider circ'ing a child to be.

I am currently 27 weeks pregnant with son #2. You betcha I'm getting him circ'd when he's born too.

Personal decision. End of story.

I am so tired of people getting on their soapboxes and preaching to us parents that choose to circ. So tired of it.

My 3 year old son was circ'd with a plasti bell, didn't cry, and has had no ill effects from it whatsoever. Everything is fine. I did not 'mutiliate' my son as some on their high horses have stated that's what they consider circ'ing a child to be.

I am currently 27 weeks pregnant with son #2. You betcha I'm getting him circ'd when he's born too.

Personal decision. End of story.

Ahh but who are you to decide if you mutilated him or not? How about letting your son grow up into an adult and then ask HIM how he feels about people cutting parts off of him.

Yes, it is mutilation, whether pain is felt or not.

mutilation

Disfigurement; a major reduction or alteration of a limb or tissue, which may be intentional or accidental.

I bet if we started circumcising female babies there would be all kinds of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I'm tired of people who think that it is ok. It shouldn't be your personal decision...it isn't your member.

End of story.

Aren't you a bit bold?

It's my son. It's my decision.

Until it's termed 'illegal'... which I highly doubt it ever will be... it's no one else's business but mine and my family's.

You can't stand hearing that little boys aren't traumatized by this, as you would love to believe.

My son is a perfectly happy little 'Circ'd' boy. His brother will be too. :)

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Would the same argument be made in defense of a family that wanted to make a pinprick in their baby girl's labia? Why is that not allowed? She won't remember it. It's not disfiguring. Just a little pinprick. Not allowed. Why?

What is the difference? Can anyone answer that question?

Many women in this country - yes, right in the USA - were circumcised or otherwise had their genitalia altered by doctors. Along came some more research that decided, well, perhaps, that's not the cause of all these ills nor the cure for them. When will we give boys the same due?

http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/female-genital-cutting.cfm

Personal decision. End of story.

Choosing when in your life to lose your virginity is a personal decision....having someone else make that decision for you is rape....

Choosing when to have your genitals altered is a personal decision...having someone else make that decision for you is...definitely not a personal decision.

Its a debate VizslaMom...both sides are on soapboxes and high horses...we both think we are on the higher moral ground...that's how the game is played.

As an aside...why did you choose to circ your sons VizslaMom?

As far as it becoming illegal....and maybe it will, maybe it won't....it is a possibility... Check out http://www.mgmbill.org/ Just for some additional information.

There are already SEVERAL states whose Medicaid will not pay for it, and there are several more that are in the process of making this change as well....and soon after many HMO's and other insurances (some already don't) will stop payment for this "procedure" and guess what will happen?

But the ridiculous"cleanliness", "being like daddy" and all that other BS...is NO reason to permanently alter and scar a child member/or any other body part for that matter, because they aren't real reasons.

Specializes in ER.

I think circumcision is a good thing. Sure it's painful but within minutes the baby is quiet again. They cry the first few times they pee but again within minutes the baby is quiet again. I don't think the act of infant circumcision has destroyed anyones mental health. I haven't heard any men say they feel as though they were raped, mamed, abused, whatever by their parents because they were circumsized.

We had a small boy in the ER with phimosis and it was horrible! He had to undergo an emergent circumcision. I visited the child several times afterwards (I happened to be their neighbor) and that poor child was in agony for several weeks. The mother had been berated about having her son circ'd when he was born and she gave into the pressure and did not have him circ'd. She said she will never ever again have a son without having him circ'd before they leave the hospital. The little 3 year old boy was on a narcotic pain med for almost 3 weeks and took 5 weeks to completely recover.

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