Postpartum nurses and circumcisions?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I am a pre-nursing student, former doula student with some births under my belt. I would love to work postpartum when I get my degree. I would like to help the women heal and assist them in establishing nursing if that's what they wish to do. There is just one thing bothering me-- I am really against circumcisions of healthy baby boys. I don't want to start a debate about circumcisions here. My question is, do all postpartum nurses have to assist in curcumcisions, or will the workplace respect the wishes of the nurse and her personal or religious beliefs and not ask her to assist in those? I know how to keep my mouth shut and keep my beliefs to myself in front of the patients, of course. I would act professionally. I would just rather not participate in the procedure itself because it goes against my personal beliefs.

Any advice or thoughts? Or do I just have to help with the circs and that's just goes along with the job of postpartum nursing?

Specializes in Looking for a career in NICU.
Our hospital does em all the time. I havent had to assist with one yet. BUt when our baby had a circ i asked for tylenol afterwards and they told me they couldnt give him any. SO I told my husband to go to the store and bring me some infant tylenol so I could give him some. It sure did help and he didnt stop crying til then. I intend to do the same if this baby is a boy. I just dont tell the Girls working until after I go home:)

I probaby wouldn't be giving birth at a hospital that wouldn't even give Tylenol to a baby that had just had a circ. It would make me wonder what other silly practices that they are doing. That's just me.

Specializes in ICU.

I don't know if it's mentioned, but when I asked about my son's circ, the doc told me he was numbing him, and the numbing procedure took longer than the actual circ. So, that may be why some docs would rather just do it and get it out the way. There's no excuse though, because no matter how long the procedure takes, I would want my child medicated first. Overall, I am extremely happy with the circumcision because it way better for hygeine. My cousin has an uncirc baby and he screams at the top of his lungs everytime she has to clean it. She regrets it now.

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
My cousin has an uncirc baby and he screams at the top of his lungs everytime she has to clean it. She regrets it now.

My son is uncirc'ed and he's never had a problem (he's now 2). I have a lot of Hispanic friends whose babies are uncirc'ed and they don't have any problems either.

Specializes in Obgyn.
My cousin has an uncirc baby and he screams at the top of his lungs everytime she has to clean it. She regrets it now.

she's probably retracting the foreskin which would, of course, make a baby scream. the foreskins are not supposed to be retracted on babies. that is very painful.

On the postpartum unit where I work, we have a couple of PCA's who do a wonderful job assisting with circs. A few nurses know how as well, but they are mainly backup.

Only OBs do circs, unless there is some unusual circumstance. Our kiddos get Sweet-Ease on a pacifier and a local. Legs are strapped. Arms not so much. The babies get Tylenol immediately afterward and 1-2 times over the next 24 hours.

I'd estimate that more than 75% of our baby boys are circed. Cultural background accounts for much of the difference. I'm not disturbed by it as I think our docs are sensitive to the issue of pain and I rarely hear crying, much less screaming, coming from the circ room.

Back when I did my OB clinical, pain management was non-existent. Those kids shrieked and wailed. The way I see circumcision being done now, there is no comparison.

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I probaby wouldn't be giving birth at a hospital that wouldn't even give Tylenol to a baby that had just had a circ. It would make me wonder what other silly practices that they are doing. That's just me.

This is an important topic to discuss with your pediatrician BEFORE the baby is born. It is the pediatrician's decision whether or not to order Tylenol, not the hospital's.

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Where I work there are standing orders from both the private OBs and the residents (no pedis do circs here) to give a loading dose of Tylenol approx 1hr before the circ. It's something like 24mg/kg; we have a chart that we use to figure it up. The docs do local & we use sweetease afterward from a syringe. I'm sure we have come a long way since the days of no anesthesia/analgesia but I still don't like it.

Some day circs will be in the same class as female genital mutilation.

Also- it truly is cosmetic surgery being performed on a newborn- how ridiculous is that?

I don't know if it's mentioned, but when I asked about my son's circ, the doc told me he was numbing him, and the numbing procedure took longer than the actual circ. So, that may be why some docs would rather just do it and get it out the way. There's no excuse though, because no matter how long the procedure takes, I would want my child medicated first. Overall, I am extremely happy with the circumcision because it way better for hygeine. My cousin has an uncirc baby and he screams at the top of his lungs everytime she has to clean it. She regrets it now.

My son is 4 and is uncirced- he has never had a problem. But I also was not yanking back the foreskin on him when he was a baby.

Specializes in Postpartum, Lactation.

Jemommy, are you a postpartum nurse? That argument about hygeine is really, really outdated. The current AAP position is anti-circ. There are WAY more risks with cicumcision than there are with not circing. I agree with the others. Your cousin should speak to her son's pediatrician regarding the cleaning of his member. Babies foreskins are not supposed to be forcibly retracted.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Some day circs will be in the same class as female genital mutilation.

I can understand a person's ppposition to circs. However, it does not COMPARE to female mutilation which permanently changes a girl's life. In fact, to even put it in the same category is insulting to women who who have suffered through such sadism. If circs. in hospitals were performed bya moyel after the baby's had a little lick of wine and honey(and in loving arms), you might not feel so strongly against it. In the cruel confines of a hospital when the procedure has no religious significance, it is pretty gross.

Specializes in L&D/birthing center.

You may also want to consider working in a "birthing center" as a nurse. We have several in my area, and those facilities tend to attract patients that are looking for the most natural experience possible and circs are not done.

One of the many reasons I work in a FSBC. Most of our pts choose not to circ and we don't do them in our facility anyway so d/c teaching is always a pleasure. I've also changed the way I approach the topic..."Will you be leaving your son intact" vs. ""Are you having your son circ'd." It makes those that are on the fence really think twice about having it done.

Circ is one of my hot button issues so I tend to stay far, far away from it. I have contientiously objected to assist and have never had a problem. If you need more info you can google Nurses for the Rights of the Child. They have a lot of great insight on the issue.

HTH.

+ Add a Comment