On an all-female blog, it was just a matter of time until the topic of dinga-linga-doodles came up. That's right, I'm talking about those little baloney-ponies. Doughnut holders, if you will. Little Colonels. Magic Johnsons. The one-eyed trouser mouse. Are we all on the same page now? Anyway, there has been a request for information and opinions about circumcision.
Although small, there are medical benefits to circumcision. According to "What to Expect the First Year" by Arlene Eisenberg, circumcision reduces the risk of infection of the penis as well as reducing urinary tract infections. It eliminates the risk of phimosis, a painful condition in which the foreskin does not grow along with the child. It is estimated that between 5 and 10 percent of uncircumcised males have to undergo the discomfort of circumcision sometime after infancy due to infection, phimosis or other conditions.
That being said, circumcision is a medical procedure that is not (usually) medically necessary. There is undoubtedly bleeding and pain involved. Some parents wish for their child to make the decision of whether to get circumcised or not when he is older.
So here it is, ladies: Your chance to opine about giggle sticks in a socially appropriate way. Looking forward to your comments!
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3 comments:
My children don't have wankers...but had they, we had decided we'd have circumcised. Just aesthetics, I guess.
My son is circumcised and I am glad. Those little things get really icky even without the foreskin. No one told me, by the way, that you have to push back what is left of the foreskin and clean every so often. I just assumed that since he was circumcised that a soak in the bathtub every so often was sufficient. Let's just say GROSS. Anyway, when I try to clean it he howls and squirms and says it tickles so I have to launch a sneak attack with the washcloth while I give him a bath. I can't imagine trying to keep an uncircumcised boy clean. I would also recommend having it done in the hospital. It only took a minute, he was given a topical anasthetic and some Tylenol and he was fine. By the time they brought him back into my room (about 10 minutes later), he was peaceful and happy. I know two different people who waited until their sons were a few weeks old (one for a medical issue and they other because they couldn't decide whether to have it done or not) and went to their pediatricians (the OB's do it at the hospital) and the babies seemed to be in more pain and took longer to heal. I say go for it.
My two sons are uncircumcised for several reasons. No matter how many studies I read, I could find no clear medical advantages to having the procedure done. Many years ago, I worked as a nurse in a well-baby nursery in San Francisco. I assisted in so many circumcisions, I pretty much know the procedure by heart. First, we applied numbing cream. About a half hour later, we strapped the baby to a "circ board" and the resident or physician applied a local anesthetic block to the region. While the needle prick to the scrotum and base of penis seemed pretty painful, I think it made the procedure much easier for the babies. And, whenever possible, I tightly swaddled the baby's arms instead of strapping them down. When a parent was present (usually the father), we had them sit nearby to observe because men tend to faint pretty easily at the sight of blood. When no parent was present, they often let the medical students practice the procedure. While I never saw any anatomical damage done, some of those novice circs weren't pretty. For that reason, I highly recommend asking for a physician if you do choose circumcision and additionally, sending your husband to watch. I'm not convinced that the circumcised babies experienced any lasting trauma, but I decided I'd rather not put my sons through that without good reason. Surprisingly, my husband (who is circumcised) agreed and seemed very protective of his offspring's genitals. I think it's interesting that most insurance companies fully cover a procedure with no clear medical benefits. They won't cover other cosmetic procedures, like fixing my horrible varicose veins, but that's a whole other discussion. In terms of retracting the foreskin and cleaning, my boys were both comfortable doing it by age 2 1/2 or so. Actually, I think they enjoy it. I think our country will continue to move in the direction of fewer circumcisions and more and more people will start embracing the foreskin. Especially if insurance companies decide to stop paying for it. But until then, I don't think there is stong evidence that circumcision is causing lasting damage to our boys. Everyone should make the best decision they can based on education, family beliefs and traditions. Just make sure you don't get a medical student.
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