To cut or not to cut – that is the question.
I’ve been to one too many a bris to think that circumcision is a routine procedure – you hear that baby cry out in pain and see the mother buckle over in sympathy and you know something just is not right about it. But of course, culturally, I was brought up a Jew (which goes hand in hand with the circumcision theme) and socially, have been mostly around circumcised men. I remember being at an art exhibit in San Francisco where half the men were nude and I was most impressed by how many were not circumcised.
The circumcised penis is as natural an icon as the svelte yet curvy woman – it’s what is always depicted as the way it is supposed to be. But my first boyfriend was not circumcised and from what I understand there is more pleasure having the foreskin intact.
One rule of thumb I have heard is to follow the father, is he circumcised?, but since there is no dad to be focused on around here, it’s really up to us and we both fall on the no circumcise side. I don’t know at what point circumcision became so de facto but the truth is I read a statistic that only 30% of the men in the world are cut. And the more you really think about it, the more it sounds like a practice that might cause more pain than good.
I agree. Does that mean you’re expecting a boy? I missed that somehow.
Babies also cry when they get urinary tract infections and other problems with the foreskin. I feel it’s like vaccination with the health benefits, plus many people say circumcision looks better and actually improves sex.
Best regards,
Carlos
Carlos – the research we have done says that there is little to do to prevent infection with the foreskin, that usually by 5 years old the foreskin becomes more convertible. The mothers who have had to tend to a bloody penis on the newborn have a different view of the crying. Meanwhile, I, for one, who suffered UTI’s most of my life would say they are nothing to sneeze at. But I appreciate your comment.
Trying to keep it all under wraps so to speak because we don’t want to put the gris gris on anything. Last time we were in a commitment like this we were shouting from the rooftops IT’S A GIRL but then it didn’t go the way we had hoped – so yes it is a boy – we hope.
What is the policy in India? Do the boys automatically get circumcised?
My oldest is circumcised (as is my husband) but our youngest is not (it was an insurance issue). Neither of my boys ever had any trouble. You shouldn’t have any difficulty leaving your son uncircumcised and I agree tending to the newly circumcised infant is more difficult than tending to the one not. It was no big deal, really. And yes, the majority of the world is uncircumcised from what I understand. They say the rates in the US are now about 50/50, so I’m sure your son will be fine whichever way you decide to go.
Thanks – that’s helpful.