Circumcised

The only reason I considered it was for hygiene purposes but then I did research and it doesn’t help at all! Also I didn’t have the heart to cut my baby there is literally no purpose! Let your baby’s PP be free

I find that it’s up to the father to decide!!! I have found that most dads who are circumcised will want to circumcise their baby and if they aren’t then they don’t want to… I also find it 100% better have him circumcised as if he gets older and doesn’t clean properly as most boys don’t like to they will less likely have infections …. One of my sister in laws friends just had to have her son circumcised as he kept getting infections!!! He was 8 I think that’s a long time to wait… If you do it when they are young they won’t know any batter plus they won’t be in pain… I had my son circumcised and honestly it’s a lot better… I don’t have to worry about not getting in all the crevices as you can see it…

I was just scrolling and hit ‘I will’ by accident. I don’t even have a bb 🤦🏼‍♀️

My husband is Jewish. He wanted our kids circumcised. I told him literally over my dead body. It was absolutely not going to happen. Period. He had zero say.

It's child genital mutilation. The rate of uti for men is incredibly low. I find it appalling a mother would get surgery on her son's penis instead of TEACH HIM TO CLEAN IT. My husband once got an infection on his toe from not drying his feet properly, should I cut his toes off? 🙃

At first I thought, if I was living in America ofc because I wouldn’t want him to be bullied. However, watching my baby recover from a circumcision due to medical reasons was awful. If you teach your child how to wash correctly, they will have no issues and if they wanna snip their skin off when they’re older then that’s their choice.

Depends on where you live in the states. In southern states I believe it’s still widely done.

Delivering my first any day now, and my husband and I decided even before pregnancy not to circumcise. I haven't brought the topic up bc it can be very contentious, but my husband mentioned it to his family and his parents were very surprised. We explained it was for a lot of the same reasons others are saying here ^^ I personally know at least 2 other baby boys who were uncircumcised (one I used to babysit and another is a friend's son). If you choose not to circumcise your son he likely won't be the only one in his class. More parents are choosing to skip this nowadays in the US.

I had all 3 of my boys circumcised and my last baby will be as well. I wasn’t super against it either way and I let my husband make the decision.

I’ve always been told (by doctors) that sons should be the same as their dad. A lot of times if they look “different” from their own family it will cause insecurities. So I would say if your husband isn’t then don’t, but if he is it’s important to think about how the child will feel when a bit older and not just think about your own feelings. Now my personal opinion is I don’t have a penis and don’t know what it’s like to live either way, so I let my husband make that decision because he will be the one explaining and teaching him everything regarding that area.

@Wendi The reasons to circumcise a male is reduced risk of STI’s, reduced risks of UTIs, reduced risk of penile cancer, reduced risk of infection, reduced risk of phimosis, and last but not least easier hygiene (I’ve seen too many men in the nursing home have to get cut 😬)

I’m American and my husband is Ukrainian. He’s not cut. My son isn’t cut. And my son who is on the way won’t be cut either.

@Rachel females actually do have a foreskin. It’s called the clitoral hood. Both the foreskin and the clitoral hood are also called the prepuce.

All my are boys circumcised. It’s what I wanted

@Wendi You asked a question I gave the answer sorry that made you mad 🤷‍♀️

@Rachel In Egypt they used to circumcised girl by cutting the clit, some family still do it, but it’s not as popular as it used to be there ( thank god!)

As a Jew I will be circumcising my baby boy it’s a necessity for my child’s covenant with god also most men end up needing it when they are adults and then it’s much more painful

@Wendi Your answer says otherwise 😬. You asked why would someone do that and I gave the reasons. Sorry you felt like that was a personal attack. I never even said that it was my personal option, just like to play devils advocate.

I'm British and like you always thought this was done for religious reasons. I've been surprised by the debates on this site regarding it! My partner is European and not done. We never even discussed it for our son. I see no problems with a foreskin. Your opinion is just as valid as your husband's and he is not necessarily the only one who will be explaining and teaching regarding that area. In fact, as a Science teacher, I fully intend on talking a LOT about down there.

@Wendi I never attacked you personally so please refrain from doing so to me. I actually have a lovely life and can have a debate without getting angry and verbally attacking strangers I know nothing about. I also haven’t replied to others because I replied to your original comment so you are who I replied to 🤷‍♀️ I’m in a cornhole tournament at my friends place right now and don’t have time to read every comment.

@Rachel that's mental. Do you and your daughter sit and compare the appearance of your vulva? I sure don't, that would be weird as fuck. Children have a variety of physical characteristics that may be different from a parent and that can easily be explained. It's not going to cause trauma 🤣🤣🤣

The statement of your husband is weird. Why would he feel different for not being circumstances? It's not like it will be written on his face ahahahaha. I wouldn't ever do that personally.

Because I’d want the ultimate say on anything involving my daughter’s private parts, I left my son’s circumcision decision to my husband. He chose to circumcise as a newborn. I did share my thoughts on it with my husband for him to consider but it was really up to him. He has a better understanding of caring for himself as a man through experience, I’ll never know what it’s like to have a penis

In my relationship, I am letting my husband decide that. I am not a male nor have a penis, so I can’t speak for that. However, the point about FGM and circumcision is very valid. Another point though is that circumcision as an adult HURTS. My friend’s husband had it done (idk why), and she said he was bedridden from it. I’ve heard it’s like tonsils—way worse to remove as an adult because they’re larger.

I’m in Canada (so probably different but probably not super different) and in my generation most men are circumcised but it’s changed a lot! Most boys born now are not circumcised so they will be in good company not weird. My midwife was able to give us the latest circumcision rates and that put my mind at ease because I didn’t want anyone cutting my son either

I know it’s done a lot for hygiene purposes but ultimately it’s your decision since it’s your baby

I appreciate all these comments and votes!!! I’m putting on my birth plan no circumcision. I’m going to show my husband all the comments in hopes he agrees with me. I think at the end of the day, I birthed him - I get to decide haha

Worrying that he will "look different" is not a reason to circumcise!!! You're child is going to look different facial and body wise because they're their own person. I know men who can't climax without anal stimulation because circumcision damaged their penis and they have minimal sensation. It's affected their sex lives their whole life.

Soooo I did both, but with a plot twist. I did it with my first because I had no idea what it even meant (19 and pregnant. Genius!) so I asked my mom, she basically said “Your father is, your brother is, my grandson will be.” And so I did. With my second I did not and then he had to have it surgically done at age 5 due to constriction and he hated anyone else helping clean by then. Honestly it’s one of the happiest times I’ve seen him, but it was terrifying for me because it was a full blown surgery on my 5 year old! I’m glad it was his decision but also felt like had I done something wrong by not doing it when he wouldn’t remember? He’s 13 now and still very much remembers it and still says he wanted it. I do know my current partner would have absolutely said over his dead body if this LO was a boy as he is not and doesn’t want to be.

@Ella I don’t have a daughter, but my mom was a single mom and walked around the house naked like 90% of the time growing up and I’m very confident in my own skin probably partially because of that. If there was a major difference in something hanging off our bodies that it very noticeable maybe I wouldn’t be as confident. Couldn’t say cause I don’t have that experience.

You have way bigger problems if your small child and a grown adults penis look anything alike.

There is actually medical reason behind circumcise may be that research will help, if not for religion. Doing it as adult much more troublesome then doing it as a baby.

I don’t have a son but I wanted to chip in that my ex boyfriend was circumcised at age 16 and it traumatised him quite heavily! The pain when getting erections was excruciating.. He’s had sexual performance issues since and he’s now 37. It just raises alarms for me reading ‘let him decide’ because it’s so much more complicated once they’re bigger! Saying that, I also personally would absolutely not circumcise my baby son if I had one, wherever in the world I lived it would never feel right to me. I have a baby daughter and also would not culturally alter/cut her perfectly natural genitals.

It's becoming outdated in north America as well, soon it will be weird if they are cut here. So he shouldn't do it for that reason

I did my baby he was fine his dad was there during the procedure he didn't cry or anything they gave him a sugar water that makes him sleep after he came back from the procedure he slept for 6hrs straight i want to wake him to feed him nurse told me to get as much rest because tomorrow will be different. Take him home the next day after he pees and poop. We use gauze and ointment on it for 7 days as the doctor recommended.

We didn't do it in hospital, we used a mohel. When done in the hospital it takes a lot longer, baby is strapped down awake, and it's done typically by a resident who doesn't have much experience. Our mohel was well recommended and has done thousands in his career with only 1 issue due to an unknown rare bleeding factor present in some Jewish genes. He gave us the option of going to him or him coming to us, we chose to have him come to our house for lil man's comfort and our own, everything was sterilized and my husband was able to be there to comfort him. Mind you were not practicing Jews but my husband was born into a Jewish family. Most mohels are rabbis but ours did not involve and religious ceremony

@Kimberley just out of curiosity if the British don’t circumcise “babies” then when do they get circumcised? When they are kids, teenagers or adults? or is it just a procedure that never ever gets done? I’m just curious to know if the British don’t do it on babies then is it something they don’t do at all even in childhood, adolescence or adulthood? Cuz if that’s the case, ya’ll women over there are used to dealing with men with turtle necks? 🫢 omg Bt to answer the ? On the post, we definitely circumcised our son. I honestly think as a woman since I don’t have a penis my opinion on the matter was irrelevant. My Husband shudnt have opinions or make decisions abt vaginas or any other female body parts he does not have and I don’t get to ? him or a body parts I don’t have. My Husband is American & he was definitely not going to let his son not get circumcised & I supported the decision. Just for reference, I’m Muslim & African & in my culture & religion boys have to get circumcised :)

@Jasmin they just don’t get circumcised unless for religious reasons as a baby or medical reasons as an adult. They learn to care for their bodies and keep clean. If men weren’t supposed to have it, it wouldn’t have to be surgically removed from their bodies.

My midwife gave me the statistics for our country (Canada), and it turns out circumcision is becoming outdated. We have a high percentage of boys that would be uncircumcised in our area so we wouldn't feel our son is out of the ordinary. My husband is circumcised but didn't want to circumcise our son. Our midwife also told us that the medical reasons for having an uncircumcised penis are still quite low for percentage. For instance sure they may have a higher chance of getting a UTI, but women have higher chances of getting one than a boy who is uncircumcised. If you look at the picture, that way it's not as scary as it seems when it comes to one or the other.

@Jasmin I’m British and I don’t know any men that are circumcised unless they’re Jewish. It’s just not the done thing at all over here unless for religious reasons. So, yes we are 😂 I honestly can’t get my head round the STI argument, that’s what condoms are for!

@Lauren omg that is good know! Well then, if ya’ll like it then I love that it lol. Bt I’m like the opposite cuz were I come from it’s very rare if not non existent to see uncircumcised ones. Do u know, is the procedure not done with other Europeans countries as well, like what abt the French, Scottish, Irish, Danish folks etc. do they not do that practice as well in those countries either?

Boys need to be taught to clean themselves! They won’t get infections or unwell. I’m in uk. I think unless religious why would you remove something that is MEANT to be there and not just trimming hair or whatever but physically cutting and harming child. Unless it’s medically needed I would never have it done. You wouldn’t cut a girl down there so why a boy. We don’t sit comparing our areas and neither do boys need to

I watched this documentary when I was on the fence about it it was very instrumental with having me not proceed with it - its very informative & what I like most is that you hear from both sides of the table - both perspectives. There are physicians and various other medical professionals , individuals etc who weigh in on the discussion who are either for and against it. You might consider looking at it together https://youtu.be/0bZCEn88kSo

@Jasmin most of Europe does not circumcise except for medical/ religious reasons

@Jasmin it’s generally not done at all in the UK, and I think most of continental Europe doesn’t other than for religious reasons.

If you can't come to a mutual agreement I'd say leave it and let the child decide later

What I will say is that if you choose not to circumcise him, make sure you both are well educated on how to properly clean his penis while the foreskin is still fused. A lot of Drs do not give correct advice on this here in the US and I believe that’s why so many American men end up needing a circumcision later or having issues with their foreskin. My husband and I had this same debate and he ended up winning and we circumcised my son. I regret it sometimes and they left some of the foreskin behind so we still ended up having to deal with that 😡

For people not understanding how a boy being uncircumcised can cause bullying and make him feel different than other boys- when your child gets to middle school in the US, they HAVE to take some for of physical education and at some point it’s most likely going to be at the beginning of their school day. They’re going to have to change clothes and probably be in a shared shower at some point with his school mates. I knew several guys growing up who I had never personally seen their penis but we all knew they were uncircumcised bc the guys in the locker room would come out and make fun of them in front of everybody. I knew a couple of super attractive guys they did this to to make girls not like them and FROM WHAT I SAW it worked

We didn’t- you guys should watch “The elephant in the hospital” on YouTube- it’s about the pros vs cons with factual information. It helped us make an informed decision! It’s a tough discussion to make but another point I would like to point out is; one mom said “one day my son will be so thankful I did this” I had a friend in college and when he found out what the procedure of circumcision actually looked like he was appalled his mother would do that to him. He actually cried and was really mad at her for “mutilating his body” I don’t know their relationship now but he definitely was not thanking her for it. Our thoughts- if I (a female) can learn to properly clean my vagina- an internal crevice- and my husband has lived his whole life able to clean his penis-Our son can learn how to clean his penis along with the rest of his body! 😅 Good luck mama and congratulations on your baby boy!💙

We didn’t do it for our boys mainly bc I didn’t want to inflict pain unnecessarily. If you read about why it even became a standard practice here you’ll see why it’s become more rare since the 70s. In the 19th century it was promoted as a way to prevent infections and improve hygiene because during that time there wasn’t access to hygiene and healthcare. There was also the influence of Victorian era physicians who promoted it as something that would prevent masturbation, which was frowned upon then. Religious influences, etc. Most of the STI and cancer claims were debunked and overstated. Overtime it just became just another secularized procedure here and seen as the norm and parents (like your hubby) didn’t want their kids to look different. But it’s been in decline since the 70s over debates over medical necessity, it not being ethical to perform on infants, & just increased awareness. It’s mainly still done now for cultural, religious reasons and preference vs medical guidelines.