No Circ - need some quick facts and information

[Conifer]

Hi,

I am 20 weeks pg. We have an ultrasound this week and hopefully find out if we are going to have a boy or girl. My dh is not as "crunchy" as I am (and I am probably only semi-crunchy LOL)...Well, this is our first child together. I have to kiddos from a previous marriage, a DS and DD. My DS was born with a genital deformity so the circ/no circ was never an issue. My DH's son is circ.

I do not want our new baby circ. I have no real info on this...it just seems crazy to take a perfectly happy healthy newborn and perform genital surgery on him. It just seems so painful and completely unnecessary! I'm guessing that DH is going to disagree, but I've already made up my mind and it is in stone. My DH is a very smart and reasonable man, but I was hoping to gather a little information (other than just my gut) on why it would be a bad idea to circ. Could you provide me with some quick facts and info? I don't need to read huge documentaries or browse through 50 detailed sites with photos...I'm sure there are plenty out there. I just want some cold hard quick points. If he doesn't agree, it will be on to the heavy artillery

Thanks in advance!

[becca_howell]

I got all of my info from nocirc.org. I showed all of that and a video of a newborn circumcision to DH (who is circ'd and was of the "let's research it" mindset) and ten seconds of the video was enough for him to say no.

[Fellow Traveler]

Congratulations, do you have any specific questions or concerns?

This pamphlet will get you started.

[Quirky]

How about this one fact:

No medical organization in the world recommends routine infant circumcision. Not one. The end.

I have lots more facts if you want them as do many posters on this board, but if the doctors' organizations don't recommend it....and many of the more enlightened recommend against it.....why do it?

[Super Pickle]

1.) It's not recommended for medical reasons. THe AAP and AMA don't recommend it b/c the potential benefits, if there are any, are miniscule and do not outweigh the risks and side effects.

2.) It can interfere with bonding and breastfeeding initiation.

3.) It should be his choice, not his parents' choice.

4.) It's going out of style. It used to be the norm, but now people are moving away from it and nearly half of babies nowadays are left intact.

5.) There are risks. Risks include: blood loss, infection, botched job, meatal stenosis, too much taken off, getting "buried penis" or "bent penis", having to have it re-done.

6.) It's painful and traumatic and no way to welcome a child into the world.

[eepster]

Avoid making a fuss about it, just say "no" if he brings it up. Pushing too much info, can make guys defensive.

[Conifer]

Thank you
That was very helpful.

eepster- That's kind of why I haven't brought it up yet. I'm hoping that it will be a non-issue. He just might be surprised at first and want my reasoning behind it. I don't plan on flooding him with information, unless it's the only way to convince him.

When it gets brought up I just plan on saying something like "No way! I don't want someone slicing into our baby"

[serendipity22]

http://www.circumstitions.com/Itsaboy.html
is a good introduction