Pediatricians and circumcision...

[T-man's Mama]

So I am wondering if any of you take into consideration whether a given doctor circs babies (RIC) when choosing your child's pediatrician? How would you even know such a thing? I would love to learn whether any of the pediatricians in my town refuse to perform this for ethical reasons. It is probably not cool to just call around asking though....

I guess in my heart and mind these days I feel so strongly against RIC, and feel that doctors MUST also know the truth (even if parents don't) because THEY are the ones physically strapping the children down and doing the cutting. So I'd love to support a doctor with enough integrity to stand up to this madness. And I believe this would also be the practitioner with correct, responsible knowledge of how to care for the intact penis, meaning I wouldn't have to worry about retraction at every visit.

[samstress]

interesting.  i wonder if there's a list somewhere of pediatricians who refuse to circumcise.  i know there's the "foreskin knowledgeable physician" list.

this is OT, but i just thought of it.  when we were in the hospital after having our son, someone came in (it may have been the pediatrician) and asked if we were going to have him circumcised.  both dh and i said no and one of the nurses who was in the room gave us a big thumbs up and said "way to go".  that felt pretty good (only because we've heard some not so supportive things from others). 

[T-man's Mama]

Is the foreskin-knowledgeable list you mention someone on mothering?  Or elsewhere?

I recall being asked after the birth if we wanted to circ, but I honestly don't remember who it was. Not the pediatrician though (which we hadn't chosen yet). I was in such a daze at the time.

[samstress]

the list is on mothering - here. 

yeah, i'm not sure who asked us either.  it may have been the pediatrician who signed off on our son (not our pediatrician who's in a different city and didn't have privileges at that hospital).  can't remember, but i'll never forget that nurse.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

You can always make a simple phone call to the ped. you are considering and ask them if they do circ. If they say yes you say OK and hang up, if they say no then you can go from there and do an interview to see how intact friendly they are.

I am stuck with ped's that are definitely not foreskin knowledgeable and it sucks but at least I know enough to be able to protect my ds during visits and if they come off with bad advice about it.

[PuppyFluffer]

In many areas of the country, circumcision is performed by the OB/GYN.  There are certainly peds who do it later though.

To answer your question, yes, I do consider whether a doctor performs or advocates circumcision and I would not elect to do business with someone who is that disconnected from his/her moral/ethical sense.

Have you considered seeing a family practitioner instead of a pediatrician?  They tend to be a lot more laid back and less agenda focused (pushing the vaccine schedule for example)? 

[T-man's Mama]

Thanks Samstress...unfortunately nobody in my state on that list. But if I find one, I'll be sure to have it updated!

@MCatLvrMom2A&X, good idea. I felt it might be awkward if they were suspicious of my intentions in asking. But I can try and see how it goes.

PuppyFluffer, yes that is also a good idea. We aren't harassed for not vaxing as it is, fortunately, but we could always switch him over to our provider to eliminate that concern.

[samstress]

Originally Posted by T-man's Mama 

Thanks Samstress...unfortunately nobody in my state on that list. But if I find one, I'll be sure to have it updated!

yeah, sadly, there aren't many on that list, but hopefully it will continue to grow.

there is a doctor on the list near me, but i live in a major metropolitan area, so that usually helps.

[jenP]

Originally Posted by T-man's Mama 

@MCatLvrMom2A&X, good idea. I felt it might be awkward if they were suspicious of my intentions in asking. But I can try and see how it goes.

I don't see a problem with letting them know your agenda. Call around, tell them upfront that you are looking for a medical care provider with a solid knowledge base in caring for intact males, and that naturally a doctor who really knows his stuff on intact anatomy and function would understand that it is not necessary and in fact harmful, and would therefore not be performing this cosmetic operation on parental request. Tell them upfront you are looking for a doctor whose knowledge you can trust and whose ethics you can respect. A doctor who performs routine infant circumcisions is neither. It would be great for offices to hear this, to know that they are losing an opportunity to grow their practice because of performing circumcisions. If they try to explain that they ARE knowledgeable about intact care but perform circumcisions as a "service" or because "parents request it" or "we respect the parent's choice," you could ask if they respect parental choice enough to perform the service of making a tiny pinprick, just enough to draw a drop of blood, from a baby girl's prepuce, in order to satisfy a parental request. When they disgustedly inform you that they would not do such a thing, you can say, "Ah, so you won't make so much as a tiny needle stick in a girl's prepuce, but you will gladly rip and cut off the entire healthy prepuce of a boy? Well, no thanks, I will continue my search for a practitioner with some real ethics - and who is not sexist, to boot."

Or to keep it shorter and simpler, tell them you are looking for a physician who practices evidence-based medicine, and a doctor who routinely performs surgeries that are NOT medically indicated will not suit your needs for a knowledgeable professional.

[mn_guy85]

Just look for a doctor with that either trained abroad or is an immigrant (there are many Asian-Indian doctors in my area). These doctors are often much more familiar with intact anatomy.

[Night_Nurse]

You can also call up your local hospital's newborn nursery and tell them due to your convictions you are looking for a doctor who refuses to perform circs. Ask them to provide you w/ names of doctors who won't circ. The nurses in newborn nursery (where the circs are performed either by the OB or the Pedi) will know exactly who doesn't circ.