Circumcision article in July American Baby

[m0mto3]

Did anyone read it?
They suggest on page 27 in the sidebar caring for your baby:

"If your son is not circumcised....
...the foreskin usually does not fully retract until abot age 5. Until then, retract the foreskin gently durig baths, only as far as it will go without forcing it.

most of the rest of the sidebar is OK... but some mom who reads that is going to retract it, I just know it UGH... why can't they say... JUST LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!!! rinse with clear water

The article in general was pro leaving your baby in tact, but had to mention a 2002 study finding circumcision linked to a reduced risk of penile HPV and a link of lower risk of crevical cancer in the current female partners of men with a history of multiple sexual partners.

Thankfully it also explains the procedure but not graphically enough to scare parents off.

When are we (as a society) going to learn to leave our bodies the way they were intended to be?

[CrunchMama]

How sad. This kind of advice continues to amaze me. I was reading somehwhere recently (can't remember where) to watch how an intact boy plays with his penis. He doesn't force it down, he pulls it up! You mamas with intact boys know what I mean. That thing's like a Stretch Armstrong (remember those?). Anyway, it was saying basically, take a lesson from them in that the foreskin isn't meant to be forced down. If it was, the baby would do it to himself. (NAture is smart, but we've forgotten that)

I've had someone mention the std/aids/cancer info to me (a grown circ'ed man who had his sons circ'ed) but it's such a load of crap. Yes, if there is less of an organ present, there is less of it to get something wrong with it. So lets all get our breasts whacked off just in case! Good gracious.

And what protects you against aids and stds....how about being repectfull of our bodies and take physical as well as common sense precautions in the area of sex. Using condoms, perhaps making better choices whom to share your body with (no IV using drug addicts, one hopes), etc.

Anywho, sorry, bit of a rant. Maybe we should write them some *nice* letters!

[willowsmama]

Sounds like they need a copy of Franks 'Care for an Intact Penis' page.

[Doodlebugsmom]

Originally Posted by CrunchMama

How sad. This kind of advice continues to amaze me. I was reading somehwhere recently (can't remember where) to watch how an intact boy plays with his penis. He doesn't force it down, he pulls it up! You mamas with intact boys know what I mean. That thing's like a Stretch Armstrong (remember those?). Anyway, it was saying basically, take a lesson from them in that the foreskin isn't meant to be forced down. If it was, the baby would do it to himself. (NAture is smart, but we've forgotten that)

I've had someone mention the std/aids/cancer info to me (a grown circ'ed man who had his sons circ'ed) but it's such a load of crap. Yes, if there is less of an organ present, there is less of it to get something wrong with it. So lets all get our breasts whacked off just in case! Good gracious.

And what protects you against aids and stds....how about being repectfull of our bodies and take physical as well as common sense precautions in the area of sex. Using condoms, perhaps making better choices whom to share your body with (no IV using drug addicts, one hopes), etc.

Anywho, sorry, bit of a rant. Maybe we should write them some *nice* letters!

Amen to all of this! Yeah, get your babies circed and they can have all the unprotected sex they want! They're protected from STDs because they don't have a foreskin. Whatever. I knoe plenty of circed goys who've had HPV, and women who've had cervical cancer and never been with an intact man.

BTW, I was terrified of Stretch Armstong dolls when I was a kid!:LOL

[AngelBee]

I am glad it was pro intact.

When ds1 was born everyone told me to pull the skin back to clean. My SIL even expressed concern because at age 3, his foreskin did not retract. She is a nurse!

I am glad I never forced it! I had no clue until I came here a few months ago that you shouldn't pull it back. I didn't much (did gentle a few times when bathing) but I felt it would go on its own when it was ready.

Why is this misinformation still so pervalent (sp?)?

[calngavinsmom]

Ot:

Danae, I love the last line of your siggy! Very cute

Tara

[wagodog]

I think I might've read that article. I remember that feeling of despair - sort of a "why did you have to throw that in there?" feeling. Just affirmed for me why that is not high on my list of things to read.

[CrunchMama]

Ot

Originally Posted by AngelBee

When ds1 was born everyone told me to pull the skin back to clean. My SIL even expressed concern because at age 3, his foreskin did not retract. She is a nurse!

AngelBee,
My stepmom was and still is a wonderful NICU nurse (and a very bright person). When she had my brothers 26 and 23 years ago she had a midwife, no drugs and didn't circ the boys, radical. And yet she was instructed by the ped to stretch the foreskin with every diaper change! I remember changing their diapers and stretching their foreskin, like she told me to! And I was 13 years old! It makes my stomach heave just to remember it.

I made sure that when she came to visit my son for the first time that she knew that that kind of thing is no longer done (at least in my world). She already knew not to stretch it and I think felt foolish for listening to my bro's ped all those years ago.

FYI, my older little bro "had" to get circ'ed when he was 6. Don't really remember the details but I'm sure it was a load of bull. Easier for the doc to snip it than treat it. My younger little bro still has all his bits and pieces.

Thanks Callumsmom2001,
I saw the saying on a t shirt on some website

[paminmi]

Originally Posted by AngelBee

I am glad it was pro intact.

When ds1 was born everyone told me to pull the skin back to clean. My SIL even expressed concern because at age 3, his foreskin did not retract. She is a nurse!

I am glad I never forced it! I had no clue until I came here a few months ago that you shouldn't pull it back. I didn't much (did gentle a few times when bathing) but I felt it would go on its own when it was ready.

Why is this misinformation still so pervalent (sp?)?

Angela:
Misinformation with medical people will continue until schools start educating about benefits and normalcy of leaving the foreskin intact and the atmosphere becomes one of realizing the value of the foreskin. I am an RN and I may have been taught a lot of things in many different areas. Unfortunately, the only thing I was taught about the foreskin was that it will have problems and how to "cut it off." The only picture in my textbooks I could find of an intact penis was of a drawing of a penis with phimosis. A picture with a "negative"
connotation. My textbook also taught me to improperly retract foreskins prematurely as well.

You would think that because I went to nursing school 20 years ago, things today should be different. I would beg to differ. I have spoken to new grads and the misinformation persists even today. I recently spoke to my supervisor who is an RN, BSN and her husband also happens to be an OB/GYN. She didn't know anything about the intact penis and stated, "don't they have problems when they are old and in nursing homes???"

By my experiences with physicians, I would suspect the same thing goes on in medical schools.

All in all, a very frustrating situation. We need to keep talking, as loud and as often as it needs to finally get medical personnel educated regarding this issue.

Pam