I'm new to this part of this form and want to know if could circumcise a NICU/preemie

[gentlebirthmothr]

When they first born and admited to NICU and why or why not?

From what I seen they the circumcision when they are about to be d/c from the unit and go home.

Personally, now I think this shouldn't never be done or stop doing it at all regarding religion or case.

I'm glad I finally decided to come here to find out more about this topic. Read articles in Mothering, Compleat Mother, not The Mother yet.

Think thats it for now.

Thank you.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The main reason circ isnt done on preemies and NICU babies is because of the risk of bleeding. Usually they are so little or sick that even the tiniest bit of blood loss could cause them to die.

So usually from what I understand it is done :Puke when they are strong enough to handle the blood loss Even tho more babies than you would think have died from circ related complications when they are born perfectly healthy they just are not reported as circ complications. They usually get reported as infections or blood loss but not why they happened.

[CallMeMommy]

Circ wasn't even offered for my son before he left the NICU. I suppose they might have if I had asked (not that I would), but no one brought it up.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by MRDCatLvr

The main reason circ isnt done on preemies and NICU babies is because of the risk of bleeding. Usually they are so little or sick that even the tiniest bit of blood loss could cause them to die.

So usually from what I understand it is done :Puke when they are strong enough to handle the blood loss Even tho more babies than you would think have died from circ related complications when they are born perfectly healthy they just are not reported as circ complications. They usually get reported as infections or blood loss but not why they happened.

Melissa,

Thank you for your response.

[schatz]

well, the NICU here (in a very progressive city btw) does circ's just before discharge. Twin boys were circ'd while my ds was in the NICU last spring. Made me want to vomit.

[iris0110]

My friend was born very premature in 1984. He had to have heart surgery at 5 days old and the Drs wanted to circ him then. His father refused because he thought it would make it harder for him to recover and thrive. The Drs asked again when he was releases and his mother told them that she thought removing a functional piece of her son's anatomy or asthetic reasons was sick. Good thing they asked her and not his father. He was very happy that his mother made that decision.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by iris0110

My friend was born very premature in 1984. He had to have heart surgery at 5 days old and the Drs wanted to circ him then. His father refused because he thought it would make it harder for him to recover and thrive. The Drs asked again when he was releases and his mother told them that she thought removing a functional piece of her son's anatomy or asthetic reasons was sick. Good thing they asked her and not his father. He was very happy that his mother made that decision.

Shannon,

Thats a great success story for these subjects.

Thank you.

[paminmi]

Originally Posted by schatz

well, the NICU here (in a very progressive city btw) does circ's just before discharge. Twin boys were circ'd while my ds was in the NICU last spring. Made me want to vomit.

ITA-same way at the NICU here where I live. I work in home health and periodically get infants from the NICU to see. The thing that got me was a almost 5 pounder (upon discharge) who was circumcised the day he was d/c'd from the NICU. When I saw his penis I was amazed they had a gomco so small. To me, it was heartbreaking to see that teeny baby who had gone through so much having to get that for a send off.

I also had a set of preemie twins I was seeing from the NICU. Sadly, the single mom went around and round about circumcision before their discharge. The nurses there actually encouraged her, telling her which doctor was the best and that she shouldn't worry. Sadly, she found out AFTER the fact that her father, who was deceased, was intact and had no problems. She speculated that if her were still alive perhaps she wouldn't have circumcised.

I would never type the kind of things that go through my mind when thinking about the parents who ask for this for babies like this way worse for the ones who encourage and perform it.

Someone would hunt me down and lock me up...

Think parents...THINK!!

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by paminmi

ITA-same way at the NICU here where I live. I work in home health and periodically get infants from the NICU to see. The thing that got me was a almost 5 pounder (upon discharge) who was circumcised the day he was d/c'd from the NICU. When I saw his penis I was amazed they had a gomco so small. To me, it was heartbreaking to see that teeny baby who had gone through so much having to get that for a send off.

I also had a set of preemie twins I was seeing from the NICU. Sadly, the single mom went around and round about circumcision before their discharge. The nurses there actually encouraged her, telling her which doctor was the best and that she shouldn't worry. Sadly, she found out AFTER the fact that her father, who was deceased, was intact and had no problems. She speculated that if her were still alive perhaps she wouldn't have circumcised.

I would never type the kind of things that go through my mind when thinking about the parents who ask for this for babies like this way worse for the ones who encourage and perform it.

Someone would hunt me down and lock me up...

Think parents...THINK!!

Pam,

Thank you for your response.

Feel sorry for the mom with the preemie/NICU twins that circumcise her twins and then find her decreased was left intact.

[LadyMarmalade]

I don't know too much about NICUs and preemies in the USA but I wanted to say welcome, Jessica! It's nice to see you here

Someone I know is 22 years old and intact - he was 6 weeks early and the doctors refused to circumcise him because it was so traumatic. His older brothers are cut.

[susienjay]

I have twins that were preemies and spent 36 days in NICU. From what I saw the circs generally took place the day of discharge or the day before. They would take one of the warming beds they used for admission and perform it right in the middle of the NICU. They usually did them in the morning right before doctors rounds. I think that was because there weren't very many parents in there at that time of day. I was always there early to bring in pumped milk from overnight so I got to overhear quite a few. I think my son was the only baby boy that went home with his foreskin during our hospital stay. The nurses actually seemed to encourage the parents to have it done. We had never planned to circ but I became super opposed after that experience. I was really disgusted with the doctors and nurses. These are tiny babies barely able to go home yet they were encouraging cosmetic surgery on them. They called the boys that needed to be circed "circ boys". Several of them talked about how much better it looked after the circ. I did find out the head nurse was opposed to circumcision and I had one nurse also tell me she didn't circ her son either but they were definitely the minority. This was in OH which from my understanding still has a sky high circ rate.

The NICU policy where my twins were was a boy had to be 4 lbs and in stable condition for a circ to occur.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by caloli and susienjay

I don't know too much about NICUs and preemies in the USA but I wanted to say welcome, Jessica! It's nice to see you here

Someone I know is 22 years old and intact - he was 6 weeks early and the doctors refused to circumcise him because it was so traumatic. His older brothers are cut.

I have twins that were preemies and spent 36 days in NICU. From what I saw the circs generally took place the day of discharge or the day before. They would take one of the warming beds they used for admission and perform it right in the middle of the NICU. They usually did them in the morning right before doctors rounds. I think that was because there weren't very many parents in there at that time of day. I was always there early to bring in pumped milk from overnight so I got to overhear quite a few. I think my son was the only baby boy that went home with his foreskin during our hospital stay. The nurses actually seemed to encourage the parents to have it done. We had never planned to circ but I became super opposed after that experience. I was really disgusted with the doctors and nurses. These are tiny babies barely able to go home yet they were encouraging cosmetic surgery on them. They called the boys that needed to be circed "circ boys". Several of them talked about how much better it looked after the circ. I did find out the head nurse was opposed to circumcision and I had one nurse also tell me she didn't circ her son either but they were definitely the minority. This was in OH which from my understanding still has a sky high circ rate.

The NICU policy where my twins were was a boy had to be 4 lbs and in stable condition for a circ to occur.

caloli,

Thank you for the welcome me here caloli and your response.

I'm glad that someone that you know thats in my age group who was in the NICU ended up intact because its doctors made the decision, which its case could the standard for all the other NICU/preemies that they go though it no matter what.

Amy,

Thank you for your response and I'm glad that you left your son intact and head nurse in NICU that your twins were in kept her son intact as well.

Think thats it.

[Dragonfly]

That's just horrible. I can't stand to think of any tiny babies suffering this procedure but especially babies who have spent the first days, weeks, or even months of their lives being poked and prodded and fighting to stay alive.

Seriously, what in the hell is wrong with people?

[Kathryn]

Jessica! It's great to see you here.

I HAD a friend that had her baby 10 weeks early. He did very very well and was able to go home after just a few weeks weighing under 5 pounds. He was circed before he left.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

That's just horrible. I can't stand to think of any tiny babies suffering this procedure but especially babies who have spent the first days, weeks, or even months of their lives being poked and prodded and fighting to stay alive.

Seriously, what in the hell is wrong with people?

dragonfly,

Thank you for your response to this.