OB's SUCK!

[DocsNemesis]

GRRRR!!! I swear, I cannot find a single OB who doesnt circ. Not one! I had one group tell me oh, we dont do it in the office, they only do it in the hospital, so go ahead and set up an appointment. Hello?!? What difference does that make, I specifically said it was because I am against RIC period.
You'd think I could at least find someone who recommends against it, but nope. All of the docs I have talked to say "well, we give the pros and cons, but its the parents decision." Basically to me its like hearing "screw the baby, I couldnt care less what HE wants!" Argh!!!!! I am so frustrated by all of this!!! Time to start organizing my protests

[Telle Bear]

Where are you ?

[Karry]

Here the pediatricians do the circs not OBs.

[DocsNemesis]

I'm near Seattle, of all places.

[topamicha]

That's upsetting. I was never seen by an OB, but I had two midwives who were quite anti-circ. If not for the first one, I probably would have circumcised both boys. I remember looking on the internet initially and finding the studies that claim circ'ing prevents STI's. She asked me about circ'ing, and I told her (not knowing there was any controversy about it and thinking it was literally just a snip snip), "Well, if there is some small chance it would prevent disease..." She was adamant - "No, it absolutely does not. It's completely unnecessary and has no benefits." I think perhaps I should send her a very belated thank you note. After she gave me that lecture, I found the circ video and this site and changed my mind. I am still grateful she told me what she did. I can't imagine the guilt if I'd gone through with it and found out later.

That said, it's a clear example of how much influence medical providers have. If OB's would tell their patients the truth, I can't imagine what an effect it would have.

[twin monkeys]

So sorry that is one of the main reasons I miss my old OB she refused to do them and would get very heated about telling all her patients who were expecting boys why they should not circ. Then again only one of the peds in the hospital nursery would preform them he is the only one who refused to come see me and the boys in my room. All the other ones were so happy to come in and chat with us and let us know what a great choice we were making for the kids. The one was so sad that we would not be going to see them in their office she said it is so nice to see parents who don't beleive in circ who want to nurse and who study the choices they make for their children first since no vit k was given to the boys in the hospital. I think if DH and I have any more kids it may be eaiser to just move back to Ut for the pregency just so I can have my old OB back who had a backbone and would tell people flat out how wrong it is.

[hubris]

My OB doesn't do circs and was pretty pleased when I told him that my first son is intact and that the second would be, too.

My DH isn't an OB, he's a neurologist, but he's a circ'ed man who has seen the light and advocates to his coworkers, friends, and patients any time he sees the opportunity to discuss circ.

They're not all evil. I heard somewhere that it takes about 25 years from the time information is accepted until it's full-blown general medical practice. We're in the middle of that time now. It *will* be better when our kids are parents.

[Ivan's Mom]

I know your pain. I also posted about this a while back. I cannot stand being under their "care." I have called so many places and people to try to find an OB/GYN that is ethically opposed to circumcision. There are none to be found in NJ as far as I know. It is really frustrating.

The OB/GYN that delivered Ivan told me that he himself had panic attacks about the thought of his son's circumcision, that he was the only doctor at the hospital that I delivered at who used any pain killer : (because he was trained in AZ), and that it was medically unnecessary. I still can't stand the thought of him because knowing all he knows he still does them.

I would just go to a midwife but I had a c-section and I also need to go to the GYN for other reasons (we all do right?). It is the principal of it and when you ask them or their staff about it, it is like they are clueless that there is anything wrong with doing it in the first place. :

[DahliaRW]

Back when I was pregnant and had not found this board yet, I knew I wouldn't circ. When I told my OB she said good, she thought it was unnecessary and didn't like doing them. But yet she did them. She did make it sound like she tried to discourage parents from choosing them, but she still does them. Pity because she was a great doc other than that, but I won't go back to her because of that.

Of course, I won't have another hospital birth either, unless medically necessary...

[jyurina]

I haven't (yet) talked to an OB that wasn't pro surgery-whether for mom or baby. I switched after my sons birth to midwives and will not willingly go back. My midwives have all been vehemenetly anti-circ which made me much more comfortable.

[paminmi]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW

Back when I was pregnant and had not found this board yet, I knew I wouldn't circ. When I told my OB she said good, she thought it was unnecessary and didn't like doing them. But yet she did them. She did make it sound like she tried to discourage parents from choosing them, but she still does them.

Speaking that aloud, trying to discourage a parent from circumcising is a baby step in the right direction, IMO. Just her admitting that to you is awesome.

What an impact just one doctor could have if she would just SPEAK UP and REFUSE to perform circumcisions! I can imagine that there are many like her, hating doing circumcisions but not realizing or even considering that they CAN refuse.

Have you considered going and speaking to her? Think about this board and how we have to support other posters in the quest toward intactness in their babies... Bringing her information that may educate and enlighten her? Foster the notion that circumcision is elective...

When you inherently know something is wrong doesn't mean you necessarily realize just how wrong, KWIM? The right info and encouragement may make a big difference. Just to go to her armed with scientific Anti-circumcision materials and say, "I'm sorry, I can't have you as my doctor anymore and here's why..." It would be interesting hearing her reaction.

If every, single one of us would make an effort to just speak to one of our physicians about this, could it result in a changing force? For this effort to succeed, we NEED doctors on our side. They are the ones who have the real impact. If doctors started saying NO think of what that could do.

Just a thought...

[PuppyFluffer]

Pam, I was thinking the exact same thing. Chosing not to use the services of a doctor is a great step...but does that doctor know? And what sort of impact would it have on them if you were to tell them that while you were pleased with the care they gave you, the fact that they continue to perform circumcisions when they know that they are unnecessary means you will not use their services again OR recommend them? I think it would have an impact.

I had a midwife for my first birth. I did ask about circumcision as we didn't find out the gender of the baby. She was not an advocate of circumcision but did perform them as she had a large Mennonite population she served and she said that they all circ'd. She did them because she used anesthesia and knew that most doctors didn't. Her justification was that at least they got pain relief. I have always been anti circ but when my dd was born, I was not a regular in this forum and certainly not a moderator. Knowing what I have learned from this forum, I would never knowingly use the services of a medical care provider that performes circumcision. But what do you do when you have no choices in your geographic area? I had to travel an hour for an independent birth center.

[paquerette]

Originally Posted by Ivan's Mom

and I also need to go to the GYN for other reasons (we all do right?).

Slightly OT, but that's not necessarily so. In some areas CNM's can do paps and whatever other aspects of well-woman care. And one might have a better shot at finding a non-circing CNM.

[umsami]

Check out OBs who are DOs... you might have more luck. Also, look into Family Practice Docs.

http://www.acoog.org/

http://www.acofp.org/

[DocsNemesis]

The problem is that I need fertility meds. I use CM's for my pregnancies and am a homebirthin mama. So I have to see an OB for that and the one time I went into the OB's office I had been seeing, they were circing a baby boy for a good 45 minutes and I had to listen to it. I cant go back there and I dont want to see anyone who circ's, on principle. Though I guess it would be better if I at least didnt have to listen to it.

[pdx.mothernurture]

I just wanted to add to this thread that there are actually some midwives (CNMs) that have trained and are now providing RIC. The midwife who delivered my son, here in SW-WA is one. Makes me sick. I'm currently in the process of writing a letter to her, letting her know that it's been weighing on my conscience and that in the past I have referred anyone I knew who was pregnant to their practice, but I won't be able to continue to do that so long as she's continuing to do this. I'm also going to include some further info and may also include a copy of "Birth as We Know It" to 'lend' her. I truly believe one person can make a difference. What if she stopped? What if she could speak out to other practitioners as someone who used to perform them but cannot continue on ethical grounds? Wouldn't that just be amazing? I think it's good to, 'think big'! Thoughts are energy, and to a certain degree we DO create our own realities...

Jen

[DahliaRW]

Pam - you are 100% right. I should write a letter. Thank you for bringing that up. I have one other to write first (to a lady at my church who told me I *had* to spank ds) which will take some time to tastefully compose, but after I'm done with that I will write to my OB.

Of course I'm still not going to use her for my next birth, but that's because I want a midwife and a birth center!