How did you protect him in the hospital? - Page 2

[ktbug]

Maybe goes without saying, but don't take anything stronger than Advil for postpartum discomfort, and if you do, don't get caught alone with anyone who wants you to make medical decisions or sign things.

Seriously, try not to be alone at all if you can help it. Much less your newborn.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

My son was in the hospital for a week after he was born, and I never left his side except for about 5 minutes when they couldn't get and IV and were going to put one in his head. I was a wreck, sobbing, and felt like it just wasn't helping him. He went to the nursery every 8 hours for a week for IV antibiotics, he went every night at midnight to be weighed, no matter if we had just been an hour earlier for his abx or not.

I got so little sleep that week, I can't believe I was still on my feet, but I was so freaking paranoid, I ALWAYS went with him every single time he needed to leave our room. I could have been in a dead sleep, but as soon as the door opened, I was wide awake and ready to travel with him. I didn't even let the nurses give him a bath after he was born, I was so afraid they would retract him or hurt him in some way.

I say stay with your baby at all times, or at least have your DP go with him.

[BugMacGee]

At the hospital where I work, there is such a huge amount of paperwork that has to have all it's i's dotted and t's crossed to make a circ actually go forward.

It would be very difficult to have it done without consent.

[Britishmum]

I agree, that it's hardly likely nowadays that they'd do it by mistake.

But to be on the safe side, I made sure I stressed the fact that my son would NOT be circumcised to my ped, my midwife, and to the staff who admitted me.

I also put a simple little card on the bassinet saying 'No vaccinatons, no bottles, no pacifier, no circumcision". Then dh or I stayed with him the entire time.

Honestly, as long as you have a partner who will stay with the baby and has a clear idea of your wishes, there is no need to worry. DOn't let worry mar your birth.

HTH.

[jyurina]

My son was in the NICU for a week. The birth plan, all forms, etc all said NO CIRC. We also told all the nurses that it wouldn't be done. We still had a couple nurses that kept asking and one that was woefully illeducated about foreskins since she kept telling us that we would eventually do it since it was such a pain to clean. I disagreed and she just got louder. Thankfully the normal NICU staff were very nice and just accepted it. I like the idea of a sticker or just writing with a permanent marker on his diapers that he will not be circed and no one is allowed to touch his genitals. You can also ask that all tests be performed in your room, and if that isn't an option that one of you be with the baby AT ALL TIMES. You are the parents, they cannot take the baby from you.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by ktbug

Maybe goes without saying, but don't take anything stronger than Advil for postpartum discomfort, and if you do, don't get caught alone with anyone who wants you to make medical decisions or sign things.

Seriously, try not to be alone at all if you can help it. Much less your newborn.

:


Also going natural means that I was totally clear-headed (no epidural meds to mess me up.)

Ds stayed in my room THE WHOLE TIME--he didn't leave for anything.

[blizzard_babe]

I'd be more worried about an unknowing nurse retracting him during a diaper change, but if your hospital is like mine was, they encourage rooming-in. I was told, "They'll take him to the nurses' station if you REALLY want." We did have to go to the nurses' station for the PKU and hearing tests, but DH went with him to the hearing test and I went for the PKU.

Just don't let him out of your sight... solves all kinds of problems, both penis- and non-penis-related.

But yeah, a sticker or something on the front of his diaper would get the point across, just in case there's some emergency or other mitigating circumstances. "I am an intact, uncircumsized, unretracted baby and would like to remain as such."

[mntnmom]

Dh went with him for all the tests. I don't see why you couldn't. If you don't have someone to help, go with him, or make them do the procedure in your room. Or PITCH A HIGH HOLY FIT!
They only asked once if we wanted to circ' DS1, and we had DS2 at home, so it wasn't even an issue for us. I like the shirt idea, a onesie would be even better. It would be harder to ignore if you have to unsnap it first!

[minkajane]

DS ended up being in the step-down nursery for a few days after his birth because of some grunting breathing from the C-section, so XH and I weren't able to be with him all the time. We were only asked twice if we wanted him circ'd. The first time was as they were carrying him out of the OR (and I have the horrible feeling that if I had said yes, he would have been cut right then, before I'd even gotten to hold or nurse him). The second time was the next day, by the ped. XH and I were always there when the ped was around because when we said no, he said "Yeah, it's unnecessary, but I don't try to discourage parents from getting it done because it's a procedure and I LIKE doing procedures!" Other than that, we got no comments about not having him cut, no pressure to circ (formula and a pacifier we got lots of pressure for, though). The hearing test was done when he was a week old, so I didn't have to worry about that.

This was in northern Texas, which I think has a fairly high circ rate. So even places with a high rate don't always hassle you.

[Nathan1097]

With my first, I told people we didn't want it done. Still, we were asked several times, to the point of having someone come in and say "I'm here to take Nathan to be circumcised," at which point I argued and he argued back that "his name's up on the board..." and I yelled back "Take it OFF then!!"

With that experience, when #3 was born - #2 was a girl- I put this tshirt on him and a post-card version of this taped in his basinette right next to his "I'm a boy!" card with his "Baby Boy Gardner" and stats on it, etc. I also put a sticker in his chart: just like what's on the tshirt, over the area that said "Circ done? Yes __ No __". Nobody asked me that time, although I did hear on the video later, the labor nurse talking with the post-partum nurse right after delivery as they were dressing him about the tshirt I'd brought to put on him saying something about how we were very specific that we don't want it done. Oh yeah- and since he had to be watched for 12 hours after birth because I was group b strep +, we roomed in together and the nurse came to take his vitals every so often. When she saw his tshirt she made a face kinda like "Like we need THAT shirt!" Like she was insulted I'd need it? Dunno.

[dolcedaze]

If for some reason I needed to give birth somewhere other than home, I wouldn't let the baby out of the sight of either me or a trusted stand in person (DH or a doula), whether it was a boy or a girl.

A friend of mine just had a baby in a hospital, and the baby "accidentally" gave the baby a hep vaccine on a routine nursery visit. It's not uncommon for babies to be given formula without consent, either. There's no reason hospital workers need to be alone with my baby, period.

[dolcedaze]

double post

[Alyantavid]

I made dh go with him for everything. Partly because of the circ issue and partly because I didn't want anything to happen to him. The nurses never said anything whether they had a problem with it or not.

[FraggleLover]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

I didn't have a problem with either of my boys (1998 and 2005) my ins didn't cover it anyway and they certainly wouldn't do something without getting paid in advance. My OB hounded me all through my PG to make sure that I knew it cost $650 and that I should start paying towards it in advance before hand.

I'm kinda new here but SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS. Are they CRAZY!!!! Or maybe it's a cunning dis-incentive plan to get people not to do it

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by FraggleLover

Or maybe it's a cunning dis-incentive plan to get people not to do it

Unfortunately, I think it's proof that people will do just about anything to get their sons mutilated.

[Dave2GA]

I like Nathan1097's procedure. If we were going to have another child I would do exactly what she did. The newborn T-shirt with the universal symbol for "NO" and "Circumcision" on it should be very effective. With our second son we marked his bassinet "NO CIRCUMCISION" on masking tape. This was 23 years ago, but I would still do the same today.

Unfortunately wrongful circ cases are still very common. Many of you know I am a trial lawyer. I have handled or am handling 20+ wrongful circ cases. I've worked on such cases in NY, PA, NC, MD, TX, AL, AR, IL, GA, VA, CO, IN, and KY. I started doing them in 1995. They seem to have decreased in frequency the last couple of years. But you still need to watch your son like a hawk. Saying "NO" does not always work.

[Getz]

I was only asked once and said NO!! No one ever mentioned it again. I did read and re-read each form before signing it just in case.

I really expected to be hounded about it, considering I live in an extremely high circumcision area.

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by Microsoap

Tragically, it happens. One that stands out in my memory in recent years was a boy a few years ago in a Winnipeg hospital. So when the devils in the hospital learned of their mistake, they spent 45 minutes trying to convince the parents to allow the operation (already finished). I think it was a nurse who blew the whistle. The parents were devastated (rightfully so!!!) and they sued the hospital successfully.

Parents, you have nothing to lose being more cautious.

P.S. The Winnipeg hospital stopped doing circ's after this... thank goodness!

A similar case happened in Peterborough, Ontario 7 or 8 years ago. (And the circ rate is very low here - I can imagine an accidental circ would be more of a risk somewhere where circ is more comon)

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by Bea

This is the most litigious country in the world, trust me, no one is going to accidentally chop your sons foreskin off no matter what you read here. Those days are thankfully gone when boys were operated on as routine.

See above. It happens - even in places where circ is uncommon. I believe the cases in Winnipeg and Peterborough were "mix-ups". Written consent or not, mistakes happen.

[SMR]

OP - where are you delivering in Michigan? I had my daughter at U of M and she NEVER left me.. they did the hearing test in our room, they did the pku (to my horror - as we were preparing to discharge and they remembered that it hadn't been done! grrr) in our room.. there was never any reason for her to leave my side. I'm having my boy there in September.. and he won't leave the room either! If there is need, my dh or myself will go with him at all times!