[mustangtbn]

My family is looking for a new FP/ped for our children. I've heard that Dr. Hodges at Coastal Pediatrics in Portsmouth is good with families that decide to delay/selectively vaccinate. Is this the case and is he also a good choice for intact boys - i.e. does he avoid retraction and recommend against retraction? I was shocked to find that the NP we currently see does recommend retraction on boy infants and that's one of a few reasons I'm now looking for a new practice.

Any other suggestions near Dover/Portsmouth would be appreciated too! Thanks!

 

[mainemommy1]

I've just started coming to mothering.com recently and my son is also intact. I didn't realize that you should not retract the penis-I have never done this but an oncall dr in the area did during a sick weekend visit. Wow, I am feeling really mad right now that I've just read more about this.
Anyway, our regular Dr is Dr Lampert in York at Village Peds and he has never done this at any of our visits.

 

[JosieWhales]

I don't live in the seacoast area anymore, so I can't say as who's a good doctor. But I can't believe there are doctors who say to retract! I have two sons, neither were circumcised. I'm pretty sure all boys are born with the foreskin intact. My boys' foreskins retracted naturally right around 3-3 1/2 years old. The norm is anywhere between age 1 and 5. And boys (at least my boys) do a pretty good job of gently working on it all by themselves, until one day they say, "Look Mommy, look what I can do!"

My mother-in-law tells me the horrific tales about when she was a new mommy (with my husband) and had to tell her doctor that she didn't want him circumcised. That doctor got really angry with her for going against "the norm" and his recommendation. When she asked about my husband's penis being intact, the doctor forcibly retracted it by CUTTING it!

Sure hope you find a good supportive doctor. Don't stop looking until you do.

 

[swiesz]

Yes i have been bringing my boys to Dr Hodges since birth. They are now 1, 4 and 6 and they are all intact. he has not ever done anything to retract the foreskin. Actually i asked him at my last appointment for my youngest when they should be able to do it, bc my middle boy was trying to do it himself and it hurt, but his older brother can do it and he wanted to also. Anyway he was really good and said, like i knew that all are different and usually by like age 5 or so. We actually have their appts in a couple of weeks as they just turned 1, 4 and 6. They are all not vaxed and we have had no problems with that as well.

 

[mustangtbn]

Thanks, mamas! I'm going to give Dr. Hodges a call!