[jonathonsmom]

The cool thing:
I gave birth to a baby boy on July 21st. Over the last 5 1/4 years, dh and I have been personally responsible for increasing the North American intact boy population by three.

The not so cool thing:
I moved from a place where circ rates were very high (south Texas, my first two were born there) to a place where they are lower (southwestern Colorado). Thank goodness I didn't circ to fit in, since THAT point is moot here. Anyway, I have had circ come up in some form more times here than I did back in San Antonio. It's weird. From what I remember, in SA I usually had a nurse at the hospital ask and that was it. Here, I was asked if I planned to circ by the midwive's office (but I hadn't given them my birth plan yet, and I think it was a hospital form), then by the ped at the hospital, and then at the one-week well-baby check. Then, I took the babe in for a follow up on day 8, and the tech was asking what it was for when she was about to weigh him. I said, "He just had his". She cut me off and said, "Circumcision?" I said, "no, no, no, no, no." She thought that's what it was because I was reaching for his diaper (which she had just asked me to remove to weigh him). During the 'just checking on you' phone call, the midwives office also asked if I had had him circed. Finally, when I took baby Keaton back to the hospital for a repeat PKU, they took us to the procedure room just off the nursery. The nurse walked over to the table and said, "Ew, what's this? Well good, it's done." She grabbed what was there and moved it to the side. It was a circumstraint. I wanted to cry. I looked around, and most of the drawers and doors had notes on them indicating they were circ supplies. How sad. An innocent babe was tortured that same day. I know the PKU is no picnic, but there is no comparison.

Now, for a bit of sarcasm:
My son has an outie. I have never seen an outie before. I think most people have innies. My son may be teased, and women may refuse to have sex with him because of his belly button status. If I find the right people, I could probably even get studies that say that outies cause, or at least increase the risk of contracting, certain diseases. I plan to have his belly button surgically altered as soon as possible, without anesthesia. Babies don't feel pain and it's best that we get it over with now, to spare him embarrassment. Okay, I'm done. Once again, that was sarcasm. I won't be altering any part of my perfect baby boy.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
Dawn

 

[Quirky]

Congratulations on your new baby boy!

And yay you for increasing the intact population by three!

:

Boo hiss to your medical "care" providers, though.

:

 

[babygrant]

Congrats on your whole baby mama!

 

[Lara vanAEsir]

 

[Microsoap]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathonsmom The cool thing: I gave to a baby boy on July 21st. Over the last 5 1/4 years, dh and I have been personally responsible for increasing the North American intact boy population by three. The not so cool thing: I moved from a place where circ rates were very high (south Texas, my first two were born there) to a place where they are lower (southwestern Colorado). Thank goodness I didn't circ to fit in, since THAT point is moot here. Anyway, I have had circ come up in some form more times here than I did back in San Antonio. It's weird. From what I remember, in SA I usually had a nurse at the hospital ask and that was it. Here, I was asked if I planned to circ by the midwive's office (but I hadn't given them my birth plan yet, and I think it was a hospital form), then by the ped at the hospital, and then at the one-week well-baby check. Then, I took the babe in for a follow up on day 8, and the tech was asking what it was for when she was about to weigh him. I said, "He just had his". She cut me off and said, "Circumcision?" I said, "no, no, no, no, no." She thought that's what it was because I was reaching for his diaper (which she had just asked me to remove to weigh him). During the 'just checking on you' phone call, the midwives office also asked if I had had him circed. Finally, when I took baby Keaton back to the hospital for a repeat PKU, they took us to the procedure room just off the nursery. The nurse walked over to the table and said, "Ew, what's this? Well good, it's done." She grabbed what was there and moved it to the side. It was a circumstraint. I wanted to cry. I looked around, and most of the drawers and doors had notes on them indicating they were circ supplies. How sad. An innocent babe was tortured that same day. I know the PKU is no picnic, but there is no comparison. Now, for a bit of sarcasm: My son has an outie. I have never seen an outie before. I think most people have innies. My son may be teased, and women may refuse to have sex with him because of his belly button status. If I find the right people, I could probably even get studies that say that outies cause, or at least increase the risk of contracting, certain diseases. I plan to have his belly button surgically altered as soon as possible, without anesthesia. Babies don't feel pain and it's best that we get it over with now, to spare him embarrassment. Okay, I'm done. Once again, that was sarcasm. I won't be altering any part of my perfect baby boy. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Dawn

Glad he's intact! You're right about circ'ing to "fit in" being a moot point because you live in a low circ area. In fact, there's no telling where a family may live in the U.S., or any other country in the world unless you have a crystal ball handy. With an 80+% rate of intact men, there's more of a chance he'll "fit in" if he remains intact and remains on planet Earth!

Of course, I don't buy into that "fitting in" b.s., since everyone's an individual in terms of qualities and physical features and that should be cherished not altered! That brings me to my point about your son having an "outie"...... I think "outie" bellybuttons rule!!!

Lots of kids have them these days, whether their parents want to believe so or not. I've had more than a few moms and/or dads reject the notion that their [son/daughter] has an "outie" when they comment about their child's bellybutton being an "innie" and I merely point out (no pun intended) that to me, it looks like an "outie"; since there's soooo many different types of belly buttons appearance, much like the penis. What's wrong w/ individuality and those in the minority (say "outies" and intact in the U.S. for example) just being accepted for what they are?

 

[Quirky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lara vanÆsir Perhaps the repeat inquiries about circumcision in your area contributed ot the low circumcision rates. If someone is only asked once, or twice, whether or not they plan on circumcising, it is unlikely they will begin to question their mindset and seek information. Conversly, if one someone is asked repeatedly about circumcision, they will begin to question their mindset and seek information. In most instances, more someone bases their decision on informed fact, and the less on social conceptions, the less foreskin the cosmetic industry will get their hands on.

See, I wonder...my view is that the more the medical establishment asks whether you're going to circ, the more you think that circ is the medically necessary thing to do.

 

[Lula's Mom]

I have to agree with Quirky here. If you are asked many times over by medical professionals, you might start thinking circumcision was the way to go, if you weren't completely confident in your decision. Being asked 5 times as the OP was just might lead you to change your mind. Especially if you asked one of those medical professionals "Do you think it's necessary?" It's a crapshoot what answer you'll get. In fact I think it's more likely than not that the person would tell you yes.

On the other hand, if no one ever mentioned it, I bet a lot more boys would go home intact.

Yay OP! Congratulations on your baby and your 'saves'.

 

[Lara vanAEsir]

 

[Lula's Mom]

No, because if you answer Yes, we're having him circumcised, then the deed is done and you don't get asked multiple times! The people who get that question over and over are the ones who said no the first time, no the second time, we're not sure the third time...

 

[boingo82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lula's Mom No, because if you answer Yes, we're having him circumcised, then the deed is done and you don't get asked multiple times! The people who get that question over and over are the ones who said no the first time, no the second time, we're not sure the third time...

Exactly.

Which is why, with my first son, they asked SIX times before I decided not to go back, ever again.

 

[Susuhound]

Congratulations on your new baby boy!!!!

YK I have a bit of an outie and it's the cause of several of my mental disorders....
Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! Not really. My husband finds me exceedingly attractive

 

[jonathonsmom]

In defense of the midwive's office, the tech was filling out a hospital form when she asked about circ. During the follow-up, she asked if it was done so she could find out if there were any problems with it. During my pregnancy, I asked one of the midwives about peds. She gave me a recommendation and asked if I had circed my sons. I said no, and she said these peds were very supportive of that. We went on to have a discussion about circ. Her sons are intact and one is 18. She said she had asked him about the locker room. After an "Oh mom!", eye-rolling kind of moment, he said, "Nobody cares about that!" I told her my 5 yo ds knows about circ and that I told him some boys are like that and we don't make fun of them. She said she could understand that some people have religious reasons for it, but those that do it for other reasons need to rethink it. That was pretty cool.

Please let's not get into a religious discussion!

Dawn