To Circumcise Or Not To Circumcise
Sarah Veda

If you're about to have a baby, no doubt the subject of
circumcision for a boy baby has entered your mind. Circumcision
is a personal choice – but, of course, it's one that you're
making for another person- so you tend to feel a fair amount of
pressure to make a good decision. Here are some things to think
about that might make your choice easier.

In the US, the majority of boys are circumcised, though the
numbers are declining somewhat. In other parts of the world,
most non-Jewish boys are not circumcised. The difference seems
to be almost entirely cultural. There is really no right or
wrong answer here, but I think one good guideline is "like
father, like son". The father is most likely the person who
will teach the boy how to handle his personal hygiene in this
area, so taking Dad's personal situation into account might be
a good way to make the decision. My husband is circumcised, as
is our oldest son, but our younger son is not. He was not
circumcised when we adopted him at ten months, and we chose not
to add the trauma of circumcision to his life, considering all
the other adjustments he had at the time. My husband had to do
some research on the subject to feel prepared to teach our son
the proper care of an uncircumcised penis. Our son is six, and
at this point, has never asked about the difference between his
penis and his older brother's and Dad's.

One thing to consider about circumcision – it is a decision you
need to make early on. Part of the reason we chose not to have
our younger son circumcised was the fact that, at ten months
old, it would have been much more physically painful than if he
had been circumcised as a newborn. I'm sure it's no walk in the
park at any age, but do realize that if you don't have your son
circumcised right away, it might not be wise to change your mind
a few months down the road.

A final note about circumcision- not all penises are the same.
Some boys have much more foreskin than others. If your son has
only a small amount of foreskin, your doctor may refer to this
as a "natural circumcision", and recommend that you not have a
circumcision performed, unless it is for religious reasons.
This means that your son's foreskin is not likely to cause
hygiene issues, nor will it be prone to infection, as are some
uncircumcised penises.

It's wise to talk to your doctor before you make a decision
about circumcision. It's a decision that you need to feel good
about, and worth the time it takes to sort out the facts.


About The Author: Sarah is a 41 year old wife and mother of two
boys and one girl. She spent many years as a manager in the
corporate world, and gave it up to be a stay at home mom. Go to
http://www.infantresources.com now and get her incredible baby
minicourse – absolutely free.