Mothers explain why they circumcised their sons

zip-f:

ElizabethP 
Posted 03/06/2015
Because my husband is circumcised and because I am originally from South Africa where circumcision is very common, we knew for sure that we would be getting our son circumcised. We managed to get it done within two weeks after he was born. He seemed so tiny at the time, but that really is the best time to do it.
He had a Plastibell circumcision and the ring fell off after a few days only, leaving an almost healed line behind the head of the penis where what is left of the inner foreskin has fused with what was the base of the outer part of his foreskin.
My son didn’t really seem to be in any pain from his circumcision at the time. Now, four months on, his doodle looks just how I would expect it to look. There is no overhanging skin whatsoever, so the head of the penis is always totally uncovered. There isn’t a scar as such, but you can see a neat line of colour change where the more pink formerly inner skin joins up with the slightly darker outer skin. I think the result is exactly as I had hoped for, and my son seems completely oblivious to having ever been circumcised. It’s just how he is now.
We have no regrets having it done. I had little idea how simple and easy it would be. We’ll definitely not hesitate in getting any future sons circumcised as well.

Kelsey 

What were your reasons for having your son/sons circumcised? I could only think of a few :

Hygiene
Aesthetics
Look like dad/brothers
Medical (like Hypospadias)
Religion
Other:?

For me it was Aesthetics, to look like the other guys, hygiene, and also “other” – my doctor noted that our oldest son’s glans was on the large side and thought he’s be having pain and trouble in the future. It wasn’t just hormonal swelling as it turns out – to this day Tyler does have a fairly big glans and I would think that had we not circumcised him after birth he would have had a lot of pain and complications in the future.
How about you?

Candice – posted on 10/17/2014

Circumcision was the norm for both of us. DH and brothers done… My brothers done… Nephews done. Cleaner, better to look at, less cancer and now less HIV risk too. No brainer for me. And yet some insist it’s not to be done. That’s simply stupid IMHO. And the suggestion that’s it’s being done less is only because there are more Hispanics here in the US now. My brother is a dr and indicates rates amongst white Americans are static and still high.

Army_Mom – posted on 07/07/2012

Had both of my boys circumcised for Hygiene and for Looks.

A circumcised penis just looks better and I did not want my sons to feel out of place or imbarassed around other boys who are circumcised.

Erin – posted on 06/25/2011

My husband and I chose to circumsize because of hygene. He is circumsized and since I am a woman, neither of us really know how to properly clean an uncircumsized penis. I also know that being circumsized can be healthier for my boys’ future wives. My dad is uncircumsized and my mom went through a time period where she was constantly getting bladder infections from bacteria being passed between them.

I’m glad we did it and I have 0 regrets. If we have more boys we’ll be cutting them as well. My husband is and he’s happy with it too. Circumcision is a purely personal decision for your family. You should do whatever you think is best. They numb them up well and my son slept through it. He only cried when they first numbed him before he fell asleep and then when they took the surgical covering off him because he got cold when it was over. We got him dressed and he was fine. He fell asleep again in the car on the way home. Definitely educate yourself. Try not to listen or ask for other people’s opinions because it’s one only your family can make.

We had the pediatrician do it, and it turned out fine. Looks like any other one I’ve ever seen. Happy with my decision and am going to do it with son #2 also.