Circumcison: The Great Debate

I will be giving birth to my sweet little boy in 8 short weeks! Before he arrives, there are so many decisions to make. One of the big tough ones was circumcision. My husband and I have decided to have our son circumcised. Now, I don't want any crude comments about it-to each their own and every parent has their own opinion about what's best for their child. I simply want to share my feelings on the decision and why it wasn't an easy one.

Circumcision is the act of removing the foreskin from the penis. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the benefits outweight the risks. 

The benefits are: easier hygiene, less UTIs, decreased risk of penile cancer, and decreased risk for penile problems.

The risks are: risk of bleeding, risk of infection, inflammation, and irritation of the glans.

I spoke with my OB doctor about my fears and thoughts and I asked her to explain the procedure to me. I was so scared he would feel it! She gladly stated that babies do not have feeling in that region till a few weeks after birth so any sensation of touch is dulled. To make sure that there is in fact no pain, two tiny injections of lidocaine are given on each side of the base of the penis to numb the whole area. She will then take a scalpel and cut the flap over the top. The process takes anywhere between five and fifteen minutes. Now, as a mom, I wish more than anything he could tell me what HE WANTS. But, he obviously cannot.
The longer you wait to do the circumcision, the more of a risk it carries with it. Not to mention the pain.

Am I worried about the procedure? Heck yes I am. Am I worried about him even getting an immunization? Of course! But these are the decisions I've chosen. I know that there are a lot of organizations and people out there who are against the idea of a circ, but I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings on the topic from a pro-circ point of view.

I dont want our son to grow up feeling out of place or embarrassed. I dont want him to ever wonder why he does not look like his daddy down there. Sadly, yes, circumcision has become the norm-just as with getting your baby girl's ears pierced-its cosmetic, though with a circ, it carries some great benefits.