Don't want others to regret

This blog I put out here, not to put fear into parents, but to let parents know these are real. I’ve read many blogs in regards to regretting circumcising ones son. I don’t want people to feel like I have/do. It is a horrible feeling. Now, if you circumcised your son and have no regret, I’m not saying I want you to feel regret. I’m not trying to control anyone’s emotions. I just want people to realize your child is NOT the guarantee, no child is…trust me I know. If you can go in with your heart and head totally around the fact that your child could be in that percentage of complications, then that is when my job is complete. I walked into it(with Hunter), thinking that sure a complication can arise, but was like one in 100,000 and it maybe something like a little too much bleeding. Well, no the complication range(around 5-10%) varies from a lot of blood loss to buried penis to adhesions to infections, to Meatal stenosis etc. I think that is what upsets me the most, not that people circumcise, but that they do it blindly. I was on of those people. I blame doctors/society. Even if a doctor is for circumcision I think he/she should plain list the risks (many do not) and I think they should be required to state the AAP policy and reinforce the parents that this isn’t a medically needed procedure. I went into it thinking I was preventing all sorts of infections and diseases with Hunter. And no one told me different. Yes, I signed consent, but a lot of this stuff WAS NOT mentioned or not written in plain English. I think doctors don’t say the risk for this surgery because there is such a cultural/social and in some cases religious attachment to this surgery, that they do not want to offend anyone. Infant Circumcision is like no other surgery…in the fact that it is done not to treat a problem that has risen or elevate pain. So, I think it needs to be addressed in a different manner.


This ladies blog about her sons complications and regret.

http://attachedwithapaddle.blogspot.com/2010/05/hard-post-on-touchy-subject.html

WARNING: images of penises that were botched in some way. This is for medical purposes, so nothing sexual

http://www.circumstitions.com/Restric/Botched1sb.html



I want to also touch on two things. One if you circumcised one or two sons and don’t want to for the next, you really don’t have to. I’ve encountered many women who did not want to circ another child, but felt they almost had to. They thought the oldest one would be upset that they didn’t “save” him. Or because the whole looking different thing. I firmly believe that if you address the issue and explain your sons will be ok. Way more ok then if your second does come out of his circumcision with a complication.

Second…I’d like to touch on religious reasons for circumsions. Circumcsion today is totally different than that of 2000 plus years ago. Only the tip of the foreskin was cut on and a few drops of blood dripped off the penis. And if you think about it…that makes sense. Do you know how many severe infections and death would have resulted if they circumcised like we do today? No sterile equipement or antibiotic cream/ or medicines for infections.

http://www.amazon.com/Marked-Your-Flesh-Circumcision-Ancient/dp/019517674X/ref=pd_sim_b_2