Title:

To Circumcise Or Not To Circumcise

Word Count:
472
Summary:
If you re about to have a baby, no doubt the subject of circumcision for a boy bab
y has entered your mind. Circumcision is a personal choice but, of course, it s on
e that you re making for another person- so you tend to feel a fair amount of pres
sure to make a good decision. Here are some things to think about that might mak
e your choice easier.
In the US, the majority of boys are circumcised, though the numbers are declinin
g somewhat. In other parts of the world, most ...
Keywords:
Baby, babies, infant, parent, mother, child
Article Body:
If you re about to have a baby, no doubt the subject of circumcision for a boy bab
y has entered your mind. Circumcision is a personal choice but, of course, it s on
e that you re making for another person- so you tend to feel a fair amount of pres
sure to make a good decision. Here are some things to think about that might mak
e your choice easier.
In the US, the majority of boys are circumcised, though the numbers are declinin
g somewhat. In other parts of the world, most non-Jewish boys are not circumcise
d. 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 . Th
e father is most likely the person who will teach the boy how to handle his pers
onal hygiene in this area, so taking Dad s personal situation into account might b
e a good way to make the decision. My husband is circumcised, as is our oldest s
on, but our younger son is not. He was not circumcised when we adopted him at te
n months, and we chose not to add the trauma of circumcision to his life, consid
ering all the other adjustments he had at the time. My husband had to do some re
search on the subject to feel prepared to teach our son the proper care of an un
circumcised 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 t
han if he had been circumcised as a newborn. I m sure it s no walk in the park at an
y age, but do realize that if you don t have your son circumcised right away, it m
ight 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 mu
ch more foreskin than others. If your son has only a small amount of foreskin, y
our 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 t
hat your son s foreskin is not likely to cause hygiene issues, nor will it be pron
e 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 sor
t out the facts.