[Guatmom2006]

Were your boys circumcized when they came home? If not, how awful was it when it was done when they're older? I don't have much experience with boys and I'm just dreading having it done when he gets home...poor little baby...he has to wait for his mommy and daddy for months, now this. I'll feel much better if y'all tell me it was a breeze! Go ahead and lie if you need to!

[jlinberger]

LOL, this has been a hot topic in the past. Many have said it truly was no big deal. Personally, we did not have him circumsized at all. I wanted it, but DH did not. Though I disagreed, since he's the man, he has more understanding on the subject. So, our little man remains intact. DH figures, in the future, if he wants it himself, he can choose then. You will find there are many opinions, many threads on the subject and many "did its" and "didn't do it".

[lcarroll]

This is my personal opinion as one who performs circs on newborns...If your child is under the age of 8 months, go ahead and do it if you want. It is not such a big deal. As they get older, it is a much bigger deal and requires a bigger procedure. My little that we are adopting is 3 and I have opted not to "torture" him unless he wants it in the future!! LOL

[tbengs]

We brought home our boys at ages 16 months and 9 months and neither were circumsized. Our pediatrician recommended that unless there was a problem the data now suggests it is actually better to not circumsize. He also had us read some literature that explained that circumsizing is really only prevelant in the US and the majority of the world does not circumsize. We decided to follow the majority of the world and not have the procedure done. So far, so good. Maybe your pediatrician can provide you with some literature too before you make a decision. Good luck!

[jandsmom]

Joseph came home at 5.5 months old we opted not to do it.

[KKR213]

My son came home at 5 1/2 months old not circumcized and I have also elected not to do it as well.

[fochtru]

I am still in the paperwork phase of adoption, but my friend adopted from Guatemala last year and she had her son circumcised this summer. It was more traumatic for her than for him, I think. Other than not being able to swim for a week or so and having to take a shower instead of a bath (he hated it!) it has been a fairly easy process. There are some cleaning issues and she wishes that her doctor would have been a little more specific about what to do when she got home (she's a single mom---no DH to help with the "details") but overall she feels that it was easier on Nick than she thought it might be.
Ruthanne

[euphemie]

We chose not to circumcise our bio-son. I hear it's about 50/50 in the US these days. In our families (nephews) out of 14 only 3 are uncut including our son. I'm sure my nephews would be appaulded that I even know!!

[Mom4Nicholas]

My son was not either and came home at 9.5 months. I talkd to the pediatrician and then I took him to a pediatric urologist for a consultation. I decided not to get it done. There was really no reason to get it done.

[beejay]

Our son will be home soon (waiting for PINK) He is 8months, I am torn as well but I think I will wait to hear what the Dr. says. I know having it done is quick and cuts down on infections and easier to clean. As far as the pain I don't know. My step father had it done in his 70's due to increase in infections and he said the worst part of the needle to numb it.
They say the younger the better, it is less painful and they don't rem.

Hope it helps
B.J.

[wildboyz2]

I have 2 bio DS and did not have either of them done. I read through the literature and decided that the reasons for it did not warrent the procedure in my opinion. Everyone has to do what is right for their child and their family, read up on it and talk to your peditrician and make an informed decision on what is best.

[chriscinger]

We brought our son home at age 6 months, and he was 9 months old when we had him circumsized. It was something that my husband and I and the doctor (it was 4 years ago, but I believe we saw a urologist) discussed at length, and decided to have it done. He was uncomfortable for a couple days, but then was fine. If he had been over a year old, I would not have done it. But I kept remembering my 3 year old nephew who was not circumcized, and his misery when he got an infection from improper care and cleaning of the foreskin and so forth. It is indeed a personal preference, and a decision not to take lightly.

[ncmom24]

Our son came home at 2 and was uncircumsized. Affter consulting our pediatrician, we also elected to leave him intact. Just FYI, one thing I didn't know prior to the adoption having all daughters previously... is that the foreskin does not retract and you shouldn't try to retract it until they are at least 2 years old and older. We are now teaching our son who is now almost three, how to clean himself in the shower and retract the skin.

Hope that helps.

Tiersa

[KarynB]

Our son is not circumsized - until recently I thought it was cruel and unusual punishment. However - I have recently learned that that boys who are uncircumsized are much more likely to contract HIV/AIDS then boys who are due to the sticky tissue that is left when uncircumsized (for more info see Bill Clinton's speech at the recent International AIDS Conference or pm me for the study that was recently completed). Now my boy is seven and I'm not sure what to do - I know prevalence rates are relatively low here - but still. If a vaccine would protect him I would get it for him - so why not this....thoughts????

[jk22]

I wanted to post my experience on this. I have three bio sons that were all circed at birth. When my first was circed, it didnt look at all like he was and I did not know why. He always looked red and inflamed. At 3 years old I told our pediatric urologist that we wanted to have it redone. They said what is being said on here, that 50 percent of boys are not being circed. I dont believe that, as far as where we lived at the time and where we live now about 99.9 percent of the people I know have been. I have worked at lots of day cares and preschools, and even assisted circumcisions at a hospital in the newborn dept. and it has been very uncommon to see an uncirced child. I dont know where they are baseing this on. Anyway, we had it done, my son did great, he knew exactly what was going to happen, in and out and he was playing 3 hours later. He was a tiny bit sore when he urinated for about 48 hours but he never even cried. I am SO SO glad we made that decision when we did and that I dont have to worry about it anymore! Puberty must be so hard for boys, I cannot imagine him now (he is 11) having to go thru looking different on top of all the other pressures, I really believe that he will thank us when we tell him how it all happened since he doesnt remember a thing. Maybe it depends on which area of the country you live. I would find out what is really done more, and I wouldnt take the doctors words for it. I would ask local parents, day cares, hospital (newborn) nurses. By the way, the only view that changed after assisting the circs, is that I asked for numbing meds for my 2nd and 3rd ds's newborn circs!
Just my honest experience and opinion! ps, I respect others decisions not to do it as this is a very personal choice!