When I talk about circumcision in my childbirth classes I start out by saying we will be talking about male circumcision, although in other countries it is females who are circumcised. Many people are quite shocked and disgusted to hear there is such a thing as female circs. I ask them why are they shocked? Male circs are medically unnecessary and many are done in the U.S.
-DB
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I had my latest son circumcised because my husband wanted it done. My son objected to having his legs strapped down and was crying so that he never noticed the needle he was given for the local freezing. The method used was the Plastibell. I stayed with him during the procedure and he sucked unconcernedly on my finger while it was being performed as he couldn't feel a thing. I was instructed to apply an antibiotic ointment to the circ for a few days until the plastic ring came off. He had no noticeable pain upon urination at any time and he never had a problem with inconsolable crying, nursing or anything else that I can see. So circumcision isn't always necessarily the horrible event some people would like to make it out to be.
-Cheryl Grenon
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A public health nurse and I got into quite the heated argument about circumcision. She was all for it due to the major infections she saw in her practice. I finally realized that she was part of the problem. I explained that as healthcare workers we need to know how to care for the uncircumcised. I am not sure what the outcome of that was--did she change? Probably not. I did give her some info though. I think we all need to be sure our women know all about the why's and why not's and what to do when you decide to leave your babe alone.
-Kelley Thomas-Hill CD
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While most circumcisions are not done for medical reasons, some are. My husband had to be circumcised at 34 years old because his foreskin was too tight and tore and bled profusely after sex. His father and cousins all had the same thing. My son was lucky enough to be born missing 50% of his foreskin. Had he been born with an intact foreskin I would have had to choose between not circumcising him and letting him experience what my husband did or circumcising him and having to put up with all the circ. bashing out there. Nothing is ever black and white and most people are only trying to do what is best for their children.
-Sara Mills
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I am disappointed at this jab at Jewish circumcision. Circumcision, *as it is practiced today,* is a sacred commandment of the Jews. The rabbis of the past are held in very high esteem by religious Jews and are believed to have been divinely inspired. I have read studies that show that circumcisions performed by mohels are practically painless. The woman whose letter you printed is a rare exception to the rule. I agree that routine medical circumcision is unnecessary and perhaps cruel, but bris milah is an entirely different thing. Even if you disagree with me, I still think it would have been very possible to publish an article on circumcision that politely avoided the religious issue.
-Anon.
[E-News] Editor's note: The article excerpt included in E-News was by no stretch of the imagination meant as a jab at Jewish holy law. It was only intended as a bit of historical explanation as to why so much foreskin is removed today. I found it interesting, compassionate and a relief to read that all that was originally intended was for the mohel to excise only a small part of the foreskin. I wonder why so much continues to be cut to this day. The author of the article (printed in Midwifery Today Issue 17) prefaced her writing with this note: "I am not trying to convince Orthodox Jews not to circumcise. I am trying to show that circumcision can be done in a much less radical and painful way and still fulfill religious obligations."
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 1 Issue 40, Oct 1, 1999)
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