Intact VS. Circumcised Penis

I know this is probably going to cause some kind of debate or bad mouthing or something, but it is something that I have become to believe it. Anti-circumcision. Someone reading this is probably saying, ew, or that's gross, or why would you allow that? Truth is, what is the need for removing anything from your child? Some people use the Bible for reasoning. In the book of Acts, it talks about Paul's missionary helper Timothy being circumcised. Why? Because it was thought to keep him from being hindered from reaching out to unsaved Jews. This does not apply to people today because Christians need not to be circumcised in order to reach out to non-believers.

What about the fact that the Bible says God made man in his image. If this is so, then why do we choose to cut on a newborn child? The child does not have a defect, it is not causing a life or death decision, it is a part of him. It is filled with all these nerves, that a boy, one day a man, will never get back. Leave it the way God made him. That is my thought.

Granted, I did circumcise my son. I didn't know any better really. I had talked to my husband about it but he said it was cleaner and he needed to be like him. Fair enough so we did it. Now my son has a misshapen penis and will probably be that way for the rest of his life. I now fully regret getting him circumcised, having to go through a painful process strapped down to a tiny board with little or no anesthetic. Yes, that is exactly ow I want my son brought into this world. If ever I have another son, I will choose to keep him intact.

Hygeine:
Some people say that it is cleaner, or that it harbors a larger chance for STDS. In reality this is false. If you teach your son to clean himself properly, there is no reason why it should be any less clean than a circumcised penis. All you have to do is talk to the doctor about proper cleaning practices and be sure to teach them to your child. When it comes to disease, it is actually less likely to contract an STD with an intact penis. The reasoning is because the foreskin naturally moisturizes the glands of the penis, keeping it in optimum healthy condition to resist infection. The subpreputial moisture also contains lysozyme, an enzyme that attacks and destroys the cell walls of bacteria.

Process of circumcision:
 I do not think that parents are always fully informed about what happens during a circumcision. If I had known, I would not have allowed it one bit. It's brutal and dehumanizing in my opinion.

For infant circumcision, the baby is placed on his back and his arms and legs are strapped down to prevent movement during the procedure. The baby will either have a topical anethetic applied to the surface of the penis or have numbing agents injected into the penis or around its base.
The person performing the procedure can choose from one of several different clamps or specialized devices -- most often the Gomco clamp, Mogen clamp or Plastibell device. While there are differences in these devices, they perform the same basic function: separating the glans from the foreskin, protecting the glans, and crushing or cutting a ring of skin from the penis. The clamps provide for an immediate procedure, while the Plastibell device stays attached for several days before falling off.

 Yes, your child may not remember it, but would you? I feel horrible for allowing my son to be put through this. It's awful, and just like in my situation, may not be done right. It does happen. There have been incidents where it gets on infected that they have to remove a peice of the head of the penis, that child will grow up having painful problems. Also, if to much skin is removed, as the child gets older, and begins to have erections, they can be painful due to to much stretching. I understand that many people have no problems, but is it a chance you are willing to take?

Discuss the options with your child's pediatrician before birth, do your research, and make an informed decision. Only about 20% percent of the earth's population is actually circumcised. It's America that has made it more popular, but it is slowly fading again. Don't choose unnecessary surgery just because you think it's traditional or you want him to be like daddy. Choose what is best for the child. Again, if you choose the circumcision, it's not wrong, and it does not make you a bad parent. Know your options.