It's very interesting to read so many points of view. All are valid even when different, it's such a personal decision.

I am one of three girls and when I was pg I researched this issue as I had no idea about circ. I was surprised to find out that the procedure on newborns is now done using the plastibell technique, with local anaesthetic. This was one of the reasons I decided to circ Jack (and Thomas since). Another reason was reading about the health problems circ can prevent. But the main reason I decided to do it was hearing from friends about boys having to have it done later in life. I was surprised to be asked by a male friend of DHs who never talks about personal things with me if we would be circing Jack. When I said yes he said he was really glad bcos he'd watched his brother have to have it done at 8 years old and it was horrifically painful.

My main reason for being hesitant once I accepted that it wouldn't be painful, is that I didn't want my boys to be different from others. But a school teacher I know said that she knows which of her students is and isn't, as they do all talk about it. And the older ones mostly aren't, but the younger ones mostly are. Apparently it's far more common now, it is coming back into favour. So my boys won't be so different!

Having now had two boys done at 2 weeks old or less, I am now happy we did it. They clearly weren't in pain from the procedure and there were no complications. But everyone should do what is right for them.