To snip or not to snip..?

My dh is uncut, and apparently his father is. He never had a problem with it.

If we ever have a boy he will not be getting done. I personally dont want to interfere with another persons body. Dh isnt done and he is a strong believer that its not the right thing for him or our children. I dont think kids set out to stare at the peers penises, but i would hope that if my son had a problem he would come to me and i would explain why his looks different to another boys.

HI - I'm intruding in this male section too, but just wanted to know where your OB got his stats from? I'm in SA and the majority of people I know with boys under 6 have all had theirs done. We had ds1 done when he was 8 days old and he didn't even know it was happening, it took all of 3 minutes to attach a little ring which fell of about 10 days later. There was not even a grizzle from our boy, and it didn't seem to be tender at all when bathing or changing nappies. This one we will get him done in hospital as we're going private. According to the doc who did ds1, around 8 years ago the numbers were dropping, but in the last 5 years there has been a rise again. As I said though, I know more boys who have been done than haven't in the under-6 age bracket, and that is across a variety of Adelaide regions and socio-economic areas.

It is a very personal decision, and one that you and your partner both have to be happy with.

Hi Dee73,

I thought it was an extremly low % when the OB stated current SA Circ's. That mainly caused the doubt for me, as I was almost 99% certain of proceeding with the C before he stated the figures.

As we know minimal people who have baby boys, I was curious to ask on here other parents opinions as a 2nd source of reference.

I am prob leaning towards going ahead with it, for the main reason being I am. My DP has said she would be happy with the decision I make on this one (the 1st and only time I have the decision making ability - lol :)).

DP had a partner for 5 years prior to me who was Uncut. She said her personal prefferance was cut. (**Her personal preferance only - not wanting to start a debate on all women's preferred choices).

It is reassuring that your DS did not go through too much pain (or show symptoms of pain). I am scared it is going to break my heart to see my child in pain (of any type).

So with the ring procedure, it's placed on the foreskin and it drops off approx 10 days later? So no actual snipping anymore? Does it just cut-off circulation?

Did it look sore or iritated at all?

Thanks for your support

Dane

Dane - I'm with your dp on the preference issue having known both types!!

I was very worried about the pain it might cause him too, but they took him away while they did it (and I timed it, he was out of my sight for exactly 3 minutes). When he came back he looked fine, no sign of tears and I gave him a feed for comfort (me and him!!) They kept us there for an hour checking the site every 10 mins then sent us home. When changing his nappy that afternoon I wiped the area with a damp cloth as instructed and he showed absolutely no sign of discomfort, or I would not be planning on getting our next boy done when he's born in a few months.

I think if you have it done in the 1st 10 days of life they just use the ring (it's like a tiny rubber band) and it and the foreskin just drop off a few days later in the nappy. If you wait till they're older then they snip and use an anasthetic and there is pain afterwards as it heals. We were told the choices were either before 10 days with the ring, or after 2 yrs old with the knife. Easy choice for us really...

All the best for your decision making and for your exciting new arrival. Maybe you'll have a little girl then won't have to worry!

Hi Dane,

Its great to see a guy in here, please stay around cos we need your opinions too!!!

I would have it done - ive seen 2 little kids who had to get it done later, when they would have understood and probably traumatised them much more than having it done as a bub. DF had to get it done when he was a kid too and doesnt really like re-living the experience!!

So go with your gut and your research, but for me there would be no question !!

Good luck and congrats on the bubba!!!!

maybe google plastibell method.. thats the most common way, for newborns

dee73 - thanks for your words of wisdom and good luck with your next "little man" arrival.

Thanks to the others who have taken the time to share your opinions with me also.

Catrionalee - thanks for the vote of confidence. First time user of the site yesterday, and enjoying it so far. I would be happy to repay the favour with my opinions anytime (from a guy's perspective). I haven't been game to venture out of the mens chat forum yet (Don't really know where to start or where to go).

Appreciate you sharing your experiences with me.

Dane :)

Im a little scared to Annie - it will make it real then (ha ha)

I will bite the bullet and have a look... Wish me luck :)

I know they take bub's away to do the Circ, but I don't think there would be any chance I could watch even if it was allowed. I looked @ a site that had a pictorial guide - and I almost wished I hadn't looked now...

Still keen to go ahead with it, but ouch, ouch, ouch....

Dane, I think it would depend on who your Dr was doing it as to whether you could stay with him or not - I know people who've gone to different Dr's for it and some were allowed to stay and others weren't.

Sorry i can't actually help with an answer either, but im just wondering how would you go about it through the public system?? We want to get jellybean c'd but i always forget to bring it up with the midwife...

Good luck Dane - it is a hard decision - i have no idea so i have to listen to DF and i really don't know what's best...

Ashlea - if you're going public then the midwife will probably not be allowed to give you any contacts. We were public with ds1 and only 1 midwife would talk to us about options, most would just say "the hospital doesn't condone it" but this one mw posted us some contact details after we were discharged.

I would suggest if you have def made you decision to contact a paediatrition as you will need a referal anyway. Just be prepared to have to answer your reasons when questioned.

It sounds like more trouble than its worth... DF just says i don't understand - which is right i don't!
Oh well, i will tell him to do the research.

Ashlea, when we were thinking about it, we called the Family Planning Clinic and they sent out some really helpful information with all the pros and cons for doing it, plus the then current stats on it. That was nearly 7yrs ago and a lot has changed - I don't even think they did the plasti-bell then, it was just cut.

Dane

Good luck with your decision making. I am lucky to not have had to make a decision as I just had a girl. I am cut but have no memories. If in the situation I would be leaning to not do it as I think now that there is no real benefit. You can teach your son good personal hygiene which would stop any infection risks.
Maybe what you should do is wait for the Guthrie Test. Not that there is any relationship here but having just watched my DD have that and how much she hated it I don't think I would want to put a son through any pain that I didn't think had any advantages. Remember that the Gutherie is just a pr1ck and squeezing blood out. Maybe I'm a wuss but it wasn't enjoyable.
Just my thoughts.
All the best for your coming arrival. BTW I think 11th March would be a great birthday for you child! :D
Cheers
Jason

Thanks for your feedback Jason.

Congratulations on the recent birth of your daughter....!

Yeah, I'm probably going to go ahead with it (if we have a boy). Not primarilly for health reasons (more that I am, and I feel my son should be also). I bet you anything we probably end up having a girl after all (not that this would be a bad thing).

It is really starting to hit home now that I am going to be a DAD...! Me and my DP spoke about it for so long, and when we fell pregnant I was so excited - but now we are coming in to the home stretch and we recently saw the 4D scans, wow - we have a real little person nearly here.... Such a miracle and I feel sooooo priviledged to have the opportunity to be a parent.

Good to chat with a fellow Dad.

Cheers

Dane

My DP sat in with a GP for a few weeks and got to witness two circ's. I can't tell you the trauma she had. She said the parents left the child and went out of the room. They should have stayed and watched the poor thing turn blue with the screaming. This was only last year, by the way. I'm not delving into the ancient past.