Do you ever feel judged regarding not circumcising?

[DesertRat]

Originally Posted by ajane None of the 4 times I was pregnant did any of the dr.'s or nurses EVER let me know that you didn't have to circ or give us the option. In fact at the birth classes we had to take with dd1 they never mentioned anything about non circ'ing or even what circ'ing is. In fact they sent around the consent forms and had all of us sign them even if we knew we were having a girl "just in case" it was a boy. Then it could be just taken care of and they wouldn't have to worry about the paperwork.

And this exactly is was makes me angry about the medical community. I think if we're going to consent to cutting off part of our child's body that isn't currently causing any problems, we ought to know exactly what it is, and why we're doing it. I

[nrsenadenos]

It doesn't come up really in my circle of friends. I guess because for most of us it is a non-issue - none of us are rabid intactavists, and pretty much view it as a parental choice, not a human rights issue. Circ, don't circ, who cares? But then I guess as a whole we are a pretty laid back group - some crunchier, others soggier - and are generally respectful of each other.

[eguisgirl]

Originally Posted by ajane None of the 4 times I was pregnant did any of the dr.'s or nurses EVER let me know that you didn't have to circ or give us the option. In fact at the birth classes we had to take with dd1 they never mentioned anything about non circ'ing or even what circ'ing is. In fact they sent around the consent forms and had all of us sign them even if we knew we were having a girl "just in case" it was a boy. Then it could be just taken care of and they wouldn't have to worry about the paperwork.

Wow! Totally not how we do things. Even when I had my oldest at a different hospital, they did not give me a hard time about not circ'ing him. That was almost 17 years ago! They also showed a VERY graphic video at our birthing classes of a little boy getting circumsized. It was pretty horrific but made its point very well showing step by steo exactly how it was done.

Once, in nursing school I watched one- cried and almost passed out. It looked soo painful and I knew from there on out I would never be able to participate or spectate this procedure again.

[newmommy13]

Originally Posted by eguisgirl Wow! Totally not how we do things. Even when I had my oldest at a different hospital, they did not give me a hard time about not circ'ing him. That was almost 17 years ago! They also showed a VERY graphic video at our birthing classes of a little boy getting circumsized. It was pretty horrific but made its point very well showing step by steo exactly how it was done. Once, in nursing school I watched one- cried and almost passed out. It looked soo painful and I knew from there on out I would never be able to participate or spectate this procedure again.

Wow I can't believe they show a video! If you can't watch it being done thats a clue that you might not want to make your baby actually go through the procedure. I love the ideals of the pnw.

Fwiw I agree there is a tin of bashing of the medical community here. Probably most of it is waranted. However, whenever I read those posts I always have in the back of my mind that there are some seriously awesome doctors and nurses out there. Its like any other profession. DS has a lot to say about the medical community and I think I would have a hard time participating if I was reading broad (and not good!) generalizations about my profession. So while a lot may be true it sucks for you so...i guess I'm sorry about that. Lol not sure where I am going with that other than I wanted to acknowledge that I dont think you are evil because you are a nurse!

[DesertRat]

Originally Posted by newmommy13 Wow I can't believe they show a video! If you can't watch it being done thats a clue that you might not want to make your baby actually go through the procedure. I love the ideals of the pnw. Fwiw I agree there is a tin of bashing of the medical community here. Probably most of it is waranted. However, whenever I read those posts I always have in the back of my mind that there are some seriously awesome doctors and nurses out there. Its like any other profession. DS has a lot to say about the medical community and I think I would have a hard time participating if I was reading broad (and not good!) generalizations about my profession. So while a lot may be true it sucks for you so...i guess I'm sorry about that. Lol not sure where I am going with that other than I wanted to acknowledge that I dont think you are evil because you are a nurse!

I'm probably one who sounds like I am "bashing" the medical community. I know there are places and specific drs and nurses that are very informed, and I hate to lump everyone into the same group. Unfortunately, it's been my experience that most of the nurses or doctors who ever looked my sons during WC exams tried to retract them. Granted, that's a very small sampling of all U.S. doctors, but it's enough that it always puts me on edge when I take my boys to the doctor.

Then, you get people like Dr. Oz (who a lot of people believe represent the medical community as a whole) supporting circumcision. The AAP has to come back and get wishy washy on their circumcision stance. It irks me.

I don't think it's entirely unfair to say that, in general, the medical community is ignorant of the care and development of an intact penis and that it is biased towards circumcision.

[kushie tushie]

Originally Posted by DesertRat I'm probably one who sounds like I am "bashing" the medical community. I know there are places and specific drs and nurses that are very informed, and I hate to lump everyone into the same group. Unfortunately, it's been my experience that most of the nurses or doctors who ever looked my sons during WC exams tried to retract them. Granted, that's a very small sampling of all U.S. doctors, but it's enough that it always puts me on edge when I take my boys to the doctor. Then, you get people like Dr. Oz (who a lot of people believe represent the medical community as a whole) supporting circumcision. The AAP has to come back and get wishy washy on their circumcision stance. It irks me. I don't think it's entirely unfair to say that, in general, the medical community is ignorant of the care and development of an intact penis and that it is biased towards circumcision.

DSKs old ped tried to retract him at his 12 mo Well Check. I freaked and pinched his foreskin and started pulling it up. She was trying to pull it back and I started screaming. She started with the " if you dont start to retract it now it can become stuck and never retract. You need to clean under it" and blah blah blah. My mouth literally fell open. I told her to get her hands off my child, left and reported her to Doctors Opposing Circ. We never went back and DOC sent that Naval Clinic a bunch of info about circ and intact care...we never went back to her.

Amanda . Blaming my phone for typos and crap.

[JennTheMomma]

When I had ds1 no one talked to us about circumcision. I guess it was just assumed you were going to. His old Ped tried to retract him, as well as a nurse, and one of my friends boys was retracted by a nurse at this clinic/hospital. We no longer go to that clinic and have not had problems with our current one.

[KaleidoscopeEyes]

Originally Posted by kushie tushie I live in a very high circ rate area. My friend just had her little boy in May. The nurses asked if she wanted him circ and she said no. They then said "oh thank God! We didnt want to say anything but we hate to see parents agree to circ. They didnt want to say anything but didnt say anything till after they heard her views. Amanda . Blaming my phone for typos and crap.

yeah i had a very supportive reaction "good for you" from the nurses with ds1 (oregon) and ds2 (missouri)

[Terra]

Originally Posted by 4dramamama I've also brought it up to my SIL who is very close to us and asks our opinion on things ALL THE TIME. They declined the information and I respected their desire for ignorance. That is the nature of parenting my own children and not EVERYONE's child.

I do love how you have handled this. These are the kind of women I have listened to on here on the matter that helped to inform me.

Oh wow, not that is sad that some hospitals don't inform of the choice! I must say that both of my births I was told about the choice. My first was circ'ed just because "that's what we did" and "for religious reasons". My second, thanks to some wonderfully nice ladies on here, I did leave him intact. On that one the mid-wife came in and asked if I was going to circ or not and I told her no. She was happy.

[Brooke789]

The nurses (maybe just one in particular?) were absolutely not informed at my hospital. When we told her we wouldn't be circumcising and thus NOT signing the waiver she was going to check to see if that was allowed. She'd never had anyone NOT circumcise before. It was really hard to believe. She never came back and said anything but I guess whoever she asked probably laughed