This is a very controversial subject. Ever been on baby center.com? Don't bring it up there. People get in HUGE fights about this!!
San Francisco is even trying to make it be illegal to be done til the child is 18 and can decide for themselves.
Anyway, we decided to circ my son. But i did research first. I first talked to my husband and close male friends and family members about this. Of course they all looked at me like I had two heads. It just didn't dawn on them, especially my husband, not to circ. He told me stories of the "uncircd" boys in the locker room growing up. They looked different and weird. He didn't want his son to look like that. I asked KF he ever felt violated or a part of him was taken away? Again, told me to stop reading so much stuff on the Internet
The anti circ people are adamant about how cruel it is. They talk about how it is cutting away a part of your son that doesn't need to be. It is cosmetic only (unless there are religious beliefs involved in the decision) so why should it be done?
But the pro circ side is adamant that there are health benefits. That an uncircd penis is harder to clean. There are reports of lower cancer risks and STDs in circ penis. The social aspect of the circd penis being more, UHg what's the word here, accepted...for lack of a better way to say it.
As far as whom does it, you can pick if you want. Do you know where you are giving birth? Call that hospital and ask for references. Some people have the OB do it, some people pick a plastic surgeon, some people have a pediatric doctor do it.
At our hospital you can stay with your child or not. Personal decision I guess. You can also discuss pain relief. My son was locally numbed. He went home the same day it was done.
After care wasn't bad. We had to put gauze over the penis with tons of Vaseline on it so it didn't stick for the first few days. It healed fine and fast and he never seemed bothered by it at all.
Here is one tip doctors don't seem to tell moms though. If you do get it done, after it's healed pull back the skin gently for like the first year and a half. My sons almost reattached after like a year! Luckily I caught it in time but I've heard cases where it grows back. Don't be scared by this though. It sounds like a big deal but like once a day at diaper changes you just pull back the skin. It takes like less than a second. Now of course it's fine.
Anyway, in the end it will be a personal decision. Circ rates seem to be regional. I live in Iowa, conservative Midwest, so to speak, so circ is pretty high here. But in San Fran like I was saying, rates are going down.
My husband thinks it's insane that people are making a big deal about it. I don't have a penis, lol, so the jury is still out for me. However, I have NO regrets choosing it for my son. Obviously they don't remember the pain and my husband was 100% for it and I kinda wanted him to "look" like his dad. And my husband said he would have been mad if his mom DIDNT do it and he had to go through it at an older age. But I'm confused as to why the anti circ people think I'm horrible for choosing it. That's what the jury is out for me on.....
Anyway, hope I didn't confuse you more! Good luck with your decision. I know it's a tough one