A touchy subject

Let me just get it out of my system to say that personally I believe that circumcision is barbaric. That being said, it is common place and actually quite a lot easier to keep clean than the connected foreskin.

So I was reading this article about it and the history of it and found this VERY interesting...

Once upon a time, circumcision was thought to reduce masturbation as well as cancer and mental disorders – but this has all been thoroughly disproven. In Western medicine, it gained popularity during the turn of the 20^th century, and was usually performed without anaesthesia. At this time, it was considered to be a sign of social status, as it indicated a baby was birthed by a doctor rather than a midwife, indicating a 'well-to-do' willy. These spurious claims and social conventions started to drop in popularity during the 20^th century, then in 1971, the Australian Paediatric Association adopted an anti-circumcision policy after disproving many of the false medical beliefs. It is not covered by Medicare.

Where to start with any of this?!?!

First of all masturbation!? REALLY!?!? That starts while they are still in diapers, has nothing to do with being clipped or not. And why should any person be denied the ability to make themselves feel good. Sure there is a time and place for everything, but they learn that just like they learn their ABCs.. and at about the same time.

Without anesthesia... what part of this doesn't scream barbaric!? They use a topical pain reliever cream these days, but don't tell me it doesn't hurt even then. I don't have one and never have, but I scream bullsh!t.

I HAVE a midwife... And I am PROUD to have a midwife!! I HAVE a doula... And I am PROUD to say that she is getting certified as a licensed midwife and I couldn't be happier for her! If circumcision is a "social status" thing... that no one will ever see except (hopefully) his future wife.. then I would rather a social status of a tattoo on his forehead saying "Gently Born at Home."

Oh and NO insurance.. not just medicare, covers it. $250 out of pocket. Period.

All this being said... there are bigger issues to fight over. Vax!? Yeah, so I handed this decision over to daddy. I tried to encourage him to study how it is done and the different type of instruments, even tried to get him to watch the videos. None of those things happened and I stood in the waiting room unable to hold my baby's hand while he was screaming bloody murder for being away from his mommy at 1-day-old for the first time ever while being strapped down and cut, unable to tell us if the topical cream was really working or not... and there was nothing I could do. He's alive and he is healthy. And THAT is the bigger picture, and probably the outcome to either direction we could have gone. It is such a touchy and personal decision. And both choices SUCK.

::steps off soap box::