This might be more explanation than you were looking for...We had our first circ'ed because I didn't know any better and basically left it up to my husband and figured "everyone does it, there's no reason not to". He's done and wanted his son(s) to be like him. I also believed all those assumptions that it's more hygienic and healthier. At our hospital, the OB does it, not a pediatrician. We did ask that he was numbed and my doc said she won't do it otherwise, she doesn't believe they can't feel it. From the beginning we had trouble. She didn't take off enough skin which has led to adhesions and constant redness and puffiness. Most of the adhesions have let go and I'm told that the others may or may not. If not, I will have to decide if we want them cut or left and if they are left, they could cause him pain later on then have to be cut, or they could aid him in regrowing his foreskin if he wanted to (yes, I guess this is possible!).
It wasn't until I met other moms who don't circ and I got pregnant again that I really looked in to it and found that there is no reason to circ and that there is no medical association on earth that recommends it! Some insurance companies won't even pay for it because it's considered cosmetic. I wish I had known that. I also didn't know that 1/3 of sexual pleasure is stolen with that skin:( I now agree with most non-circ activists and consider it genital mutilation. It doesn't matter that it's common, it's no different than cutting a clitoris off just because it's common in a tribe. If there is no reason to do it, and we force it on babies, it's' mutilation. If my second son decides he doesn't like his non-circ'ed penis later on, he can always have it done, but it takes a lot of time and effort to regrow the foreskin (I will be getting all the info I can in case my first son wants to rectify our mistake). People claim that it's "cleaner" or "more hygienic" and that they do it "just in case". That's like taking out every baby's appendix at birth just so it doesn't have to be done later in case they get appendicitis.
My husband didn't agree, but when I asked him a few months ago said that he wasn't mad that I wouldn't let it be done again. But no matter who wants it and who doesn't, in the end both parents have to sign off on it and if the anti-circ parent cares enough, s/he can just refuse the surgery. That is what it came down to with my husband. In the end, I told him that I was the one going through pregnancy and labor and birth and if it was a boy (we didn't find out either time) he would be perfect the way he came out. I apologized to him for not being able to come to an agreement, but it was going to be my choice. I did want to make him watch a video on circ but my friend who owns it was out of town and I went in to labor before I could get it. I asked him later if it bothered him and he said it didn't. I think after you see your perfect baby and change diapers for a week, you forget that it looks different than some penises.
NoCirc.org, notjustskin.org and noharmm.org have some of the best information. Or go to YouTube and search for Penn & Teller's "BullShit" episode on Circumcision. It's go so much great information!
One last thought...I have come to look at it this way: It's not needed. So, let's compare it to a nose job. You had a nose job and now you want your baby girl to look like you, so you have her nose altered to match yours at birth. Unneeded? Yup. Crazy? Sure. Why is circumcision any different? It's an unnecessary, painful surgery that we do because dad had it done. I feel so much regret every time I change my son's diaper and I wish just one person had told me that I shouldn't do it and given me the facts...At least I saved my second son from it:)
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