culture shock.

You are getting two posts today because I am stuck in bed with something horrible going on with my back. AND this was my original post idea but I thought it was rude not to explain to Laura how I ended up here. :)

Here goes.

As recently as a year ago I didn't pay much thought to whether or not I would get my baby circumcised. It is the normal thing to do where I am from (MA) and I kind of wanted my baby to look the same as everyone else if and when we moved back to the States. I also was CONVINCED I was having a girl so I just really didn't give much thought to the subject.

This proved to be a very lucky turn of events for Mr. Baby. When he popped out and was a boy I just went with the flow. Here in the UK it is the norm to leave your baby in his NORMAL state. I thank my lucky stars every day that this is the case because I just defaulted the decision to let him look the way his Daddy does.

Fast forward to about a month ago. I joined all of these pages on facebook about natural parenting and breastfeeding and happened upon a few debates on the issue and decided to do my own research. What I found has shocked me and educated me on a matter that I now hold very dear to my heart. I have found that there really is no reason to circumcise any infant (male or female). In fact, in the US it is ILLEGAL to circumcise a female baby. Why the hell is it legal to circumcise a male?!?! I mean, REALLY? WHY? Obviously in the most dire of medical circumstances where the penis might fall off or something, then by all means- go for it. BUT it is very rare indeed that that might happen.

What upsets me the most is the lack of information on the subject in the States. I consider myself to be a pretty educated person but the thought of circumcision not being normal and not being at all beneficial to my baby did not even cross my mind. THIS SCARES ME. People need to think about this. This needs to be brought up over and over again. The medical profession in the US needs to stop treating routine infant circumcision as if it is no big deal. It is a very big deal. I will post some educational link but the few key facts that stick out in my head are:

1.The foreskin is extremely sensitive and especially important for sex later on in life. When you choose to cut off your baby's foreskin you are damaging his future sex life. Now, that is unfair and should not be your choice. (And from a woman's point of view- it DOES make a difference!)

2. Babies die from this procedure. LOTS of babies. Why would anyone risk death for a cosmetic procedure?

3. It is NOT your penis. Therefore you should have NO say in what happens to it. How would you feel if someone strapped you down and took something completely healthy off of your body for no reason? (Kind of repetetive from number one but, HELLO, it's NOT YOUR PENIS! This one really upsets me).

4. It is not more hygenic. It takes three seconds to clean it when you're older. Babies' foreskins don't need anything done to them at all. You clean it like a finger. It is MORE hygenic as it protects the glans from poo and pee!!

5. It doesn't protect from penile cancer or STDs. Do the reasearch. In fact, I  have done some for you and will include it at the end of this post.

6. Most of the world is full of intact men. It is NORMAL.

7. I am not a religious person and therefore don't really see that as a valid excuse to cut something off of your child's body that is supposed to be there. I have glanced over some articles that talk about the current method of circumcision being far more barbaric than what is talked about in the Bible, however.  When I have more time, I will look into it.

I am really passionate about this because it really needs to be spoken about in the US. Doctors are making money off of this. There is no other reason for it to be done. NONE! I just feel for all the men in my life who won't ever know any better because someone else made the decision for them. (I don't blame my parents or grandparents because they clearly just didn't know any better. I didn't know any better until a month ago.) I do not judge your previous actions IF you really just didn't know any better BUT now you do.

PLEASE do some research for any of your future sons! PLEASE. The only reason I wrote this post is so maybe someone will read it and take the time to do the research rather than just trust the doctors!

This is genital mutilation and it needs to stop.

My educational link: 
http://www.infocirc.org/facts.htm

And just FYI- this is my blog and therefore is my opinion (though I do back it up with facts). If you don't like it- write your own blog. If you want to say something positive, then go ahead. And by all means if you have any questions, please ask.