I couldn't believe it when the nurse told us that, as a practice, they did not recommend circumcision. It's been over six years since that moment. I've learned so much since then, but that day in the hospital I knew absolutely nothing. The nurse was prepared to take our son to be circumcised for us, if we wished, but she wanted to be sure that we knew we had the choice to make. If I had just had time to do research, I might have learned how horrifying the procedure was that I was about to let them do to my newborn baby. But I didn't, and we told the doctors to go ahead.
It tears me up to think of the pain that we elected to put our son through
I am so, so sorry, son
I wish I had known.
Maybe you are reading this and feeling defensive of your decision to circumcise your son, or maybe you are feeling guilty. I don't want to condemn anybody or question their parenting decisions. I just feel the need to talk about this, because I so badly wish I had known.
I wish someone had told me how much I would regret that decision
I wish someone would have told me how much pain my little baby would be in and the potential lasting effects of that pain. I wish someone would have told me that leaving boys intact is becoming more and more common. With the percentage of circumcised boys in the U.S. dropping to 55 percent in 2015, my son would not be the odd one out in the locker room if he has been left intact.
But nobody told me.
So I'm telling you. Do what you believe is best for your child, but please, please do the research and know what's at stake with this very painful cosmetic surgery.
