circumcision

Hi Everyone
I know this is a hard subject to talk about but can you tell me. If circumcision is still done in other parts of Australia. I'm from Launceston, Tassie. All the Dr's that did the operation has just stopped doing them on babys. He use to do them up untill they were 6 wks old now if you want it done you have to wait untill there 18mths old.
A lot of people have very strong opinions on the matter so i find it hard to get answers. I have my 3 boys done when they were about 1wk old. I stayed with them and the most painful part for them was the injection to make it all numb. It took about 30 minutes to do start to finish i took them all home and they were'nt in any obvious pain i did'nt have to give them panadol or any thing and was 100% happy. It seems like it's a rare thing in Tassie and my biggest worry is that they will be different than the other boys and get teased about it.
My husband was born in the generation when baby boys were done before you left hospital. When he was at Primary school there was a little boy who was'nt done and they teased him about it and one day the teachers found him in the toilet trying to cut it off with scissors. That worries me alot because kids are so cruel.
And feed back would be good
Stacey

Hi Stacey, I had my son done at three weeks of age. We're in Cairns. I had to wait because I was at a public hospital but I know if you go private here you can have your son done at the hospital before you leave. There is a ciscussion on circumcision in the 'baby' section of this forum in the ' caring for your baby' topic.

I've noticed that mothers who are pro circ rarely judge those who are against it, however mothers who are against it tend to be aggresively judgemental against the mothers who choose to have the procedure done.

I personally think it is healthier. I know a number of boys who were not done and who have had to have the op done later on with a hell of a lot more discomfort.

My nephew was done and my sister is on the north coast of NSW. She had a really hard time finding a doctor and was verbally attacked numerous times for her religious beliefs.

The doctor who did my son said it was becoming increasingly common in FNQ to have the op done. The majority of mothers with sons Iknow here have had it done. As for the teasing, my brother isn't done and his best mate is. When they were kids my brother was in the minority and he never received any teasing so I don't see why it will be any different the other way round.

Hi Stacey,

I think most doctor's prefer not to do it until the child is older so if there are complications, it is easier to find out. Babies can't normally verbalise if they are having problems.

I personally didn't get my son done as I couldn't see any reason for it. I don't believe it is a health issue but rather what we personally prefer. In the end I couldn't do it to my son. I figure if later in life he wishes it done, then it can be. I want it to be his decision though and not something that his father and I have decided for him.

Things can go wrong with circumcision just like things can go wrong if you don't. There is no clear good or bad side.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Yvette

hi mom of 4 boys,

my husband and i thought about this too when i was pregnant but we ended up having a little girl. i'm still undecided what to do if our next child is a boy. i used to think i wanted it done, to be like dad, but lately i have been hearing that most boys are not circumcised and i wouldn't want our boy to be different from the others. i think its a generation thing.
cheers
mum1

Hi Stacey

I know two people who have had it done in the last 18 mths. One was in country Vic and the other in Melbourne. Both had it done soon after birth at the hospital were the baby was born and neither had any probs with it being a controversial procedure.
They both have private health ins. but I don't know if this was a factor.

Hope this helps....

Hi Everyone
I have just been told that you can no longer get your baby circimcised in Tasmania. Thanks to the early arrival of our son Troy Dillon born on 1/3/04 Monday morning. I was quite rudely told that if i chose to have it done when he was 1year old. He would be the only one in his class that was done and it would be my fault he gets teased. So much for choice.
From Stacey

Hi,
Both my boys are done, the first one was 11 weeks and my second was 4 weeks. The doctor here in Sydney does it until they are 12 weeks old. My boys were both fine, no complications just needed panandol for the first day or so.
Everybody tells you that it is not common these days, but I know more little boys that have been done then those that are not. Its every parents choice, we did it for health reasons as my side of the family and my husbands side both have a history of males having to be done later on in life and it is such a major thing when they are older compared to the first few weeks of life.
My first son had a operation at 1 and there were 2 one year olds being circumcised in hospital and when their parents asked if my son was being done and I told them he was done at 11 weeks they were so cranky because they too could of had it over and done with. Like so many others they were just told that its not done anymore and that is so not true.
All the best

This is a hard topic. I am 38 weeks and have been told I am having a boy. My partner and I have spoken about circmcision and have decide to have it done for health reasons.

We live on the sunshince Coast and my Gp dosn't do it, but he can send me to see someone who does. It is not done in a public hospital here but it can be done at the private hospital. Where we will get it done, they like to do it between 10 -14days old.