Touchy Subject

As mentioned in the previous post, we recently had our 20week ultrasound and found out that aside from looking normal and healthy (huzzah!), our baby is a boy. That day, laying on my back in the ultrasound room looking at pictures of my *gulp* son, I (with my neurotic, over-active brain) immediately started to think about all the decisions and work that lay ahead of us. One of the first things that popped into my head, for whatever reason, was circumcision.

I know that this is a touchy subject for a lot of people. One that carries weight because of religion, tradition, family history, or personal ethics. It's something that the Husband and I had never really discussed at length and I began to worry that our views may differ.

For the record, I am anti-circumcision. In my mind, the way that nature made you is just FINE and its silly to perform what is at best cosmetic surgery and at worst genital mutilation on a helpless, trusting infant. I just don't think that a baby's first days in the world should be colored by pain. Especially pain in such a sensitive area. Also, from the research I've read, there is no medical reason for this procedure- the myths of better hygiene and decreased risk of disease are just that- myths. (For more information see here, here, and/or here). Also the "he should look the way his father looks" argument doesn't really hold weight for me. How hard is it to explain that "when your father was a baby this was something they did but by the time you came along, we knew better?" Not that difficult, I'd wager.

Turns out, my worrying was for nada. As it turns out, the Husband and I are totally on the same page. Yay! He agrees that circumcision is an unnecessary procedure and sees no reason to perform it on our son. Good gravy, I love this man.

Whew. Now we can move on the the Very Important Question of What Music the Baby Will Listen To. This will be a much more hotly contested issue, I can assure you. Stay tuned.