Someday, I'm going to be a parent. When I am, I want to be ready.

[Appalled Observer]

Yep. Without wanting to derail this thread into a completely political one, I've lately come to consider the US as the "Land of the Free (to exploit), Home of the Brave (with a Gatling gun)".

This abhorrent practice is so entrenched there, so surrounded with defense mechanisms, I really don't see what can be done to ever put a stop to it, without some kind of revolution.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by Appalled Observer

Yep. Without wanting to derail this thread into a completely political one, I've lately come to consider the US as the "Land of the Free (to exploit), Home of the Brave (with a Gatling gun)".

This abhorrent practice is so entrenched there, so surrounded with defense mechanisms, I really don't see what can be done to ever put a stop to it, without some kind of revolution.

It takes caveat emptor to new heights. It's a symptom of unregulated capitalism and corruption in the agencies tasked to regulate the medical industry. You work for pharma get a job at the FDA, work there regulating your old company, finish at the FDA and wind up back where you started. How can a mouse guard the cheese? America is almost as corrupt as Rome right before it fell.

Circumcision, like anything else, is driven by free market capitalism: as long as someone can profit by it, it continues. Who cares about the collateral damage? Take the profit incentive away and the practice stops dead in its tracks, except for ritualistic religious superstition. You have to be vigilant and wrench control of your own care away from the medical profession; that goes for your children as well, if it doesn't seem right, it probably isn't. We're free to do that, right now, but I fear that will end soon too.

I fear that the only thing that will stop it is, as you point out, revolution.

[Cresaiyan]

Originally Posted by Appalled Observer

This abhorrent practice is so entrenched there, so surrounded with defense mechanisms, I really don't see what can be done to ever put a stop to it, without some kind of revolution.

We will put a stop to it.


Foregen will put a stop to it. IntactAmerica will put a stop to it! We recently dealt a well-deserved blow to the severely mislead pro-circ crowd in Colarado. Awareness is growing every day. We will live to see the end of RIC.

[1madmommy]

Originally Posted by Cresaiyan

Hey.
Like I said, ive actually had nightmares about failing to protect my son from this. I know it seems premature for someone my age to be worrying about this, but I would rather die than allow my son to be mutilated. If its ok, I have several questions regarding protection from genital mutilation.

1. I need to know the laws in the US regarding "consent" for circumcision. Is it true that only ONE parent need consent?? That's horrible if my wife and I disaggree... I don't want her to be able to have him mutilated behind my back. There would probably be bloodshed from my rage.

2. Are these laws the same in all 50 states?

3. How can I make absolutely sure the hospital gets SUED if they have a "logisticle mix-up" and circumcise him anyway. I do not believe they are incapable of this behavior.

4. I have NO TRUST in doctors. Can I stay at the bedside of my newborn until he comes home?

5. I want to make these bastards sign a form prohibiting circumcision of my child. Ill pull that on them when they show me their blasted consent form that I have no right to sign. If I video them signing it, will it be enough to scare them with legal action if they fail to obey it?

I don't trust our medical system, and I am going to be so strikingly adamant about this, they'll know they're under oath to obey that hipocratic oath they disregard so much. This is one pissed off soon to be Dad.

1. Yes, they only need one person to consent for circumcision. But if you are married and adamant about your beliefs, you could have a court order for your son to NOT be circumcised, so she can't go behind your back and have it done.

2. Not sure, maybe some require two.

3. A birth plan would be your best bet, I guess. Or do what others have already said about writing NO CIRC everywhere. Honestly though, nothing is 100%.

4. If your hospital does room-ins, the majority of the time, the baby will be in the room with your wife/partner. If you are the support person, you can stay with them. There are times though, that they may take the baby away for "tests" and "routine procedures". This can be a scary/tricky situation. Whether or not they will allow you to go with the child depends on the hospital. Some hospitals will not allow parents in the nursery, or even allow them to know where the nursery is! Also, bear in mind, you will have to eat and void your bowels at some time, and hospital staff can easily swoop right in when you're gone and take the baby away.

5. You can't make the hospital staff sign any forms. Just make sure that you have your intentions put in the medical documents and that all staff members see it to avoid any "mix ups". Although, quite honestly, if they want to circ your baby that badly, they can always "lose" the papers, or "misread" the consent forms like they did with Mario Viera. They can and will resort to dirty tactics.

If you are extremely worried about this, maybe you should look into birthing centers or having an assisted home birth. I don't mean to worry you further, but if you are this concerned about your future children's lives, then it would be best to be prepared now.

[Borneo]

I'd seriously look into home birth. Find a competent midwife, go to the toy store and buy a plastic pool and put it in the bedroom. Find a doctor and pediatrician who honors your wishes or even refuses to circ any baby, to be on call if any complications arise.
Go to la maz classes and prepare yourself. you'll still have to have a car full of gas, a suitcase, and a map to the hospital, but you might not need it.
Check your insurance plan at work. It may cover home birth. It's usually much cheaper.

Seriously. Look into it. My friend's wife did this, and it went out without a hitch. It was quiet, peaceful, and she was home. No complications, no epidurals, no muscle relaxers. Just nature and her body doing what they were designed to do. Now, little Dash is now a noisy head bonking toddler with a smile that doesnt quit.

The midwife is there to take care of her, but you got to do some work yourself, but as a new Dad, you'll be happy to.

Pregnancy is not a disease, and giving birth is not a medical emergency. It's a natural human activity that's been happening for millions of years before hospitals. You think circ happy hospital staff is a danger, you should look up the increase of unnecessary Caesarian sections performed, because they pump the mother so full of drugs, her uteran and vaginal muscles can't do their job, making it more painful and harder to give birth. And C-Sections pull in a tidy profit to boot!

[antibunk]

Originally Posted by Borneo

I'd seriously look into home birth. Find a competent midwife, go to the toy store and buy a plastic pool and put it in the bedroom. Find a doctor and pediatrician who honors your wishes or even refuses to circ any baby, to be on call if any complications arise.
Go to la maz classes and prepare yourself. you'll still have to have a car full of gas, a suitcase, and a map to the hospital, but you might not need it.
Check your insurance plan at work. It may cover home birth. It's usually much cheaper.

Seriously. Look into it. My friend's wife did this, and it went out without a hitch. It was quiet, peaceful, and she was home. No complications, no epidurals, no muscle relaxers. Just nature and her body doing what they were designed to do. Now, little Dash is now a noisy head bonking toddler with a smile that doesnt quit.

The midwife is there to take care of her, but you got to do some work yourself, but as a new Dad, you'll be happy to.

Pregnancy is not a disease, and giving birth is not a medical emergency. It's a natural human activity that's been happening for millions of years before hospitals. You think circ happy hospital staff is a danger, you should look up the increase of unnecessary Caesarian sections performed, because they pump the mother so full of drugs, her uteran and vaginal muscles can't do their job, making it more painful and harder to give birth. And C-Sections pull in a tidy profit to boot!

Good post. I don't ever plan on having kids so I am not too familiar with all the specifics of the birthing process. But if I ever were expecting a child, I would strongly encourage the pregnant woman to look into a home birth. Hospitals are just not fun places. I try to avoid them at all costs.

This whole infant circumcision thing has been an impetus for my looking into other things regarding child raising. I like the natural, loving approach.

[Them Boots]

It's not just the birth in the hospital you have to watch out for, many pediatricians will forcibly retract the boy's foreskin during so-called "well-baby checkups," which of course then sets him up for developing infections and phimosis later on. The pediatrician will then say, "see? I told you that he should have been circumcised, look at all the problems he's having now" in spite of the fact that they were the one who caused the problems in the first place.

[Borneo]

Originally Posted by Them Boots

It's not just the birth in the hospital you have to watch out for, many pediatricians will forcibly retract the boy's foreskin during so-called "well-baby checkups," which of course then sets him up for developing infections and phimosis later on. The pediatrician will then say, "see? I told you that he should have been circumcised, look at all the problems he's having now" in spite of the fact that they were the one who caused the problems in the first place.

It's a really sad state of American medicine when we regular Joes have to educate actual doctors on developmental anatomy.

[Cresaiyan]

The answer then:

1. Birthing clinic. Nothing hippy, but where they litterally CAN'T perform MGM.

2. Court order if it turns out the place is even remotely capable of performing circumcision.

3. Protect and be at arms-length from him at all times during checkups.

[Cresaiyan]

Originally Posted by Borneo

It's a really sad state of American medicine when we regular Joes have to educate actual doctors on developmental anatomy.

Funny, true, simple, insightful.