Brazil is not as circumcise happy as the US of A. They just don't feel the need to snip off that extra skin and I have yet to meet a Pediatric Urologist down here who is willing to do it to a newborn. They feel it's barbaric to strap a kid to a board and take a scalpel to an non-anesthetized kid's penis.
When you put it that way, who wouldn't be against it!
But I am for circumcision. Call me old fashion, but I think it's cleaner. And as a Mom of boys, it's not as easy as it seems to get them to clean down there correctly. Being a balanced person, I find the middle ground partial circumcision the most desirable.
So why write about it on my blog. Well, we've yet to circumcise our youngest as we are waiting until he's out of diapers. It's easy to get infection when poop get smashed around an incision. You asked, didn't you! And for other medical reasons, it has been recommended he have one.
Well, those medical reasons bit me in the ass this morning when I went to change his diaper and found his penis swollen 3 times the normal size, and not in the good way! Emergency room visit and bam, circumcision is needed as soon as the swelling and infection are under control. And NO, my kid is not dirty! They are Brazilian boys. They take like 2 to 3 baths a day for goodness sake! And I do make sure those little hidden pieces are washed and clean thank you very much.
This situation only confirms two things for me, that circumcision is good and that the private Brazilian medical care is great! I, yet again, had wonderful treatment at Copa D'Or in Copacabana. I spoke personally with my our pediatrician who also spoke with the Emergency room doctor. Our pediatrician will follow up with us tomorrow and we are being referred to a Ped Urologist asap. I have to say Bradesco health insurance and their doctors ROCK!
And note to self, if you have a little boy and he's feverish and cranky, check the penis. I never thought of that. I looked at teeth, belly, throat, glands, toes, hair, and whatever else possible. I never looked at the penis. Not until morning. Oh the power of a penis.
I plead Vagina ignorance on that one.
* More available at : Copa D'or from the inside
** UPDATE** Emergency Circumcision was avoided and 5 months later, we have still yet to get the procedure done. During the wait our son's pocket of smegma under his foreskin has grown to a point that you can see it very clearly from a distance. This makes the area a great place to grow bacteria. As for poo poo-ers who want to automatically talk smack and compare me to a penis executioner, all extremists are bad. Just because everyone in the country where you are at gets an automatic circumcision doesn't mean that's how it rolls in other parts of the world. And just because too many people do it and it's rare to actually need one, doesn't mean it's impossible... not at all. So instead of just being a pile of soapbox throwers, understand where this Mom is coming from. Heaven forbid I try to joke around about a penis and make light of a tough situation.
