Circumcision of baby boy

[eande]

I am an American woman married to a Norwegian man. He is not circumsized and I guess he naturally assumed his son would not be. I think most Norwegian fathers don't even think of it and most American fathers assume it. (of course not all in either case!)

 

Honestly, until I had a son I never even considered not circumsizing. Just came natural to do it as everyone else did in America for religious reasons, health/cleanliness reasons or just because reasons. BUT.....when my son was born (in the states) it came just as natural to NOT circumsize him. At that time I just couldn't think of a reason to do it and so we didn't. It had nothing to do with my husband or his not being circumsized. I just felt in my heart that I shouldn't do it. I considred the fact that he may be living in the states for his life and the humility that teenage boys talk about, but I also considered his living in Norway. It is actually becoming less common in the states and so I believed he would not feel too embarassed in the boys locker room )

 

It is such a big decision to make for such a little person, but that is what raising kids is all about.....making what you believe is the right decision for them when they can't.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

 

jenn

[Anonym bruker]

Hello,

 

I realize this thread is quite old, and wonder if anyone can tell me where to have a boy circumcised in or around Oslo (not interested in a debate)? My wife called Volvat, but they claimed they don't do it. She did find a hospital in Drammen that will do it, but for 9000kr.

 

Anyone know of places doing the procedure currently?

 

Cheers.

[Anonym bruker]

The argument of cleanliness is totally irrelevant for most of us, since we have running water both in Norway and the US...

[Anonym bruker]

Im a norwegian having a baby with a jewish briton. we are having our boy circumcised in the Uk but plan to move to Norway at a later stage. Find it completely irrelevant the argument of being different. As long as you educate your children about (your) choices I belive they will be equipped to deal with what comes their way. it is more hygenic and research has even shown that it reduces the risk of HIV which again proves given medical benefits (not that you want to think your little boys will ever get HIV but it says something about the cleaniness of the process)

 

http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article2800593.ece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4371384.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6176209.stm

 

My partner is not religious at all but want his boy circumcised for cultural reasons more than anything. if you wish to get this done in Norway I could not see the hospitals refusing. if so...why not contact jewish organisations / a synagogue for advice.

[Anonym bruker]

Ringvollklinikken in Askim, does it.

[Anonym bruker]

Hi.

My boy was born desember 2005 on

Akershus universitetssykehus.

I told them I wanted him to have a circumcision right after the birth.

They told me thay have only one doctor there who does this job.

And two days after the birth he got it done.

 

It is realy not a hard procedure..

They give the baby (bedøvelse) english word i dont know, maybe you understand if i say pain killing shot. hehehe..

anyway, the doctor gives the baby this shot so he will not feel the pain, then he takes the skin forward, takes something around it and fastly cut it away. it is a very fast prosedure, and within some days..one week, it is clean, nice and well done.

it takes about the same time to heal as the bellybutton. ;o)

 

So, good luck.

And hope you will find a place to do it.

[Popsipus]

It is done in Norway, but not in public hospitals anymore. You have to go to a private clinic and pay for it yourself.

[Anonym bruker]

As an American woman living in Norway waiting for a summer baby boy, i will definately not be circumsising our little boy. I am not religious, and it is not my penis! Furthermore it is not normal culturaly in Norway. I and my Norwegian husband plan on staying here for the forseable future.

 

In America I had quite a few male friends who decided to get circumsised because as teenagers girls made fun of their penis for being "weird" and looking like a sharpee. They were fine with their penises other than that. That is all cultural Why it is like that who knows? But chances are a boy living here will wonder the oppossite and say "Hey mom why the heck did you let them take away my foreskin? It is different from everyone elses!" My main point is although we as parents are responsible for our children and their well being, i think that a boys penis is very personal for him and is a part of HIS body, not mine and not my husbands; and he should get to make the choice when he is older. Foreskin or no.

[JGab]

I think its really a cultural thing. For me, in my family my dad is circumcised but my brother is not. In Canada I had boyfriends that were and that weren't. So when I became pregnant I asked my husband, if we have a boy should we have him circumcised? He (who is Norwegian) looked at me as though I was crazy and said why would we ever do that?! So for me it was something fairly common in my home country and a decision that needed to be made, but for him there was no question. I am happy to go along with my husband on this as I have no strong feelings about it either way, and afterall, he is the one with experience owning a penis.

 

If circumcision is very normal to a person, then it makes sense that they would assume they would have their child circumcised too. I dont think it is right to ridicule them and say how there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to do this to a child, because for them, there is a reason even if it is "only" cultural.

 

To throw out a small example, I think that tran is disgusting and an unnecessary supplement to give to children, who should be fed a balanced diet and not require supplement like that. But my Norwegian mother in law would consider it close to child abuse not to give my children fish oil! She thinks its bad enough that I wont take it myself.

 

So every culture has things it thinks children need, whether its fish oil or circumcision, and we should all try and respect that.