Thank you Wendy, I couldn't say this any better.
Patty Krumholtz-Belkin PNP IBCLC

Circumcision and breastfeeding
Date:    Tue, 1 Mar 2011 19:13:03 +0200
From:    Wendy Blumfield <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Circumcision and breastfeeding
 
Before getting into a discussion about the negative effects of circumcision 
on breastfeeding, we need a bit of cultural sensitivity here.  Most parents 
have a choice whether or not to circumcise their babies but for Jewish 
parents it is a covenant.  There is still a choice - some Jewish parents 
refuse to do it, that is their right, but the majority, even the 
non-observant, while continuing the practice, get expert guidance on how 
this ritual can be done with the minimum of suffering.
So where I live, I do not warn my expectant parents about the negative 
effects on breastfeeding but discuss with them how best to use breastfeeding 
to comfort the baby.
The rabbis of 2,000+ years ago must have known quite a lot about physiology 
because the circumcision is done at the earliest on the 8th day and later if 
the baby is premature or unwell.  As we all know now, the blood-clotting 
mechanism is at its peak from the 8th day and when done by a qualified 
"mohel" there should not be more than a drop or two of blood. Many "mohelim" 
are using a spray or cream to numb the area and this is not against the 
ritual laws.  The amount of foreskin removed is far less than when done as a 
surgical procedure. I agree with all the issues of informed consent and that 
it is a problem that we do not get the baby`s permission and for that reason 
some parents decide not to have the baby circumcised even if it results in 
issues among the extended family.
 
But as the majority of Jewish parents do observe this ritual, it is more 
effective to give positive reinforcement to the parents rather than add to 
their anxieties.  The advice we give to parents is to make sure that the 
moment the procedure is finished, the mother can take the baby to a quiet 
room and breastfeed.  And anybody witnessing this can see for themselves 
that within minutes the baby is taking great comfort from the breast and is 
quiet and calm.  For the few hours after the procedure, urinating may be 
uncomfortable and mothers are advised to breastfeed the baby every time he 
wakes (just as they would any other night).  It is a distressing day for 
all; as a mother of three sons and grandmother of 5 grandsons I was relieved 
also to have daughters and granddaughters and not have to experience the 
tension of that day.  But it is also a joyous day, supported by one`s 
family, the grandparents and close relatives. We are glad when it is safely 
over.  The mohel returns the next day to check and by that time the baby is 
usually showing no distress and certainly no reluctance to breastfeed.
So sometimes we have to be careful about expressing negative values in a 
multi-cultural society. It is more effective to find positive solutions to 
make the experience easier for the baby and the mother. I don`t think that 
any studies have shown psychological or sexual problems more prevalent in 
the male Jewish community compared with a control group.
 
Wendy Blumfield
Israel Childbirth Education Centre
NCT UK Trained Prenatal Teacher/BFC 
 
Thank you Wendy, I couldn't say this any better.
Patty Krumholtz-Belkin PNP IBCLC

 		 	   		  
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