I have the highest regard for Judaism and the *religious* practice of
circumcision; it certainly doesn't mirror the more barbaric practices of
female circumcision that we read and hear about! When I teach Infant Care
classes and discuss circumcision, I am challenging parents to examine
their reasons for their decisions. To the non-Jew, there is no religious
significance for circumcision; even for Christians who camp onto Jewish
heritage, the choice to circumcise is more traditional than rooted in
absolute belief. When I discuss the particulars of the procedure, I point
out the differences in current American circ practices and the Jewish
tradition, most especially the health issues of blood clotting, the use of
wine, and the initiation of breastfeeding. What irks me is the parents who
choose to circumcise "just because", for no particular reason, and who
blithely ignore the risks of American practices that I outline. Many
Lactnetters, myself included, have witnessed a newborn boy "shut down"
and be disinterested in feeding after a circumcision.

When my firstborn was circ'd, it was done in the nursery, day 2, just
before we left. I did struggle with bfg for a few days. Baby#2 was born in
a birthing center and I had to bring him back on day #3 (the MD talked me
out of waiting until day 8 as I was considering); I observed the procedure
and nursed immediately afterwards. (My last boy I did not circ at all)
What is more the norm, however, is for the baby to be circ'ed in the
nursery and not necessarily brought to mom; he often goes into "shutdown",
and then doesn't feed very well the next couple of days. I am convinced
that we are too aggressive, and that our haste is an insult to their
system that disrupts the adjustment to the extrauterine world. Waiting 8
days means that bfg and such is much better established than at day 1 or
2, and truly is a different circumstance than traditional American
practices.

-Lisa

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Lisa Marasco, BA, LLLL, IBCLC
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