The biggest lesson I’ve learnt about being a mom so far is knowing that I know nothing. Any preconceived ideas on what I thought to be the “norm” have long been confined to the past. Most importantly, I have learnt to trust my gut and let my intuition lead the way to discovering new (or old) ways of looking at things, examining all the evidence before me, to be a critical thinker and to be my sons advocate.
I think I always knew that I had the right to be and feel empowered during pregnancy and I always wanted a conscious birth experience so when I fell pregnant, that was exactly what I started working towards. I never for one moment even questioned whether we would go the circumcision route, I always assumed we would… being “educated” and all that. I knew it was supposedly more hygienic. I knew my son’s chances of contracted HIV would be reduced by up to 60% – never for one moment considering that my son would not be inoculated against AIDS with 100% certainty. I never thought to give my son the right to be hygienic. Well, this all changed when he was born. We had worked so hard in doing everything in our power, even when faced with adversity to make sure his arrival into this world was a peaceful and gentle experience and now that he was born I could see how perfect he was in every single way – there was no way I was going to inflict any sort of trauma to my baby boy, I knew about implicit memory but never put the two together. I knew that I had been wrong.
The more research I did into the topic of circumcision, the more wrong I knew I had been. I knew that I would not be stuck on any one belief I may have with regards to parenting – I knew I would always be prepared to be wrong.
I no longer have the right to follow blindly. My baby is not some statistic.When I gave birth to my son, I gave birth to my beating heart that lives outside of me. I know that I am the only I can trust who truly has my baby’s best interest at heart. Although I know that not all my decisions will be the right ones, I know that they will all be conscious decisions. I am brave enough to want to learn more and do more. Brave enough to question old mindsets even in the face of adversity.
I found this great article on www.DrMomma.org entitled peaceful parenting: Circumcision: The Most Twisted Logic in the World. It really leaves one with the feeling of “duh!”
*My views are my own personal feelings on the subject matter and are right for me. With your own research, you may come up to your own conclusions which are different to mine. I applaud you for taking the time to research the subject matter and not follow blindly, even if the outcome if different from mine.
taiyarrific 
Good for you! I wish my mother had thought twice about having me circumcised. I am sure your son will enjoy his whole body.
Hi Restoring Tally… Thx for taking time to read my post! I just added your site to my blogroll! Always nice to have ones decisions confirmed x
Thank you for being a loving parent, and a thinking one. It’s about time the US got educated and joined the rest of the modern world, which does not routinely cut the genitals of their infant boys.
Hi TD – Thank you for your response & for taking the time to read my blog. I’m based in South Africa but still agree that any truly modern society should rethink the routine circumcision of infant boys.
Thank you so much for speaking up and reflecting on the intuition that kicks in when we bring our little ones into this world in a gentle and baby-friendly manner. Kudos to you for taking it a step further and digging into some of the literature on the subject. In 2011, we are blessed to have ample research on the topic all around us, and fortunately, for those who may have ignored their instincts the first time around, or been plowed over by an ill society along with their sons, when we know better, we can do better the next time — and impact generations to come after us.
Keep speaking up! Will pass your post along.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog 🙂 We really are blessed to have a wealth of information at our fingertips – One just needs to take the time to ask the question and the rest follows.
Good job listening to your heart! Really wonderful.
Hi Sconi Mommy – Thanks for taking the time to read my blog… you have a great blog http://www.oneyawn.blogspot.com/
Good for you! Unfortunately, my oldest is circd (at least he had general anesthesia but that doesn’t compensate for what was taken from him) but I then educated myself and my younger two boys are intact. We have had no issues with it, but we had tons of issues with my circd son when he was in diapers. In either cloth or disposable diapers, he had tons of irritation on his private. The ped said it was b/c that area should have been protected by the foreskin as nature and/or God intended.
I think a lot of moms who circd know they did wrong (and continue to have it done to subsequent sons), but refuse to admit it. I like to be an example that you can admit being wrong and use that experience so others don’t make the same mistake.
Hi Sarah – Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. As mothers, we aren’t perfect but as conscious moms we try our best to always re-look decisions and ask the question “is this STILL best for my baby” – well done to you!
So happy you chose to keep your baby perfect!!! 🙂 Congratulations!!!
Hi Christy – Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog 🙂 I’m sure my baby will be happy too (I know I am) x
I am going to talk about circ and AIDS because you are from South Africa. Don’t believe for a second that circ “protects” from AIDS. Faithfully married couples don’t get AIDS. Manwhores who are careful about condom use don’t get AIDS. Sex workers who always use condom neither come down with AIDS nor pass it on.
Contracting HIV requires ROTTEN BEHAVIOUR not condoned by any ethical system or religious faith on our planet. If a man comes down with AIDS, do we blame his parents for letting him keep his foreskin, or do we blame his hopelessly irresponsible sex life??
The allegation that circ reduces the chances of catching AIDS by 60% is based on deeply flawed African clinical trials. These trials were supervised by American scientists obsessed with circumcision advocacy. The trials were terminated much too early, so that we cannot reject the hypothesis that circumcision merely delays contracting AIDS. Looking across African nations, there is no compelling evidence of a negative correlation between the percetange of adult men who are circumcised, and the percentage of adult men who are HIV positive.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog 🙂 What I was trying to convey is although the risks MAY be reduced, IF one was to trust the trials, circumcision still (even with the results of any given study) does not prevent HIV/AIDS. So, I do agree with your comment regarding cicumcision and AIDS.
However, stereotyping people who have contracted HIV/AIDS in partaking in “rotten behaviour” is sorely misguided. The real “rotten behaviour” I believe is the failure of most governments to educate the population on healthy sexual activity and debunking fallacies on mythical “cures” for HIV/AIDS.
A scenario: If a couple appear to be happily married and living with faith but the husband (or wife) then strays from the path and gives the other HIV/AIDS – Is the faithful spouse condoned to be seen as “serving them right” as thats what you get for “rotten behaviour”. Or the baby that is born to a mother who was infected with HIV when she was raped??? Is she, or her innocent baby seen to be rotten??? I think not….
What a Taiyarrific site! thank you for all your super information!
I completely agree about leaving our boys au natural – we are perfectly formed, whole, complete human beings when we arrive – as Nature Intended!
Please continue to send out your Human-Love Growing Story – I love the way you write. looking forward to more soon!
Hi Max – Thank you SO much for your encouragement and kind words xxx
To Roger: Does a (faithful) man or woman who gets an HIV infected blood transfusion deserve to be sentenced to the “rotten behaviour” pile? I think not!