A Case of the Mom Guilts

One draw back of giving birth in a birth center as opposed to a hospital is that in a hospital you have one stop shopping. All the newborn testing, poking, and prodding can be done in one place within hours of your infant being born. We've had to make appointments and travel around to different labs and offices to get Lil' Lamb tested for PKU, hearing, etc. Yesterday was the worst appointment by far. It was his circumcision appointment.

I had no idea how brutal circumcision really is. I nearly passed out. Even worse was the realization for me that it is really painful. The doctor did use local anesthetic, but injecting Xylocaine into that area looked incredibly painful as well. Once the procedure was finished I was able to scoop my distraught baby up and cuddle and nurse him. He calmed down immediately. We relaxed for several minutes, but then the anesthesia wore off. Lil' Lamb suddenly jerked his eyes wide open and let out a horrific wail. He was in pain the rest of the day and forget about changing his diaper. I nearly cried each time I had to change him. He and I spent the remainder of the day, cuddled on the couch, trying not to move.

Deciding to circumcise a son is a difficult decision, one that was always a struggle for me to begin with. After having to witness my little babe's surgery, I really don't think I could do it again. I just can't put another one of my babies through that kind of pain for a such an obscure reason. It really seems just too barbaric.

Thankfully, he is much better today, poor little dear.