"Pain Relief? Not!" (11/1999)
I challenge all Moms and Dads of infant boys to advocate for pain relief for
your son while he undergoes circumcision (if you are choosing that). Better
yet go in and witness the circ. I really feel if parents knew what their son
went through, his foreskin being cut off without pain relief of any kind (in
most cases but not all) there would be an uproar of advocacy for infant
males. They are strapped down to
a board with restraints and have
it removed off with nothing to relieve pain. Ask your OB or pediatrician
what they use for pain relief. Don't let them tell you babies don't feel
pain, they do, the same as you and I. As someone mentioned on another board,
we would not tolerate a vet doing a similar procedure on an animal without
adequate pain relief yet it is done to babies every day. Please support your
baby boy and demand pain relief.
Nothing will change until parents
have
the guts to go into that procedure room and see what is done to their
infants. I am a nurse and am always calming down these poor babies before
bringing them back to an upset Mom, but truth be told Moms and Dads need to
know how painful it really is and how hard these poor little guys cry and
struggle to get out of the restraints. I am always shocked when a parent asks
"How did he make it? Did he cry?" As if taking a blade to his penis wouldn't
hurt.
Ask before the baby undergoes the procedure, asking after is too late.
There are pain relief options available.
It's almost the year 2000, time for
this barbaric procedure to change.
Tarry, RN
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