I asked Doc Pia many pertinent questions, and fortunately, I was given a lot of straightforward and relevant answers which ultimately helped me form a stand. By the end of our conversation, I was convinced to go for the circ. The next day, August 21, 24 hours before we were discharged from the hospital, Guijo went for his circ, and I watched the entire procedure from preparation to recovery. I wanted to make sure I was nearby in case I was needed for breast feeding to comfort him.
One of the questions I asked Doc Pia was: how will the procedure be done? She gave a comprehensive explanation of various methods available in the US (I won't mention them all here), focusing on the Gomco method which will be used on Guijo. Neonatal circumcision with the use of a Gomco clamp is usually quick and effective and results in very little bleeding. In addition, Doc Pia explained to us that after the procedure, they will take some time for exposing Guijo under a lamp and his wounds would be dry before we take him home.
Who would do the procedure? was my next question. Doc Pia highly recommended our gynecologist Dr. Theresa Henson, as someone who does the procedure perfectly. This was very reassuring news for me. I already trusted Dr. Henson with my life - so as far as I was concerned, if anyone was going to touch our "family jewels" it would be her! Dr. Henson had a very well established practice and had a spotless reputation which was cultivated through years of exceptional work. Circumcision is an elective cosmetic procedure, one that has an aesthetic dimension, as well as real medical risks. We needed someone precise and authoritative. Truth be told, part of my decision to go for the circ was influenced by the knowledge that it was Dr. Henson who would do the procedure. I trusted her a great deal. If I waited until my son was a pre-teen to do the procedure I wasn't sure if I'd meet a doctor with whom I'd share the same level of trust.
How will my son be handled? Dr. Pia assured me that careful research went into the handling of infants before, during, and after the circ. Everything was studied, how to swaddle them in ways that best provided reassurance and comfort. I saw this for myself when I watched them prepare Guijo for the procedure (see photo above). They first swaddled his upper body snugly, to inhibit hand and arm movement, but also to make him feel secure. They elevated the upper body slightly, and his legs were positioned in a spread-eagle, using folded swaddling blankets tucked firmly under a specially designed board, as restraints. He looked snug, and securely positioned in place. Then he was moved to the circumcision room where the operation took place. There was a glass panel from which I could view the proceedings. In typical Dr. Henson fashion, she wielded the Gomco clamp expertly, and worked fast. When the actual clipping took place, Guijo cried and immediately, a pacifier with sugary water was put in his mouth, and I saw him suckle at it vigorously. He stopped crying in an instant - the diversionary tactic worked! Guijo seemed more focused on the taste and new sensation offered by the pacifier. It was around 11:05 am when they started, and by 11:15 he was being transfered back to the nursery. It was done quickly and I'd say Guijo was handled perfectly. He was exposed under a lamp for a couple of hours, for drying time and recovery. Afterwards, I was summoned to breast feed him.
When Dr. Pia examined Guijo the next day to clear him so he may be discharged from the hospital, she inspected the circ and said it has healed really well, it looks really good, and it was done perfectly. A week later, when we rushed Guijo to the hospital for an infection, we were worried the circ had something to do with it, but all the doctors who took a look at him that week (there were around half a dozen of them), were uniform in their assessment that the circ was done really well, has healed completely, and is in no way whatsoever related to the infection Guijo had, which was from the Staph Aureus bacteria, a very common bacteria which infected his cord stump. Whew!
On a lighter note, Dr. Pia told us she's seen a lot of penises in her pediatric practice, and not all circs are created equal - some are prettier than others - and according to her, those done by Dr. Henson are some of the prettiest ones around! This brings to mind the traditional summer time practice of gathering the village boys by the riverside where they would form a line, be made to chew on guava leaves, and their tips would be clipped one by one, quickly and efficiently - with little regard for aesthetics. It's a rite of passage that many parents wouldn't deny their kids. I hope my son doesn't hold in me in contempt for denying him his spot on the chopping line - but in case he questions my decision one day, I'll tell him that if one were decided on going for a circ, might as well do it pretty, precise, and (relatively) painless.
