My oldest was circumcised only because I was young and that was just the norm here. It wasn't even something that I thought to consider. At that time I only knew one person that had not been circumcised and he was an oddity for this area. ( He wasn't born in the US) It was just common practice here. Before I had my second son, the debate on it had begun and I did take to time to investigate the advantage/disadvantage and it was a choice that I worried over. First, I did not know at the time my oldest was born that they did not numb him,( per hospital policy), just strapped him down and cut away until it was over. That still hurts my heart thinking about it. The choice to do my youngest son was made by talking to not only my OBGYN and his Pediatrician and but to a mother who had made the choice not to. Her son was 8 years old when they eventually had to circumcise him because he did in fact have several infections that had gotten really bad and once the skin on top had even started growing together making it painful when it stretched out to pee. He sat with ice packs over his little mess for several days and was quite pitiful. That being said, we researched and found out that my younger son could be circumcised outside of the hospital by our doctor, where they had the option to first numb the area and we we're allowed to be in the room to comfort him. He did not cry at all. I did. Am I sure I made the right choice? No. I'm glad if it had to be done he was a baby and not 8.. but would he have had to have it done later? I don't know.