Jennifer, blogger at Our Muddy Boots, has shared a heartwrenchingly brave and honest blog post regarding her son’s routine circumcision. Her words are so powerful they need no further introduction.
“I need to understand more” I said to the nurse.
“Can I go with him?’
“No” she answered, “and trust me, you would not want to.”
“Yes, I do.” I insisted “I want to be with him.”
“I am sorry, you cannot.”
“Does he receive anesthesia?”
“He is numbed and he cannot really feel it. Even if he does, he will not remember it.”
As I handed over my beautiful baby boy, every part of me wanted to scream “NO, YOU CANNOT TAKE MY BABY TO CUT OFF PART OF HIS BODY.”
But I knew, this was standard procedure. This is what everyone did. I did not have the option to say no. So I let him go. . .
To read the rest of “My Precious Love, I am Sorry” click here.
No child’s body should be tainted in such a way.
No mother’s memories of her child’s first days of life should be tainted in such a way.
I count my blessings that I have not experienced what Jennifer and so many other parents have, and I greatly admire those who admit their mistakes, especially when the mistake is so deeply personal, painful, and irreparable.
It is my sincerest hope that one day in the United States of America the biological norm will reign as the social norm and no mother will ever again feel the sorrow of failing to protect her son from an unnecessary and harmful cultural tradition.
March 28, 2012
Ashley
