Why eight days? God's laws not only have spiritual significance, they are also based upon scientific laws - the scientific laws He Himself created. God created the human body and so is intimately familiar with its every detail. Babies are born without a natural supply of vitamin K, the blood clotting vitamin. As babies nurse, vitamin K develops in their intestines. After seven days of breast feeding, babies have a sufficient supply of vitamin K to clot the blood during and after a circumcision. Amazing!
A typical baby boy in the United States is circumcised during the first three days of his life. Because such a baby does not have a sufficient amount of vitamin K to clot the blood, a doctor must first administer a vitamin K shot. In fact, doctors routinely administer vitamin K shots to all newborn babies, regardless of whether they are boys or girls.
I birthed my baby at home and opted to forgo the shot. But I did want my baby to be circumcised. Because our pediatrician did not perform circumcisions, I arranged for a mohel - a Jewish rabbi who performs circumcisions - to circumcise my baby if he was a boy. The mohel came to our house on the eighth day (counting the day of birth) and circumcised my baby in our bedroom.
Five things really surprised me. First: The entire procedure took less than five minutes. Second: The mohel did not numb the area prior to the procedure. Third: My baby stopped crying immediately after the procedure, making me suspect he was crying primarily because he did not like his legs being held open. Fourth: The area did not bleed much. Fifth: Although a little fussy the day after the procedure, my baby's recovery was otherwise very smooth. I am pretty certain watching the circumcision traumatized me more than it traumatized my baby.
Our mohel was incredibly kind and compassionate, left me with everything I needed for the after-care, answered all my questions before leaving, called the next morning to make sure things were healing properly, and even stopped by a few months later to see my baby and answer a question I had. Thank you, Rabbi Rappaport.
BEFORE
With our children's pastor, who held my baby during the circumcision:
With our children's pastor, who held my baby during the circumcision:
AFTER
With mama and Rabbi Rappaport:
With mama and Rabbi Rappaport:
With a friend's mom, who was my emotional support during the circumcision:
I can see how it would tramatize you!!! It makes me sick thinking about watching it happen :) But at least he will never remember right :)
ReplyDeleteLanae I just wanted to say thanks for following my blog, even though it doesn't seem anyone else does! It is nice to at least get comments from you haha :)
ReplyDeleteInformative stuff- the Vitamin K info was so cool. Quite intentional on God's par, eh? =-)
ReplyDelete