Immobilization during circumcision

I underwent circumcision as an adult man. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia. I was not immobilized.

However, if a child is undergoing circumcision, immobilization may be necessary. This applies to the procedure under local anesthesia. Have any of you had or heard of such experiences?

I have talked with several men who have been circumcised with local anesthetic and none of them was restrained.

Looking through my sister's nursing books (circa 1960) as a 12 year old I found a section that covered circumcision of an infant. It had pictures of boy infants naked from the waist down and tied down by the ankles, arms and belly to a board (kind of scare-crow like) with the ankles spread wide. Being a nursing book in explained the procedure to properly pad the baby around the restraints and explained that infants were considered too young for either local or general anesthesia. It covered what surgical instruments to prepare and talked about methods to try to sooth the infant during the procedure (yeah, right). It also covered post-procedure dressings and care. Made me kind of sick to my stomach to realize that had happened to me.

@John_Sitter Such was indeed the mass practice in the US, under the idea that anyway the kid won't remember it later.

In Muslim countries, circumcision of older children was also done without anesthetic, and may still be done this way now. If it's a rite of passage, it's an occasion to expect "maleness", boys don't cry.

I was circumcised when I was nine and had local anaesthetic but no restraints. Babies are restrained because they don't understand they need to be still. Personally, if they have to be restrained they shouldn't be circumcised and not until they are old enough to decide for themselves.

I was circumcised when I was nine and had local anaesthetic but no restraints.

So you were aware of what surgery was being performed and with some understanding of the reason, purpose and result. Wow, that's a lot for a nine year old the process and handle. If you don't mind sharing, why was it done?

Infants have to be restrained or held. Jewish boys at 8 days are just held by family. For older kids getting circumcision search on Filipino Tuli, you tube. Many videos or photos of mass circs on tables in big rooms. Must be embarrassing naked from waist down women seeing & working on my penis

A schoolmate of mines told me that when he was 7 her mother wanted to have it done and brought him to a gynecologist who is friend of her and she trusted so much being also an urologist. He remember to have to undress from waist down and sit on a chair with legs and feet rests, a gynochair used everyday for pelvic examinations of female patients. A cloth was placed to block his vision of his pelvic area. The doctor said him to keep still as much as possible and gently restrained his knees and ankles with velcro straps. During the procedure his wrists were firmly kept by a nurse talking and reassuring him. Despite the surgery was quite painless the setting was quite embarassing and traumatic and he suffer still today of anxiety when his genitals have to be examinated.

During the procedure his wrists were firmly kept by a nurse talking and reassuring him. Despite the surgery was quite painless the setting was quite embarassing and traumatic and he suffer still today of anxiety when his genitals have to be examinated.

Very traumatic for the poor young boy!

Sounds like no medical or religious reason for it, so elective circ by mother at 7, cruel!

I accept religious reasons at birth, and medical reasons for phimosis, but beyond that, should be the boy's choice, from puberty onwards

In the US, an immobilization device called "Circumstraint" is widely used when circumcising newborns. When a newborn undergoing a circumcision is placed into the device, his legs are wide-spread and securely fastened to allow the physician a much easier access to the genital area. The molded plastic of the device contoured around the infant's body prevents any movements and allow the child to remain steady throughout the procedure.

I was born in Australia during the mid 1960's and circumcised a day or so after I was born. The delivering doctor performed my NHS funded circumcision. My mother told me a nurse held my thighs well apart with her hands and also held my shoulders down with her elbows. Once I was unable to move the doctor moved in and completely removed my foreskin without any form of anasthaetic . He bandaged my newly circumcised penis and I was returned to the nursery. In those years that was the way it was done to 98% of newborn boys in that hospital.

I think that my circumcision would have been performed the same way as described by @crimsonthenover

My pediatrician worked in local hospital and was a renowned surgeon for doing circumcisions. I remember quite well he made to add a pair of couples of legs holders to the examination tables by the nurse when he did surgeries while they are removed during normal examinations. Those holders had a C shape frame in stainless steel with some padding materials to distribute pressure. Nurse secured them on ankles and knees of the patient acting on a screw-tuning mechanism. These restraints permitted to focus on keeping firmly upper limbs of the patient simply by hands. They were used on my legs during genital surgery. Feeling is of complete loss of control and I remember the procedure as traumatic altough the nurse screened the scene and tried to distract me. I am pretty sure they were used daily for circumcisions.

I recall seeing documentary program on the television as a boy that showed a middle-eastern country and in one scene parents brought their boys to be circumcised to a common outside area. There was no anesthetic and no hygiene protocol that I could remember. The fathers with their boys got to the front of the line, then held the boys, who were naked below the waist, in their arms with the boys facing away from them and their legs spread outward over the father's elbows that were pulled up and their hands held by the wrists. Each one screamed as the cut was made and I recall it took only a few seconds. The scene finished with the shot of one boy seeing what was happening to the others and trying to squirm away.

If I had to guess I'd say they were from about 3 to 6 years old, so about old enough to have fuzzy memories of the event.

My first duty station out of Hospital Corps School was at NNMC, Bethesda. I was assigned to the newborn/NICU. Part of my job was to get boys ready to be cut. This entailed strapping them to a special board. It had a depression shaped like a baby with arms raised and legs spread. I would strap them with Velcro restraints at their wrists and ankles. The doctor, usually with a gaggle of interns, residents, and med students in tow, would come in and do the circ explaining in detail what he was doing (or directing one of his entourage doing it) Then they would leave, and I would unstrap, diaper, etc. the kiddo. Personally, I would hold and rock them till they were calm, then clean up the instruments, wipe down the board, and wheel the kiddo back to the nursery.

Personally, I am glad I had all girls, so I didn't have to have that discussion with my wife,or the mother of my thiird, as I was then, and am now, vehemently opposed to the procedure, unless medically necessary. I know, because I am uncut and have never had a problem

When I was done, I wasn't restrained. The doctor did tell me to keep still when he was about to start, but he need not have bothered. He was holding sharp blades near a delicate part of my body. I didn't even want to breath too heavily lol