If a boy is not circumcised as an infant then these benefits are denied to him. Parents have a right and a duty to make, on behalf of a child, those decisions which he cannot make for himself. It is thus up to the parents to make the decision based on what they see as the benefits and risks. Infant circumcision is highly traumatic for the boy. There is little evidence that circumcision itself is more than slightly stressful for the average baby.
All babies cry when they are undressed or exposed to unusual stimulus.
Many babies sleep quite peacefully through their circumcision, whilst others go to sleep contentedly as soon as they are comfortably dressed again after it. General anaesthetics should normally be avoided with infants, but a small amount of local anaesthetic to provide a dorsal penile nerve block can be used. Instead, a few drops of wine or a sugar solution pacifier have been found to have excellent results. A baby's nervous system is not as highly developed as in an older child, neither is his memory.