We were just talking about pukpok the other day and my first born almost cried when he saw his dad sharpens a piece of guava trunk. Pukpok, to those who are not aware, is circumcision, traditional way. Here’s a definition from WikiPilipinas:
Pukpok is a crude method of circumcision practised in the Philippines. It is performed mostly in barrios (rural villages) by a local surgeon called manunuli. On the Holy Saturday of the Lenten Season, groups of uncircumcised boys traditionally go to the manunuli to take the rites of passage. After bathing in a river or a lake, the boys are asked to chew guava leaves. They are then asked to sit on a lukaw, a wooden tool with pointed ends carved from a branch of guava tree. While the boy is seated, one end of the lukaw is staked on the ground while his penis is set on the other end. A manunuli then uses a labaha (barber’s blade) to cut the foreskin off of the penis. The manunuli then instructs the boy to spit the chewed guava leaves directly on the wound to aid healing and to prevent infection. After the operation, a piece of cloth is wrapped around the wound to be changed daily. Although the traditional or pukpok type of circumcision has been chiefly replaced by the modern surgical method, some areas in the provinces still practice the old method.
Talking about Pukpok and circumcision, I was glad that I came across Mommy Mauie’s Preparing For Circumcision article. It gives me an idea on what is the right time for circumcision and how to properly prepare my boys when the right time comes. It was also mentioned that circumcision can help prevent UTI or urinary tract infection. That’s for our boys, but for us ladies, some of the best ways to prevent UTI is not to hold our pee, as mentioned in Mommy Sam’s How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infection:
1. Drink LOTS of water.
2. Change your underwear AT LEAST twice a day.
3. Wash your underwear by hand.
4. When nature calls, make sure you answer.
5. Use a gentle cleanser for your vajayjay.antiseptic, and gets rid of the bad bacteria without the chemicals.
6. Probiotics.
UTI is also a number one problem for pregnant women..but if you’re not sure if you’re pregnant or not, take a peek on Mommy Jem’s Early Signs of Pregnancy and learn from someone who just found out she’s pregnant for her 2nd child (congrats Mommy Jem!)
And for those who’s having a second baby like Mommy Jem, you might want to read about siblings rivalry and handling tantrums just to be prepared, you know. And while you’re it, Mommy Levy’s What is Asperger Syndrome? article is a must read too. She talked about what difficulties a person with Asperger Syndrome had the face.
