Bris mila Anesthetic

Igros Moshe (Y.D. IV #40.2)   Question: Why can’t anaesthetic be used for mila? Answer As Rav Shlomo Zalman wrote you we need to be careful not to deviate from the traditional practices even for those things which don’t seem to make a difference concerning the actual mitzva. He gives the example of metzitza even though there are alternatives today that work better and easier. He also mentions that we don’t use anaestheic for the baby for mila to reduce pain. All this is because we don’t want to introduce innovations in performing this important mitzva even though there seems to be no problems regarding the mitzva to do these innovations without a great need. However you should know that the reason for not using anaesthics  for the baby is because they are not good at all for the babies nor are they good even for adults. They are given to adults because they want them because they don’t want to experience any pain or discomfort from the cutting. Thus we do what is most healthy for the babies even though the child doesn’t like the pain as can be readily seen from their crying. In sum we don’t give anaesthetic to a baby for mila not because it interferes in any way with the mitzva .