Moms of Boys! How do you care for a circumcised boy?

bekaadams49 · September 2015

This is my third child, first boy, therefore, I am a little scared about how to care for him. I have one friend who says it will heal and you do nothing and another that says until he can do it himself, as old as 2 years, you must pull back the foreskin and clean it. I am really confused. I'm sure the doctors will tell me when I get it done, but I'm just too anxious to wait.

browneyes_326 · September 2015

If he is circumcised they remove the foreskin so there's nothing to pull back & clean. So if you plan to circumcise then it's basic wound care until it heals ... It's been awhile, my son is 5, but I'd say it takes a couple weeks to heal and in the mean time I believe you use a Vaseline type product each time you change him. But as you said your doc will fill you in.

SCKD · September 2015

It's really not as big of a deal as it seems. I was pretty nervous about it as well with my son. After the procedure is initially done you will need to put a cream on the tip of the penis for awhile while it fully heals. And then during baths you will need to pull back the foreskin to clean in there. It seems daunting when it's your first boy, but we all get the hang of it! Good luck!!!

browneyes_326 · September 2015

Interesting ... No wonder you were confused! PP did they leave some foreskin to pull back & clean? I don't want to mislead the OP with my response above. There was no pulling back of foreskin & cleaning in our case.

ecotton1234 · September 2015

Yes, def make sure you pull the skin back during bath time and diaper changes. When my last son was a baby, I wasn't pulling it back enough so it attached back to the tip a bit and the dr had to pull it apart. I almost passed out when she did it, it was awful.

bekaadams49 · September 2015

Is that forever? Or just while it's healing?

Addy1227 · September 2015

Make sure you pull back gently if you do! It's not like there's a whole lot there to pull back but it can reattach. I had no idea and around 3 months or so we realized he had a slight infection from the skin trying to reattach itself. After that I just put Vaseline on after most diaper changes and definitely before bed this way it wouldn't happen again.I also found that diaper fuzz tends to collect there so during bath time I made sure to check and clean that off. He's going to be three soon and I didn't teach him to pull back or anything. He tends to play with it sometimes and he'll pick at fuzz if he happens to see it

mcoody84 · September 2015

My son is two and we have another due at the end of December we did not have him circumcised he can decide if her wants to be when he gets older but I is very easy to care for uncircumcised you just gently pull back the skin during bath time and clean with soap and water and during changings just a wipe is fine we have had zero problems with him not being circumcised

rockinmathchic · September 2015

My son is almost 3 and we elected not to have him circumcised due to a blood disorder (Von Willebrands Disease) which would have required him to get a blood transfusion to do so. We figured if it bothered him that much, he could do it himself when he gets older. That being said, my pediatrician said you don't need to do anything different to "care" for it. You don't have to pull the skin back at each diaper change or during baths. He said that the act of peeing does this for you and is also sterile and cleans. My son has been fine and has not had any issues. Given the only difference is the "look" I would say it is personal preference. I will say that if you want to see an actual circumcision to help make your decision, there are all sorts of videos on YouTube.

LauraSmarterSpam · September 2015

Like ecotton, my DS had a little bit of adhesion, but it didn't bother him at all when we took him to his surgeon to get looked at. The doc, sprayed a numbing spray and pulled the skin off the top of his penis. Of course DH and I were horrified but DS was too busy giggling at his doctor being goofy so we felt fine.
The doctor says penile adhesion can happen sometimes especially if a baby is pretty fatty around the groin area and it can push skin forward. It took a week or so of applying ointment on the site, and it was no trouble at all.

SCKD · September 2015

There is still a little skin to pull back. And like someone else said, if you don't gently pull it back from time to time, it will reattach and could cause issues. Also if you don't pull back and clean in there, this white gross stuff forms and it's pretty nasty!

Jess0813 · September 2015

It depends on what method is used for circumcision. Both of my boys were done using the plasty bell (sp?) and was told to do nothing unless it looked irritated then use a little peroxide.

kanda0820 · September 2015

After circumcision, you will get sab to put on him until it heals. This is so the diaper doesn't stick to him. The doctor will check the healing at every doctor appointment and do any necessary "adjustments". I never had to do anything for my son other than the sab and make sure he was clean.

bryannakd · September 2015

When exactly does the Circumsion take place if you decide to do it?

Cbradyfriedt · September 2015

Our son was circumcised the day after he was born.

LauraSmarterSpam · September 2015

DS was circumcised before he came home from the NICU. He was born two months premature and spent his first month in the NICU so he was a month old when circumcised.
My nephew was circumcised a day after being born.

bekaadams49 · September 2015

bryannakd said:

When exactly does the Circumsion take place if you decide to do it?

It depends on your hospital or area. My niece delivered in South Mississippi and the hospital told her she had to go to the pediatrician after discharge to have it done. I live in South Alabama and was told by everyone I know that they do it in the hospital the morning before you go home.

bekaadams49 · September 2015

Thanks for all the advice ladies! Apparently it's different for everyone, so we will just have to wait and see if there is any foreskin remaining.

astarw · September 2015

Super easy to take care of...just have Vaseline on hand. My hospital didn't give us any so we had to run out and buy some...it has to be a brand new one...and can't be shared with anyone else.

susiaustin · September 2015

mcoody84 said:
My son is two and we have another due at the end of December we did not have him circumcised he can decide if her wants to be when he gets older but I is very easy to care for uncircumcised you just gently pull back the skin during bath time and clean with soap and water and during changings just a wipe is fine we have had zero problems with him not being circumcised

That is old doctors advice. Current studies state that you should never pull back the skin until the child is old enough to do it themselves (teenager) it has all the cleaning agents it needs inside. If you pull it back it actually opens it up for infection. Sorry big sis is a bit of a huge intactivist and she has drilled it into my brain

Want a personalized experience?

Moms of Boys! How do you care for a circumcised boy?

Re: Moms of Boys! How do you care for a circumcised boy?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards