Baby care:Penis care

Your baby boy's penis is made up of the cylindrical shaft with a rounded end called the glans. The shaft and the glans are separated by a groove called the sulcus. At the tip of the glans is an opening where the urine comes out. The entire penis is covered by a continuous layer of skin, called the foreskin. The foreskin has two layers-the outer skin and a lining that is similar to a mucus membrane. When your baby boy is born, the foreskin is firmly attached to the glans. In uncircumcised boys, around the age of 9 or 10 the foreskin and glans become fully separated. At that point, the foreskin can be pulled back for thorough cleanings.

If your baby boy is not circumcised, the only care it will require during infancy is soap and water as the rest of the body is being washed. It is unnecessary, painful and dangerous to try to forcibly retract the foreskin or clean under it with cotton swabs. You should only do this once the boy is old enough and the foreskin has separated from the glans.

In a circumcised baby, the penis will only ever need to be washed with soap and water. However, as the baby's circumcision heals, you need to take special care of his penis. While the circumcision is healing, it may be sore to touch and bleed some. It may also ooze slightly at the site of the surgery. Try to make your baby as comfortable as possible during this healing time. You can put two diapers on your baby boy for extra cushioning and to keep his thighs from pressing against it. Usually the penis is wrapped in gauze after the circumcision has been performed. You need to put a fresh gauze pad with petroleum jelly on the penis with each diaper change. Do not immerse your baby's penis in water during this healing time. If you notice a foul odor or colored discharge, other than blood, during the healing process, you should call your child's doctor.

Comments: Baby care - Penis-care

Comments 1 to 24 of about 32.
1 Next

lizbabes - 73 days ago.
Thanks 2babys! That does make a lot of sense because he is a very chubby baby (3 months 2 weeks old and 18 pounds) lol but we're going to ask his doctor about it when we see him later this month :)

2babys-under2 - 74 days ago.
My son is very chubby and even though he was circumsized my doctor said that until the fat pad around his penis goes away after he loses his baby fat that it won't look circumsized. If she's wrong then my sons not either and I know he had the procedure done too lol

lizbabes - 74 days ago.
Ok ladies I have kind of a weird question...we had my son circumcised at the hospital when he was born (now he's 3 1/2 month old) and we went to a doctor visit last week and our doctor was out so we saw another one and she said that our son is not circumcised!?!?! I mean we watched the doctor do it so I know he was and for about two weeks after he was born it looked like he was circumcised but now it doesn't?? Has anyone else ever had this situation happen to their baby :)

JJmommy! - 113 days ago.
My baby's healed really fast by keeping it dry with the alcohol then putting a glob of vaseline around the wound. However, he got a small infection from a small amount of desatin in the fold. We didnt notice and it got infected. If your baby is circd make sure you wipe around the head to get any access desatin that might have gotten stuck.

lyssie - 138 days ago.
My son's healed in about 2 weeks.

peppy29 - 189 days ago.
My 11 day old son just was circumcised yesterday. He screamed so much that I'm not sure that area was entirely numb. I don't entirely trust this doctor because he missed the delivery because he was eating and when I called because the stitches were hurting worse instead of getting better, he blew me off, but....Is it possible he didn't wait long enough and my son felt it? It was a hard procedure to see...I hate seeing my baby that unhappy.

GavinsMum - 194 days ago.
So my Little man is circumcised but he has so much pudge above his penis that he has an innie. When i push/pulled it out one day i noticed a hole around where the cut was made. He is 5 months old now!! It has puss that comes out of it. The doctor said it is a tear and that it will go away on its on as long as we clean it and daily. which we do every time we change him. Its been like 2 maybe 3 months since i first found it. If your baby boy had this problem how long did it take to heal?

Diane-taketwo - 246 days ago.
lyfe - it's ok - a very simple little procedure to allow the testicle to come down from the abdomen. My son will need the same surgery for his right testicle some time this fall. He'll be fine, and go on to have no problems later in life.

pygmalin - 246 days ago.
lyfe-oh goodness.. I am sorry I hope everything works out...my sons' testicals were not descended at birth but happend shortly after..no surgery needed..but I am sure your little guy will be fine..it's better now than waiting. HUGS

Mama-of-2boys - 246 days ago.
lyfe - I didnt have that happen to my son, and I understand what you must be going through. But it is something that has to be done, and I'm sure that your little one will be ok. Good luck

RobinG - 247 days ago.
My hubby had it and another I know did and they did perfectly fine ~ big hugs (((()))) I know how scary it is, my 2nd son had to have surgery when he was 2 and it was scary but he did wonderfully (())

lyfe - 247 days ago.
HELLO EVERYONE!!! MY 16 MONTH OLD SON HAS TO HAVE SURGERY B/C ONE OF HIS TESTICALS DIDNT COME DOWN!!! IM SO SCARED BUT THE DOCTOR SAIDS HE NEEDS IT....MY ? IS...HAVE ANYONE OUT THERE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS IF SO PLEASE SOME BODY HELP EASE MY WORRIES....IM NOT TO HAPPY ABOUT MY BABY HAVING TO BE PUT TO SLEEP!!!!! HE SAID IT WOULDNT BE LONGER THEN 20MINS AND IT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE HE TURNS 2!!! HELP ME OUT YA'LL PLEASE!!! *WORRIED YOUNG MOM*

chanelle - 254 days ago.
puntoblk Im not sure about the warm water thing but I do know of 4 guys that had issuse like that till they were older and endd up having to b circumcised when they were older ( 12 years 20's 30 and one when he was 40) So if he has issues when he is older they can do somthing to fix it. Sorry to hear that you are having issues. My Brother in law had issuse till he was 12 then and had to be circumcied and has had no issues since and he is in his mid 20s.

Pinkexecutioner - 254 days ago.
Tink what was it that made you decide?

happyforest - 255 days ago.
good for you tink

tink21 - 255 days ago.
We decided not to circumcise :)

puntoblk - 261 days ago.
my 4 year old boy gets ballonitis at least once a month, his penis becomes sore and swallen and a yellow discharge comes out from between the glan and the foreskin, my doctor says that I should treat him every time it happens with dactakort ointment (which actually works) and that I shouldn't pull back his foreskin to clean his penis till he is 5 years old. I am worried that these infections could build up to something really serious, can anyone help please? I was also told to pull his foreskin back gently and wash his penis in warm water everyday. Is that helpful?

happyforest - 291 days ago.
**this is from above** 'If your baby boy is not circumcised, the only care it will require during infancy is soap and water as the rest of the body is being washed. It is unnecessary, painful and dangerous to try to forcibly retract the foreskin or clean under it with cotton swabs. You should only do this once the boy is old enough and the foreskin has separated from the glans.'

happyforest - 291 days ago.
if it is not circ DO NOT PULL BACK EVER!! this can cause *permanemt* damage to the penis. it may require surgery later, if you mess things up by pulling. they are VERY easy to care for since you dont have to pull back. i just wipe my sons with a baby wipe every time i change his diaper (pee and poo diapers) and then wash it at bath time with babysoap and water. you dont have to pull back, if you do this it will stay clean as it is. when he is an older child the skin will start to be able to come back, and you will then just have to explain that when he freely pulls back they need to start doing that to wash.

RobinG - 291 days ago.
is he circ'd or not? Pull back loose skin a tiny bit(after it is FULLY healed) if circ'd..... dont pull back if not..that is what I was always told and know others to do ~ that is how all my boys were cared for after their circ.

lisalou29 - 291 days ago.
ok... so confused... we have a 12 month old boy. in pre-natal class we were told not to pull back the foreskin. so we didnt. went to the immunizations at the health clinic (same place we got pre-natal classes) and the nurse told us to regularly pull back the foreskin at bathtime and clean to prevent yeast and other infections. and she noted that she will quiz the pre-natal nurse instructors. everyone says different things. my bf did the dirty work of pulling back the foreskin and cleaning and our son didnt cry or seem to notice what he was doin. should we carry on and clean a few times a week, or leave it alone?

kungfu-ronin - 307 days ago.
Oh ok well thanks anyway!

happyforest - 307 days ago.
there is not just one reason to get it done. it is different for everyone. unfortunatly we dont have a forum to talk about this, only one to discuss care. so in those terms, some people believe it will be easier to care for, but really as long as you keep it clean either way there shouldnt be a problem. my son is not circ, and we have had no problems. i just wipe it with a baby wipe after every diaper change and at bath time i just clean with baby soap and water. also, i dont pull back on the skin, and no one ever should pull back.

RobinG - 308 days ago.
Sorry kungfu-ronin this forum can only be used to discuss the treatment of a circ'd or uncirc'd baby boy and not for duscussing benefits of the procedure or why we did or didnt. (()) I will say that all my boys are done. And in the time I've been on this site it seems it really does vary based on where you are from. (This sites has moms from all over the world) Although it seems every town has boys who are and are not depending on where you live it may be more common or far less common. Where I live it is most common. It is a very personal choice and one only YOU and your SO can make ~ I'm sorry but we are not able to answer your question or discuss the reasons to or not to do it (())

kungfu-ronin - 308 days ago.
I am pregnant and do not know what the sex is yet for this baby but i have a question. What is the reason to get your son circumcised? I am trying to find out more about it and everyone i talked to says to get it done but is it for 'cosmetic' reasons only? ( i dont know what other word to use lol) it doesnt matter i just want to know because i am sooo curious and cant seem to geet a straight answer anwhere about this subject. . thanks in advance ladies!

More comments: 1 Next More sections: All sections Trying to conceive Pregnancy & Birth Birth defects Babies