Caring for newborns with and without circumcision

Depending on culture and/or beliefs, some parents decide to have their newborns circumcised, and this is quite easily done by a medical professional trained in circumcision. Guidance is usually provided on caring for the newborn after circumcision and also for newborns without circumcision:

• Caring for a newborn after circumcision
• Caring for a newborn without circumcision

Caring for a newborn after circumcision

After circumcision of a male newborn, there is usually a small plastic ring (also called a plastibell) placed over the penis. In some cases, a plastibell is not used and the incision is left to heal without cover. This area should be cleansed with warm water about three times daily making sure not to wet the umbilical cord seal. Some recommend using a peri-type bottle for ease. Sometimes antibiotic ointment is prescribed to place on the circumcision; otherwise unscented petroleum jelly can be used instead.

A scab should form over the incision and then drop off after about ten days, or in the case of the plastic ring, it will fall off over a similar time scale. If there are changes in the scab, or the plastic ring does not fall off after about fourteen days, and/or if any symptoms, such as redness, swelling, bleeding, bruising, smelling, fever or restricted urination, occur, your medical provider should immediately be contacted to treat the newborn.

Caring for a newborn without circumcision

The main recommendation when cleaning the newborn’s uncircumcised penis during nappy changes or at bath time, is not to pull back the foreskin, poke beneath the foreskin with ear buds, or try clean under the foreskin. The reason for this is because doing so may cause permanent damage to the penis with pain and bleeding. Newborn’s penis’ usually have a white discharge (infant smegma) from cell shedding that is normal and can be gently wiped. Using normal soap and water to clean over the penis is sufficient. The separation of the foreskin from the glans can happen anywhere from before birth to adolescence.  The separation should be allowed to occur naturally for the child that is not circumcised.

Caring for your newborn:

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• Caring for your newborn
• What are dummies?
• Newborns and movement
• Burping your baby
• Playing with your newborn
• Caring for newborns with and without circumcision
• Baby hair loss
• Baby Massage
• Newborn Clothing: Dressing and body temperature
• Newborn and home safety
• Newborn: When others want to hold or touch
• Babies and pets
• Baby constipation
• Baby clothes
• What should my first aid kit contain?
• Taking a baby’s temperature
• Baby medicine

• Coping with your newborn
• Newborn: When to call a doctor?
• Baby hygiene
• Trimming baby nails
• Caring for babies’ bottoms
• Baby poo
• How to care for your newborn’s body
• Newborns and nappies
• Caring for your Baby’s Clothes
• Baby Milestones
• Baby first aid
• Common baby emergencies
• How to help a choking baby
• Baby vomiting
• Keeping your baby safe
• Baby Monitors
• Baby swimming

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