When does circumcision

Factors such as your culture, religion, and personal preferences may affect your decision. Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks. He or she may be able to help you decide. You may want to make a decision about circumcision before your son is born. The American Academy of Family Physicians AAFP recommends that parents talk to their family doctor about the potential benefits and risks of circumcision when making their decision. However, the AAP does not think the benefits are great enough to recommend that all male newborns should be circumcised.

Healing usually takes about 7 to 10 days. Some swelling of the penis is normal. It will go away on its own. Keep it clean with soap and water to reduce the risk of problems or infections. When your son gets older, his foreskin will separate from the tip of his penis. This is called retraction. It happens at different times for different boys.

Most boys can retract their foreskin by the time they are 5 years of age. This can damage the penis and cause pain and other problems. Once the foreskin is ready to retract, you can teach your son how to gently pull the foreskin back and clean the skin underneath. He should wash beneath his foreskin every day while bathing or showering.

Like any surgical procedure, circumcision does have some risks. However, the rate of problems after circumcision is quite low.

Bleeding and infection in the circumcised area are the most common problems. Both of these can be treated by your doctor. If the bloodstain is larger than the size of a quarter, call your doctor right away.

You should also call your doctor if:. Last Updated: September 8, The decision to have your son circumcised can be difficult and can involve a number of considerations, including your culture, religion, and personal preferences. Boys are born with a covering over the head of the penis, which is called the glans, or foreskin. During circumcision, the foreskin is surgically removed, exposing the glans. Circumcision is usually performed in the first two to three weeks after the baby is born.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has not found sufficient supporting evidence to medically recommend circumcision or argue against it. Typically the decision to circumcise is based on religious beliefs, concerns about hygiene, or various other cultural or social factors.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the latest numbers released through show a declining rate in circumcision. Before deciding one way or the other, it is helpful to understand how the procedure is performed, the risks, and the benefits.

No one should pressure you into making a decision one way or the other regarding circumcision. Your baby will be placed in a padded restraint chair and usually be given anesthesia. Since there are several different types of possible procedures, you should ask your care provider to explain the type they will be using. Procedures include the Plastibell, the Gomco clamp or Mogen clamp which all require the use of a scalpel.

These procedures first separate the foreskin from the glans with a device followed by surgery with the scalpel to remove the foreskin. The foreskin is separated from the glans, often using the Mogen clamp, and then a single cut with a scalpel is used to remove the foreskin. The parents hold the baby during the procedure.

Afterward, the mother is encouraged to nurse within the first minute following the procedure. This procedure is usually performed on or shortly after the 8th day from birth when clotting factors in the babies blood are at their highest levels. Most doctors recommend that circumcision be done within a few days from the delivery of the baby.

Some doctors recommend waiting two or three weeks. When the birth occurs in a hospital, circumcision is usually done within 48 hours. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using pain relief measures for the procedure. Types of local anesthesia for reducing pain include topical cream, a nerve block via injection at the base of the penis, and a nerve block via injection under the skin around the penis shaft.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that there are not enough benefits from circumcision to recommend it as a routine practice and that it is not medically necessary. As always, it is important to discuss the subject with your doctor. After the circumcision, a protective bandage may be placed over the wound, which generally heals on its own within a week to 10 days.

In the United States, many newborn males are circumcised. Circumcision is not medically required, but studies show that it lowers certain health risks. Most parents make the decision about circumcision based on cultural, religious, or personal reasons such as whether other male family members have been circumcised. Once you decide your baby will be circumcised, discuss it with the doctor who'll perform the procedure.

Many circumcisions on newborns are done by obstetricians, but pediatricians, family practitioners, urologists, neonatologists, and pediatric surgeons also can do them. Most healthy babies can be circumcised within 1 to 2 days after birth. However, circumcision is delayed for babies with certain medical conditions.

Your child's examining pediatrician or neonatologist will decide if your newborn should wait to be circumcised. If it is OK for your child to have a circumcision, the doctor will review any risks, potential benefits, and instructions on caring for your baby after the procedure. The doctor will also ask about any family history of bleeding disorders like hemophilia or von Willebrand's disease. Ask the doctor to explain anything you don't understand.

When you feel comfortable with the information and your questions have been fully answered, you will be asked to sign an informed consent form, which states that you understand the procedure and its risks and give your permission for your child to have the circumcision.

Circumcisions are often performed in the hospital's nursery treatment room. Some parents choose to be in the treatment room during the circumcision, while others prefer to wait for the baby to be returned to the nursery.

If you'd like to be in the room, let your doctor know. A baby is typically awake for circumcision. He is usually positioned in a molded plastic seat that helps hold him safely in place. The penis and surrounding skin are cleansed with antiseptic before the procedure begins. Several safe and effective pain-control methods can lessen a baby's pain during circumcision.

Ask your doctor about the type of pain control your baby will have ahead of time. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area of the penis where the incision will be made. Because of the numbing cream, your baby will feel very little as the needle goes through the skin. To further reduce stress and discomfort, the nurse may give your baby a "sucrose pacifier" a pacifier dipped in sugar water , which has been shown to reduce newborn distress.

Sometimes acetaminophen is given to help with pain. Babies may also feel better when swaddled. In newborns, circumcision can be performed in several ways. The most common techniques protect the head of the penis with special devices while the foreskin is removed. Your doctor will determine which method is appropriate. A special instrument called a probe is used to separate the foreskin from the head of the penis they are usually joined by a thin membrane.

Next a bell-shaped device is fitted over the head of the penis and under the foreskin an incision may be made in the foreskin to allow this. The foreskin is then pulled up and over the bell and a clamp is tightened around it to reduce blood flow to the area.