Uncircumsized 9 months boys - pediatrician says to pull foreskin?!

Alicia - posted on 03/19/2011

I didn't do it either (my older son was a preemie twin and I chose not to) and my boys are 6 and 7 no problems. I rarely had to do the pull back maybe once a week my kids were bathed nightly tho, still are. I usually just keep an eye on it and if they complain now that they are older I explain what to do when they are in the bath to clean it. When they were smaller I used to keep an eye on it and if it seemed red or irritated I made sure to "pull back" in warm bath. I think sometimes when they are younger it gets irritated because of the damp diaper environment.

Jenn - posted on 03/19/2011

Don't pull it back. That "cheese" is called smegma and is supposed to be there - it's normal. Girls get it in the folds of their vulva as well - it's mostly dead skin cells. With a girl you gently wash it away, if the foreskin is still not retracted you shouldn't be seeing this so nothing to worry about. If you can see it and the foreskin has retracted, then yes, clean it away.

Lisa - posted on 03/18/2011

Dee, you couldn't be more wrong. You are supposed to leave it alone, do not retract. It will eventually do it on it's own and that could take as long as puberty to happen. Treat it just like a finger- you wouldn't pull up your fingernail to clean under your nails, would you? The foreskin is attached in the same way as your nail is to your finger and you will cause a lot of damage to the foreskin and the glans if you force it to retract before it's ready.

Petra - posted on 03/17/2011

thank you Leslie, good to see "big picture"

Leslie - posted on 03/17/2011

My twins are teenagers now, age 15, and both uncircumcised. (They would probably be ridiculously embarrassed if they came across this discussion and saw my post.) I too had the same concerns about how to keep the area clean.
When they were babies, I basically kept the area clean and lint free but never pulled the skin back as it seemed too uncomfortable and sensitive to them. In all these years, the only problem that has ever come up was during a 3-day camping trip (without me) at 11 years old, where one boy decided not to shower for the 3 days. Of course, after swimming in the ocean, and playing in the sand, and hiking in the heat - the area was irritated to say the least. For him, that was when he personally learned the value of keeping it clean. His brother learned the lesson by witness.
-- Hope this helps ease your concerns.
Best,
Leslie

Julie - posted on 03/17/2011

my son was done when he was just one but befor that i didnt toucth it at all unless it is making it hard for a boy normaly they wouldent tell you that i think some times the more you move it up and down you can end up making it sore

Michelle - posted on 03/15/2011

I have a 2 yr old boy uncircumcised, My Dr. also said to leave it alone.

Diane - posted on 03/14/2011

You're doctor is wrong! Don't pull it down, definitly wait until it will retract on it's own (I think usually when they're 3 or so) also, I would tell her not to do it again or just switch to another doctor.

Naomi - posted on 03/14/2011

i have 2 boys both not circumcised.
one is 18 the other 5 but i was told to leave the forskin alone; but to make sure that i cleaned them; not pulling at the skin just allowing it to 'fold' to where it was naturally.
boys play with themselves; they will show you when their foreskin retracts as it is fascinating to them!!

Nete - posted on 03/10/2011

your first pediatrician and the books are correct...leave it alone until your son are ready... I would change pediatrician again ... if he-she don't this.. what else don't H-S know .... my son are uncircumcised and I'm from a part of the world were circumcision is NOT practiced

Dee - posted on 03/08/2011

Petra:
As a Mom of 2 grown boys(i circumsized the other not) I know how frustrating it is. As a nurse of 35 years, I think I can help. Circumsicion, except for religious reasons, has been deemed an unnecessary surgery, There are many men who never had this done. But it is a hygiene issue. My oldest son was never cirumsized as a baby due to illness, so my pediatrician gently stretched the foreskin to allow it to be slid easily over the head of the penis. If you do not slide the foreskin back often it can tighten and hurt when retracted. Also dirt, sweat, fibers and for a lack of a more descriptive term "cheese" gathers at the base of the head and irritates, smells and chaffs the tender area. You must do this everytime you change your boys dirty(not wet} diapers. Also do not put powder on the penis till you return the foreskin to its proper position. Teach the boys to do this when they start "washing themselves. They can get yeast infections in this area especially from not cleaning properly or from diaper rash. If you don't make sure that the foreskin is pulled back in place it can cause the head of the penis to swell and trust me you don't want that. As they age they will become used to doing this for themselves. Also as puberty hits and the penis expands and the "natural man" comes, the foreskin that has become stretched there should be no problems, but the foreskin can tear during intercourse and the need will be emergent. My oldest has never had any problems.
also keep in mine that the older a boy gets before circumsicion the more it hurts. Hope this helps. Dee

Liz - posted on 03/08/2011

My twin boys are also uncircumcised and I have been told by several medical professionals that you are NOT supposed to retract the foreskin. I think it used to be the rule of thumb but they know better now. It will happen on its own.

Celeste - posted on 03/07/2011

The reason why I shared that info is because I read that your boys were circ'ed. I wasn't sure if you were aware on how to care for an intact penis, which is never to pull it back, which I know that sometimes you do with one that has been circumcised. No harm, no foul. Just sharing info.

Samantha - posted on 03/07/2011

We were advised never to touch, no need what so ever. It's not common practice to circumcise though so maybe she's a fan and that's why she's messing?? Make sure u ask my, unless foreskin to small tell her to shut up !!

Allison - posted on 03/07/2011

thanks for that information Celeste... however, as noted, my boys are circumsized, so it's not really the foreskin, it's just that they have not grown to where they won't collect cotton... my oldest who is 3 1/2 grew out of that stage and my twins who are 2 1/2 have that occassionally happen to.

Celeste - posted on 03/07/2011

Allison, you usually don't pull the foreskin to clean until it separates on its own. When they're little, the foreskin is attached so you wash it like you would a finger. As they get older, and it separates on its own, then you can clean it. Otherwise, you just leave it alone. If you try to pull it when it's not ready, you can cause damage.

(Just an FYI)

Allison - posted on 03/07/2011

all 3 of my boys have been circumsized... however, they all had different doctors do theirs, so they all look differently and i have found it's going to change as they grow... my twins, regardless of being circumsized, i would still have to pull back some skin to make sure they are clean.. with them being 2 1/2 years old... it's been their tickle spot when i try to do that. i've only done that because depending on the type of diaper you use, you still get some of the cotton that collects where it can. I just check once a week to make sure that the cotton hasn't had a build up and just clean it with a diaper wipe... it's going to be your call and what you decide, but I would occassionally just make sure that you don't get cotton pieces built up...

Elaine - posted on 03/04/2011

you never ever pull it back!!

Sa-Leanne - posted on 03/04/2011

I too have been told to leave my boy well alone and things will happen when they are ready x

Celeste - posted on 03/04/2011

No, leave it alone. It will retract on its own.
http://pediatrics.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=...

My twin boys are intact. I never pull it back. Unfortunately, as much as I love my pedi, she is unaware on how to care for an intact penis. She told me the same thing but I knew she was incorrect.

Sarah - posted on 03/04/2011

hi! I have a 7 year old who is not circumsized.....our ped. told us the same thing, but when he was older, I think well over a year, she said NOT to force it at all, just gently retract while in the tub. My son's foreskin still has difficulty fully retracting, in fact when he was 4, the ped. said his should have been retracting and because it was not, referred us to a ped. urologist, who said that while a large percentage of boys have a retractable forskin by age 3 or 4, it is not uncommon for some to even be 10,11, 12, before it happens for them. he was not concerned and said that he would not recommend doing anything about it until he closer to 11, 12 (if still an issue), as he said it will ONLY loosen. It has gotten better. It is part of bath time routine, but never forced to retract and my son has not had any issues with it. hope this has helped.

Liz - posted on 03/03/2011

Hi both my boys are circumsized, but my sister's boys are not. If i remember right the very minimum to weight is a year. I've also heard not to pull it back and clean it until they are old enough to do it themselves. My suggestion is ask your doctor why she wants you to do this when it isn't recommended usually. If there is no solid reason she gives you then I would suggest going with another doctor.

Teresa - posted on 03/02/2011

My son is circumsized, so no personal experience but I have also heard to leave it alone. Did she tell you WHY she is reccommending this when it seems to be standard knowledge NOT to do what she is telling you to do?

Sorry. That's all I've got.