After baby circumcision, what is the proper treatment?

There are various treatments for newborns that can be done, one of which is circumcision. Circumcision is a surgical procedure by removing the foreskin covering the tip of the penis (prepuce /foreskin). This procedure can be performed on newborn boys, as long as the baby is healthy and stable. When is the right time to circumcise babies? What about circumcision in baby girls? Here's the explanation.

What are the benefits of baby circumcision?

From a medical perspective, male baby circumcision has many benefits.

As an adult, uncircumcised boys are 10 times more susceptible to urinary tract infections than circumcised children.

Launching from the page of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the benefits of circumcising baby boys are to reduce the risk of health problems such as:

Infections of the foreskin
Urinary tract infection
Sexually transmitted disease
Phimosis (a condition where the foreskin cannot be pulled back)
Cancer in the penis area

In addition, circumcision also affects the resistance to sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV / AIDS.

Circumcised children are also at lower risk of penile problems, such as the inflammation, infection, or irritation that is common in uncircumcised children.

Circumcision or circumcision is also one of the recommended processes to keep the penis cleaner.

When is the right time to circumcise babies?

According to the Integral Medical Center in London, the time is right for boys to be circumcised in the age range of 7-14 days.

What is the reason why medical experts recommend that children be circumcised at infancy?

In newborns around the age of one week, the blood that comes out during the circumcision process is still small.

In addition, when you are a baby, the formation of cells and tissues is growing rapidly.

Besides, the pain you felt wasn't too heavy either. At infancy, the risk of trauma from the circumcision process will not affect the child in the future.

Actually, circumcision can be done at any time depending on the readiness of the parents and children.

However, there are some risks that may be experienced by a child if he is circumcised at an older age.

For example, the need for several sutures to the skin of the penis and the risk of bleeding during circumcision.

Even so, not all babies can be circumcised immediately. Circumcising boys when they are babies also cannot be done right away.

The condition of the baby must be healthy, and the condition of his vital organs must be in a stable condition.

Usually doctors rarely perform circumcision for babies under five years of age for medical reasons.

However, if there are certain conditions such as infection of the glands, phimosis, or there is scar tissue on the foreskin of the baby's penis, then the baby is advised to undergo circumcision.

Care after circumcision in babies

Unlike circumcision when a boy is old enough, the baby cannot tell you what complaints he feels.

Babies also certainly cannot keep the penis area hygienic and healthy after circumcision.

Therefore, it is important for parents to pay attention to the guidelines for caring for babies after circumcision below.

1. Keep the penis clean

The most important thing in caring for a baby after he is circumcised is to keep the baby's body clean, especially the penis and groin area.

Every time the baby's diaper is changed, clean the groin area, penis, and buttocks from dirt with a cloth. You can clean it with soap and warm water.

After that, don't forget to dry the area thoroughly to prevent irritation. Use a towel or soft cloth as a way to treat sensitive baby skin.

2. Protect the penis as best as possible

After circumcision, the baby's penis will be bandaged and usually the bandage will come off when he pees.

Some pediatricians may recommend that you rewrap it, but there are also some pediatricians who recommend not bandaging it again.

So you should, consult your respective pediatrician.

If you are asked to bandage the baby's penis again, usually the doctor will recommend applying it petroleum jelly on the tip of the baby's penis before bandaging it again with sterile gauze.

This is done so that the gauze does not stick to the skin.

However, if the doctor advises not to re-bandage, all that needs to be done is reapplication petroleum jelly or antibiotic ointment every time the baby's diaper is changed.

It aims to reduce the friction between your baby's penis and the diaper he is wearing.

3. Be careful when bathing the baby

If your baby has recently been circumcised, you can still give him a bath. Bathing using a warm washcloth is preferable in the first two days after circumcision.

After that, you can bathe the baby normally again. Bathe the baby using warm water every day for a week.

4. Give pain relievers if needed

Signs that can be seen if the baby is in pain after being circumcised are crying, not sleeping, and refusing to eat.

In the first 24 hours after circumcision, you can give pain relievers in the form of acetaminophen. Pay attention to the dosage and usage instructions recommended by the doctor.

5. Wear loose clothes and pants

Choose comfortable newborn equipment. Avoid wearing clothes or pants that are too tight before the circumcision wound dries up.

If your baby is still using pampers or diapers, wear a size that is bigger than usual.

This is so that pampers or diapers do not press on the penis area so that it can cause pain.

This is also intended to keep air and blood circulating to the penis area so that the baby's circumcision scar heals quickly.

When to see a doctor immediately?

Circumcision can have certain complications or risks. Note if the baby experiences the following after performing circumcision:

Fever and weakness
Nausea, vomiting and dizziness
Symptoms of infection in the penis appear (swelling, redness of the skin, appearing red lines on the shaft of the penis, heavy bleeding, or pain that does not go away or subsides after taking the drug)
Inability to urinate, pain when urinating, bleeding when urinating, or urine that becomes cloudy and has a strong odor

If your little one experiences the above, contact your doctor immediately.

Should baby girls perform circumcision?

Quoting from the World Health Organization (WHO), circumcising baby girls is seen as an ancient ritual that is commonly practiced in a number of countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Female circumcision is defined as any form of procedure that involves removing, cutting, or removing part or all of the female external genitalia.

Circumcising baby girls has serious implications for the sexual and reproductive health of women in later life. The problems that can be caused are: