What Happens During Circumcision?

If you are trying to decide whether or not to have your baby boy circumcised, you may be wondering, "What will happen when he is circumcised?" We know that circumcision is painful, but we also know that the majority of parents in America decide to have it done to their little boys. What exactly happens during this process?

When is it done?
The process of circumcision is very quick, lasting only about 15 minutes. It is recommended that if you desire to have your baby circumcised, it should be done before he leaves the hospital after birth, unless he was born prematurely. Circumcision is never as simple as when it is done soon after the baby is born. If you wait a couple of months, more pain medication is needed. Most parents decide to do it early, in part, so that their child will not remember it, the exception being if they want the boy to decide for himself whether or not to be circumcised.

What is the process?
If you decide to have your son circumcised, he will most likely be taken from your room or nursery by his doctor, or a nurse. If this is distressing to you, you may request to go with. If you are not up to it, your spouse or a family member may go with the baby. Your son may be given an anesthetic in the form of a shot into the base of his penis to numb the area. Some doctors simply give the baby a pacifier dipped in sugar to distract the baby from the process. The baby's hands and feet will be restrained, (you or a family member could also hold the baby's arms down, if you prefer) and he will lie on his back while the doctor cleanses the penis. A plastic ring or clamp is attached to the penis while the foreskin is cut off.

How do I care for the circumcision site?
After circumcision, the doctor will place some petroleum jelly or A&D ointment on the end of the penis and cover it with loose gauze. The area will be red and tender for a few days and a yellow scab may develop. A little bit of bleeding for the first couple of days and some yellow oozing or crusting is normal. Within seven to ten days, the penis should be completely healed. You should clean the penis gently at each diaper change and dab a bit of A&D on the tip of the penis. Only give sponge baths until the area is completely healed.

Though it isn't pleasant to think about what happens when a baby is circumcised, it is important that you understand the process before you make your final decision about circumcision.