Caring for a circumcised baby

Many parents usually prefer having their male children circumcised at a young age for cultural, religious and healthy reasons. The procedure may take about an hour and thereafter you have to go back home. 

After circumcision, your baby's penis may look red and swollen. Follow your doctor's directions about whether to put clean gauze back on your baby's penis or to leave the gauze off. If you need to remove gauze from the penis, use warm water to soak and gently loosen it.
The doctor may have used a plastibell device to do the circumcision. If so, your baby will have a plastic ring around the head of the penis. The ring should fall off by itself in 10 to 12 days.

A thin, yellow film may form over the area the day after the procedure. This is part of the normal healing process. It should go away in a few days.
Your baby may seem fussy while the area heals. It may hurt for your baby to urinate. This pain often gets better in three or four days. But it may last for up to two weeks.
Even though your baby's penis will likely start to feel better after three or four days, it may look worse. The penis often starts to look like it is getting better after about seven to 10 days.

Let your baby rest as much as possible because sleeping helps with recovery.
The doctor will tell you when your child can start taking any medicines. He may recommend giving your baby acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help with pain after the procedure. Give your child medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if your child is having a problem with medicine.
Do not give your child two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor tells you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.

Circumcision care
Always wash your hands before and after touching the circumcision area. Gently wash your baby's penis with plain, warm water after each diaper change, and pat it dry. Do not use soap or hydrogen peroxide or alcohol because these can slow healing.

Do not try to remove the film that forms on the penis. The film will go away on its own. Put plenty of petroleum jelly (such as vaseline) on the circumcision area during each diaper change. This will prevent your baby's penis from sticking to the diaper while it heals. Fasten your baby's diapers loosely so that there is less pressure on the penis while it heals.

Do not skip any appointments and if your baby has a fever above 38°C, is extremely fussy or irritable, has a high-pitched cry, or refuses to eat, does not have a wet diaper within 12 hours after the circumcision, a big spot of bleeding, your baby has signs of infection such as severe swelling; redness; a red streak on the shaft of the penis; or a thick, yellow discharge, it is important that you seek immediate medical care.