- Your infant’s circumcision site may look raw for the next 5-7 days. During this time period, it is important to keep it covered with petroleum jelly / Vaseline to ensure that the wound edges heal properly, and do not stick to the diaper.
- You may clean the site with plain water or fragrance-free diaper wipes. We do not recommend using fragranced diaper wipes, because the chemicals and soaps found in the wipes may further irritate the circumcision.
- About 2-3 days after the circumcision, a yellow film will cover the head of the penis. This is the appearance of normal healing. Please do not be concerned for infection.
- The anesthetic used should prevent your child from feeling pain after the surgery for about 12 hours. He should not need any Tylenol, which may prevent early identification of fevers, for which he will need to be seen.
- Call your pediatrician or go to the Emergency Room for any of the following:
- Fever (temperature greater than 100.4 taken rectally) – no need to take his temperature unless he feels warm.
- Profuse bleeding from the circumcision site. Small spots of blood on the diaper or a little bleeding when changing diapers may be normal. Please do not remove any clots that form on the penis after the surgery, as these areas will start bleeding again. If the penis should start bleeding a lot, please hold pressure on the site (no ice), and bring the baby to the clinic or ER.
- Redness at, swelling of, or drainage from the incision site, especially after 2-3 days, as this is when infection will usually appear.
- Swelling of the site to the point where the tip of the penis is changing colors (blue, purple, white, paler red). This is an emergency – come to the clinic or ER immediately!
- No urine output for 12 hours after the procedure.
Please see your Pediatrician for your baby’s next well child check-up. No follow-up is needed for the circumcision, unless there are problems.