Questions To Ask A Clinic That Does Safe Circumcision For Babies

If you’re interested in having your newborn baby boy circumcised, you should make sure that you know everything there is to know about the procedure. Circumcision is a surgical procedure to remove the foreskin on the head of the penis. It’s an optional surgical procedure, which means parents are not required to get their newborn babies circumcised.

Circumcision is more of a personal choice. It depends on the parents whether they’d like to get their baby circumcised or not. But if you do decide to have your baby circumcised after delivering him, make sure to ask the clinic or the medical professional who’s going to perform the surgery the following questions first:

1. Is circumcision safe for my baby?

As mentioned earlier, circumcision is an optional surgical procedure and is not medically required by doctors. It can only be done should the parents decide to go for it and when the conditions are optimal. Ask the clinic, especially the attending medical professional, if the procedure is safe for your baby if you do decide to get him circumcised. Most clinics such as Circumcision Manchester perform an examination and evaluation on the newborn baby before he can be circumcised.

2. Are there conditions required for my baby to be circumcised?

There are conditions that must be met before the procedure can be performed on the baby safely, such as:

• The newborn baby must first be examined if he is healthy and stable.
• The optimal time to circumcise a newborn baby is right before he is discharged from the intensive care nursery.
• The penis must also be of normal size and has no defects.
• If the family has a history of bleeding disorders, the baby must be evaluated for such disorders before he is cleared for circumcision.
• The baby must have taken his vitamin K shot right after he is born.

3. What happens during the procedure?

You should also ask the clinic what you should expect during the procedure. This is also the perfect time for you to ask what circumcision method is going to be used on your baby.

Here’s what happens during the procedure:

• Your baby will be awake during the entire procedure and will most likely lie on his back with his arms and legs restrained to keep him still.
• After that, the doctor will use an antiseptic to clean the baby’s penis area before injecting an anesthetic to ease the pain.
• Next the doctor will start the procedure by using either one of the three circumcision methods: the Gomco clamp, Mogen clamp, or the Plastibell device, which are the most common methods used during the procedure.
• All of these methods follow the same procedure so there’s nothing to worry about. A clamp or a ring is attached to the baby’s penis and clips off the excess foreskin. The ring stays on but it will eventually fall off on its own later.
• After that, the doctor will then apply an ointment to the baby’s penis before wrapping it in gauze.
• Circumcision on babies usually takes around 10 minutes and once the procedure is successfully done, you and your baby can go home in a couple of hours.

Make sure that you only head to a reputable clinic that will explain the procedure to you clearly and thoroughly. You can check if a clinic has a website in order to see if they have reviews from previous patients, such as the one shown in this video:

4. Does circumcision have potential complications for my baby?

There’s very little chance of complications happening to your baby after getting circumcised. But there are three main types of complications that are observed after a baby is circumcised, which are bleeding, infection, and penile injury.

• Bleeding – The most common complication is bleeding. In most cases, bleeding is usually observed at the head of the penis and can be light to moderate. The bleeding, however, can be easily remedied by applying direct pressure to the area for a couple of minutes, using silver nitrate sparingly, or placing a polyglycolic acid (Vicryl) 5-0 suture.

• Infection – Infection on the penis within 24 to 72 hours after the procedure is something to worry about. It is considered to be an unusual occurrence. Infection on the penis is best characterized by redness, swelling, and mucus discharge. If you think your baby has infection after circumcision, bring him to a clinic or a doctor immediately to get it treated.

• Penile Injury – Penile injury or damage to the penis is the most serious complication after the circumcision. This can range from the accidental dilation of the meatus of the penis to the penile glans being partially amputated. In the event of these damages, you should consult a pediatric urologist immediately.

5. How long does it take for the baby to recover from circumcision?

After the procedure, your baby will become fussy and irritable so you need to make sure that you keep an eye on him at all times. Hold your baby carefully whenever you carry him to avoid putting pressure on his penis. The penis will be sore and look swollen, which is very normal. It’ll take around 7 to 10 days for your baby’s penis to heal completely after the circumcision.

While your baby is still recovering from circumcision, it is fine to wash his penis as it slowly heals. You can also try changing the bandage when you change his diaper. Don’t forget to apply a small amount of petroleum jelly on his penis first so it won’t stick to the diaper. Changing the bandage also helps fight off infection.

Conclusion

Whatever you do, you need to have a clear talk with the clinic or the doctor about the benefits and risks of circumcision on your baby before you decide. If your doctor tells you that it is safe for your baby boy to be circumcised, the decision falls on to you whether you want it or not. Don’t let the doctors perform the surgical procedure on your baby without getting your consent first. Remember that circumcision is not a medically-required surgical procedure. It’s the parents’ decision whether you want your baby to get circumcised or not.