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After Care

When the bris is complete, his mother may take the baby to a quiet room and feed him.  After that, Dr. Katz likes to do his first diaper change with his parents, to check him for bleeding and to show them how to care for the circumcision by applying vaseline petroleum jelly with each diaper change for about a week.  He will provide a handout of instructions.  Dr. Katz and/or his staff are available to you 24 hours a day, if you have any questions or difficulties caring for the circumcision.

Instructions for Post-Circumcision Care

The First 24 Hours

Please check for bleeding within 1/2 hour of the circumcision.  Call me if there is ongoing bleeding from the penis.  If he seems fussy or uncomfortable after the bris, you may give him Infant Tylenol/Acetaminophen Infant Liquid, 1.25ml every 4 hours as needed for pain relief.  If a bandage was wrapped around his penis at the time of the circumcision, it may fall off on its own within 24 hours and should not be replaced.  In the event that it does not fall off on its own, remove it yourself as was demonstrated during your pre-bris appointment. I need to check him 3 to 4 days after the bris. I will make sure he is healing properly. If you haven't already scheduled your son's post-bris check, please call my office as soon as possible to do so.  As he urinates during the first 24 hours, some of the coagulated blood in the bandage may dissolve and you might see a pink or red stain on the diaper or gauze pad.  This is not an indication of significant bleeding, and you should not be concerned.

Condition of the Penis 

After the first 24 hours, you will see several things.  The head of the penis will be red or purple.  It is neither infected nor bleeding.  It is red because until now it has not come into contact with light or air.  This redness will disappear soon.  You may also see swelling beneath the glans (the head of the penis is not swollen; only the tissue beneath it is).  This is normal.  The swelling will go down within a few days.  You might also see a mucous discharge.  This is lymphatic secretion which might vary in color from white, yellow, green, or gray.  It might be noticed on the head or shaft of the penis and will resemble a soft scab or a film.  In some cases, the build-up of this secretion might look like pus or a blister, but it is neither.  Do not attempt to remove it from the penis, since doing so might cause bleeding or discomfort.  Just leave it alone and it will go away.

Post-Circumcision Care

Please begin this procedure only after the bandage has fallen off or has been removed.  Each time you change his diaper, use the tubes of Vaseline and squirt a large amount of Vaseline in a circle all around the circumcision. You can cover the head of the penis with Vaseline, making it look like the top of an ice cream cone. The more Vaseline you use, the better. It helps the circumcision to heal, and keeps it from sticking to the diaper. Do this with every diaper change for a week, or until the penis looks completely healed.

How to Reach Dr. Katz

Dr. Katz is available if you have any concerns or questions about the circumcision.  Please do not hesitate to contact me.