Care of Genitals and Breasts

Care of the Genitals for Males

For the first few days after having a circumcision you will need to regularly apply Vaseline over the circumcision.  This should be done with each diaper change.  After about a week, the skin should be healed well enough, and this practice can be discontinued.

For a circumcised child, it is important to pull the foreskin away from the head of the penis on a regular basis to prevent a bridge of scar tissue from forming at the end of the penis.  You should begin doing this two weeks after the circumcision has healed.  The tip of the penis (glans) of newborn boys is generally red at first and sometimes has thin yellow crusts in spots.  The skin will look more normal in two to three weeks.

In an uncircumcised child, we do not recommend pulling the foreskin back until it releases on its own when the child is four to five years of age.

When the foreskin separates from the head of the penis, skin cells are shed. These skin cells may look like white, pearl-like lumps under the foreskin. These are called smegma. Smegma is normal and nothing to worry about.

Care of the Genitals for Females

Many newborn girls have a whitish discharge from the vagina (this is secondary to hormonal changes at birth).  Some even have a little bloody discharge in the first few weeks of life as a result of withdrawal from mom’s hormones.  This is normal and no cause for worry.  Just clean the area with a cotton ball soaked in water.

Be sure to separate the small lips around the vagina daily.  If these lips are allowed to remain in contact continuously for several weeks, they may begin to grow together.

Care of the Breasts

A thin discharge from the nipples is seen in some babies, both male and female.  They may also have enlarged or swollen breasts (again related to hormones).  No treatment is necessary since the condition will go away by itself.  However, if you notice any redness of the swollen areas notify us.