retract just a little okay?

[hpienkos]

We took my 2 month old for a check-up, doc retract very little and I at the time didn't think anything of it. Then went to the 1 year check up, the nurse pulled it back very little and I asked if you were supposed to retract, can't we leave it alone, she said you can check with the doc. She said that you need to retract it just at the tip, to clean and to make sure nothing gets there. Well, I always have left it alone even in baths. So when she said that, I thought okay, so the next day in bath, I retract very little and splish water in the bathub in it and then now I am reading this for the first time you guys are saying to never retrack! ECKKKKKKKKKKKKKK! please help! Have I done damage? What should I do? I read somewhere once you retract this early, the boy can have problems all his life! Is this true?! And what about me cleaning it, will the water get up there where I splashed it and stay up there and cause any harm? He was taking a bath in soap, so could soap get up there? I am really worried. Any input would be greatly appreciated and documents on this issue too! (websites too!)
THanks!

[Fellow Traveler]

Originally Posted by hpienkos

We took my 2 month old for a check-up, doc retract very little and I at the time didn't think anything of it. Then went to the 1 year check up, the nurse pulled it back very little and I asked if you were supposed to retract, can't we leave it alone, she said you can check with the doc. She said that you need to retract it just at the tip, to clean and to make sure nothing gets there. Well, I always have left it alone even in baths. So when she said that, I thought okay, so the next day in bath, I retract very little and splish water in the bathub in it and then now I am reading this for the first time you guys are saying to never retrack! ECKKKKKKKKKKKKKK! please help! Have I done damage? What should I do? I read somewhere once you retract this early, the boy can have problems all his life! Is this true?! And what about me cleaning it, will the water get up there where I splashed it and stay up there and cause any harm? He was taking a bath in soap, so could soap get up there? I am really worried. Any input would be greatly appreciated and documents on this issue too! (websites too!)
THanks!

You don't need to (shouldn't) retract and don't worry I don't think you've caused him long term harm. It's will be just fine just for the time being all he needs is to sit in the tub and that's about it. I think this pdf has some information on this issue. http://www.nocirc.org/publish/4pam.pdf

[1littlebit]

you don't need to. and i don't let anyone do anything do it.. or even touch it. i don't trust them. i don't think they have any idea what just a little is.. its not their penis after all... and its a pretty little penis.. so just a little could be quite a bit.

i am certain there is no damage... but don't let them do it anymore. they don't need to, and they need to learn that.

eta- please stop retracting him.. even a little. it doesn't need to be done..clean it like a finger.

[kldliam]

http://www.nocirc.org/publish/4pam.pdf

http://www.nocirc.org/publish/6pam.pdf

These 2 short publications from NOCIRC should put you at ease.

Just a soak is all he needs. Cleaning underneath the foreskin should not be a concern until after he has gone through the 'separation process'. Ballooning will be a sign of that. It's a nifty little milestone for an intact boy. lol.

After that happens he should be instructed to retract and rinse with water. No biggy.

[dinahx]

The nurse and the doctor were wrong. A nurse told me that I needed to retact my son's foreskin and rub the head down with vaseline (a petroleum product) every day. : A doctor agreed with her that if I didn't do that he would get 'phismosis'. She said this word ominiously. This was at what was supposedly the finest Children's ER in our community. Weird that they wouldn't even know that the AAP says don't retract, but that is how it goes. It is amazing how many medical professionals have NO idea how to care for the intact penis.

[Claire and Boys]

http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Uncircumcised.htm

[Greg B]

Before I knew what I know now, our pediatrician, who recommends against RIC, slightly retracted our boys at each visit. No force was used, and as far as we can tell, they suffered no adverse effects from that.

It just seems doctors cannot stand not looking. Today, I would stop them, but I do not think any physical harm was done or you would know it.

Regards

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=575627 Retraction is not needed and can cause problems so it should just be totally avoided to avoid any potential problems.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=129378

check out both links.

[Gabe'sMummy]

My son is intact. Live in britain & everyone here is so I was never told how to care for the foreskin. I have instinctively just left it well alone. DS is bathed once a week as anymore dries his skin. But at every change I clean his bits with cotton wool. Just wash all around it. never retracted the skin. I don't think it'll do long term harm tho, if it was just a few times ..

[pigpokey]

Originally Posted by Greg B

Before I knew what I know now, our pediatrician, who recommends against RIC, slightly retracted our boys at each visit. No force was used, and as far as we can tell, they suffered no adverse effects from that.

It just seems doctors cannot stand not looking. Today, I would stop them, but I do not think any physical harm was done or you would know it.

Regards

I believe that this is probably because to them, when they think penis they think of a circ'd one so they think to examine the penis they need to get some kind of visualization of the glans.

They do not need cleaning at this stage AT ALL. Once you see him retract himself all the way then you would tell him to retract and swish with plain water once in a while in the bath or shower. And that is not required every time or necessarily for health, but both sexes of young children will get a mild, healthy but US culturally unacceptable odor about them if they aren't doing it once in a while. Though in the summer when they were in the pool almost every day, I'm not sure they needed to open and swish at bathtime.

[latinalonestar]

My son was retracted just a little and it cause him a GREAT deal of harm. Please never let anyone touch your son's penis again and don't try to "clean" him. By retracting all you are doing is introducing pathogens and possibly causing tearing or premature separation. My son's foreskin prematurely separated from this exact same thing and it was very painful b/c the foreskin was not ready. The urine burned him for almost a week. I can bump the thread for you if you want to read what that is like. I can not stress enough.... LEAVE IT ALONE! If someone could please link the DOC pamphlet on retraction that would be great. I am out of town and don't have all my link urls on this comuter.

[hpienkos]

Thank you for all your replies. I will research all the links you have posted. And yes, please bump me for any more links you might have on this issue, I greatly appreciate it. It is so hard to know how to do the right thing when having an intact baby is not the norm around here you know?! Does anyone have a husband or son that is intact that was retracted young and the results of this?

[hpienkos]

Also, my husband reminded me that the ped. said the reason to retract just a little bit at a time is because if left alone to retract when the kid is like 5 it will hurt badly when it does finally retract, in this way you are saving him pain. Is this true? Does it hurt that badly when it does finally retract on it's own?

[dinahx]

It will NOT hurt when your son finally retracts on his own. That ped has no idea what he is talking about. You will cause your son pain and possibly permanent harm ir you ease it in to permanent rectraction prematurely.

[2xy]

Originally Posted by hpienkos

Also, my husband reminded me that the ped. said the reason to retract just a little bit at a time is because if left alone to retract when the kid is like 5 it will hurt badly when it does finally retract, in this way you are saving him pain. Is this true? Does it hurt that badly when it does finally retract on it's own?

From what I gather, it doesn't hurt at all. My children never complained about it. It doesn't retract all at once. It's a gradual process.

Your pediatrician is misinformed. I suggest providing them with some literature, and then finding a pediatrician who doesn't abide by old wives' tales. If he doesn't know the basics of human anatomy and physiology, I wouldn't trust him with the medical care of my child.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The process of retraction is usually very gradual and sometimes the boy will have a bit of pain due to the raw area but it only last 12-24 hours and it is how nature intended it to be. Sometimes the boy will push things to far and cause it to retract to fast and that will hurt but if left alone it will heal very fast.

Your ped. is dangerously misinformed about the natural foreskin and he may next time try to retract even more and if it dosnt retract like he thinks it should he will probably start talking about circ. That is the other main thing about why retraction shouldnt be done is because it opens the door for the ped to say "he isnt retractable and he is X years old something is wrong" when in fact the only thing wrong is is ignorence.

Oh a big red flag here is him saying that at 5 it retracts and hurts that tells me he thinks boys should be retractable by 5 and that IS NOT the case. It can and does often take until the teen years and any time in between all are normal but I would wager to say he would be saying oh no he isnt retracting yet he might need a circ. Then refer you to a urologist where he will want to circ.

[hpienkos]

Wow, thank you so much all, I need to present this to my husband and we can talk about this. There is one more thing though, I forgot, the ped. recommend doing this also for sanity issues. I dont agree with it, but how do you justify pee going through and not being unsanitary through the penis and not getting "stuck" to cause any uncleanness. Does that make sense? I think I am not making sense. Let me know.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

It cannot get stuck under the foreskin because it is fused to the glans. The "overhang" will have a bit left inside but no more than what is left of the vaginal lips of a baby girl. swishing in the bath will take care of that.

I hope that is what you where refering to.

[dinahx]

Your Ped is going against the recommendations of his own governing organization telling you to retract. There really is nothing to discuss. Don't do it. It is sort of akin to cleaning underneath the Eyelids of your LO. There aren't two ways to look at it, doing it is wrong and possibly quite harmful, kwim? No matter what your Ped said, he'd have to have a pretty strong argument to buck the AAP on this one, kwim?