Foreskin sticking

[jlanda]

About a month or so ago, I was changing DS's diaper after his longer night sleep (he was about 2 months then) and found a spot of blood on his diaper with a very red tip of the foreskin (he was wearing a bumgenius diaper) that looked like it had been pulled back slightly. I'm not sure how it happened, but he does kick a lot at night.

Called the ped. and they said to keep an eye on it. After that first diaper change (I cleaned the area with a stream of water from a bottle) I changed his next diaper which was strangely dry. I inspected the penis and as I gently pushed apart the loose skin, he began to urinate. I figured it had to do with the initial injury and just kept it clean and changed him frequently.

All was well until the "sticking" foreskin thing happened again a couple weeks later. It then happened again and I took him to the ped. She checked him out and said that he just has a large foreskin but no other injury or problem, that he would probably be able to pull it back by age 2. I told her of the sticking problem, but I'm not sure she really understood me. He admonished me not to pull the skin back as it could lead to scarring and later problems, and though I told her I only gently pulled the skin open so he could urinate, I don't think she quite understood it.

His well baby check is in a few weeks, so I'm going to ask his usual doctor then, but has anyone else run into this, and if so, how did you handle it? I'm afraid he's going to get a bladder infection from not urinating.

Plus, it doesn't happen all the time, and it doesn't matter what type of diaper I use (i've tried bumgenius, organic prefolds, gdiapers, and even disposables, it's happened with ALL of them.) I don't use diaper creams because of the cloth diapers, and I clean the penis with a wet cloth (then pat dry) at every diaper change. Sometimes I even use the stream of water from the bottle, but I can't always get warm water ready and don't like to pelt him with cold water in that spot!!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I honestly dont think it is sticking bad enough to keep him from urinating and the fact he did when you messed with it was probably a coincendence.

If he had been truly unable to pee then you would have seen the foreskin balloon up above the opening. It wouldnt have just stayed in the urethra.

Even an injury couldnt heal his foreskin together in between times he urinated.

The foreskin will stick together a bit naturally and that can cause spraying in several directions at once but isnt cause for concern.

[jlanda]

I also meant to add that it almost seems like the foreskin is folded over a few times from the wrinkles. I'm just concerned when i find a dry diaper, especially when he's asleep for a good 4-5 hours overnight and his diaper doesn't seem as wet as it should be, then after finding the opening, we're both soaked!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I can understand that. How old is your ds? My ds would often go that long at night without being wet. I figured out it was because he had an erection and when he was erect he usually cannot urinate. But once he started to wake and it relaxed he would absolutly soak his diaper.

My ds also has a very long foreskin hangs past the head a good inch more so on the bottom side than the top.

[Lula's Mom]

Dry diapers after sleep are not unusual, even for very little babies. Have you ever heard of Elimination Communication? There is a forum for it here, down somewhere near Diapering I think. Often a baby will wait until he wakes to urinate, and in this way, you can whisk him to the potty and get him started using it much earlier than most children do. You should check it out, it's really wonderful.

I don't think your son has a problem. If he has wet diapers most of the time, he has no trouble urinating. I would not manipulate his foreskin at all to try to get him to pee! If anything, I'd sit him on the potty and make a "ssss" noise until the pee comes. You might be surprised.

Link to EC forum.

[perspective]

Originally Posted by jlanda

I also meant to add that it almost seems like the foreskin is folded over a few times from the wrinkles. I'm just concerned when i find a dry diaper, especially when he's asleep for a good 4-5 hours overnight and his diaper doesn't seem as wet as it should be, then after finding the opening, we're both soaked!

The foreskin is suppose to be folded over and wrinkly. I dont understand why you think thats cause for concern, thats just a description of what a foreskin is suppose to look like.


The biggest harm baby boys have to worry about is not some "evil" parent who wants to do horrible things to his penis. Its from the parent who worries too much about his penis. Parents get worried their son might have a problem and their worry leads them to circumcise (not that you would do that)

I am just saying, you might be worrying a little too much about this foreskin issues.

But if your concerned with how he is urinating, make sure he is getting enough water, and call up a doctor and explain the urination problems. And even if he does have a urination problem in all likely hood, its NOT related to his foreskin.

[latinalonestar]

If you are handling him right when he wakes up it would be normal for him to urinate. Don't worry. He is not holding his urine. My baby would sleep 8 hours without urinating at a very early age (3-4 months). Usually they have to go when they wake up. This is how those of us that use elimination communication get started with cuing. We take the diaper of shortly after they wake and hold them over the potty.

I do want you to know that you should NOT be manipulating his foreskin in any way. I have had first hand experience with this and it sets baby up for premature separation. My son was manipulated twice by the pediatrician when he was 3 and 5 months. This started a process of premature separation and it was very painful for him at 10 months when all separated at once before it was ready.

Sometimes the things we do that we thing are helping actually create problems where they don't exist.

My best advice is to "LEAVE IT ALONE". I don't want you to go through what I went through. Remember the only person that should manipulate your ds's foreskin is himself.

[jlanda]

DS just turned 3 months. I guess I just got worried because prior to that slight separation that night, this never occurred. And most times his diapers are soaked, so it really throws me off to find a dry diaper.

My husband is intact, but his parents never taught him anything about it. He had to figure it all out for himself, so it's hard to get an answer as to what's normal. And I don't dare bring it up to anyone in my immediate circle because I'm going to get the "I told you you should have circ'ed!" speech which not only doesn't help but forces me to fight the urge to chuck a planter at them.

I'll give the holding over the potty a try next time it happens and well...see what happens!

[latinalonestar]

Originally Posted by jlanda

DS just turned 3 months. I guess I just got worried because prior to that slight separation that night, this never occurred. And most times his diapers are soaked, so it really throws me off to find a dry diaper.

My husband is intact, but his parents never taught him anything about it. He had to figure it all out for himself, so it's hard to get an answer as to what's normal. And I don't dare bring it up to anyone in my immediate circle because I'm going to get the "I told you you should have circ'ed!" speech which not only doesn't help but forces me to fight the urge to chuck a planter at them.

I'll give the holding over the potty a try next time it happens and well...see what happens!

He won't know right away. Try making a "sssss" sound and make the sound every time you potty him. He wills start connecting the sound with the act of urinating. There is an EC room on here where you can learn more.

I actually started EC by accident b/c of the incident where the pedi tried to retract DS. I wanted to keep and eye on it to make sure everything was okay. Everything was find until he was 10 months when the premature separation happened. Our new (foreskin-friendly) pediatrician confirmed that it was caused my his early manipulation. It was only 3-4 days and he recovered.

Yeah a dry diaper is surprising at that age but it isn't uncommon. My ds would be dry for weeks then he would wet, then he would be dry for a week, then wet, and it went on like this for months. Even now he still wets on occasion.

Just try not to worry. You would KNOW if he had trouble urinating. He would be a very unhappy camper. Babies don't 'hold' their urine.

[glongley]

Sometimes a foreskin can sort of stick closed. A soak in a warm tub can loosen things up just fine.

Gillian