Help...

[brealyn]

My son is intact and six weeks old and I was always told by his pediatrician and another doctor to pull the foreskin back and clean it. SO I was doing this and last night it fully retracted and the foreskin got stuck temporarily...the head of his penis was red and I started to freak the hell out, because I knew at that point that his doctor was wrong, I should not have been doing that. I researched it online and every thing I find says DO Not pull it back...and I am so incrediably worried I may have harmed him in some way. He didnt seem in pain and his penis looks okay....I called the traige helpline and she also said she doesnt know why the doctor would be saying that to me...but in contradiction I called my ER and they said I was doing the right thing...so I confused...what is right...what is wrong

could I have hurt my son?

[o'smom]

Your son is supposed to be the first one to retract his foreskin. You should not pull the foreskin back to clean it. My son's pedi told me that at his 2wk checkup and proceeded to retract it and wiped the tip with her bare finger. He was hospitalized 3 days later with a UTI which I'm convinced is because of what she did to him.

I would watch him for signs of infection, primarily a fever. And obviously, don't retract it again, and don't let his pedi do it during a checkup. I would discuss it before the diaper even comes off so there is no confusion.

[Treece]

Definitely no more retracting. Also, print out the "Intact Care Agreement." If this doctor has an issue with you standing up for your son, find a new one. We changed peds at 6 weeks and haven't had (well, one minor) problems since. Good luck!! Stay strong, you're a good mom.

ETA: Intact Care Agreement. I've edited it every time I've printed it. I just add "Edited by Treece" at the end where it has who compiled it.

[tutucrazy]

GET A NEW PEDI!

The AAP even outlines in their intact care instructions that NO ONE should try to retract an intact boy. This doctor and whoever else you have talked to is very out of touch and a serious threat to your son.

Please read this and the links:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...893&highlight=

Were you able to replace the foreskin back over his glans? If not this needs to be done immediately before it gets trapped. Please pm me for instruction on how to safely return the foreskin back to its proper position.

Give him a little bath with a tablespoon of baking soda to soothe the tissues. Don't mess with his foreskin anymore as you risk introducing infection. Change his diaper as soon as he is wet or poopy for the next few days to avoid exposing his wound. Most importantly from here out LEAVE HIM ALONE.

Foreskins usually will heal well if you leave them alone.

[Dev]

File complaints against all doctors who advised you to forcibly retract. They will continue to give out harmful, damaging advice unless reprimanded and educated. NO EXCUSE in 2009! AAP info. from their website states forced retraction should never occur and indeed is harmful. No current literature states forced retraction is recommended especially on infants. Educate yourself so no further damage occurs. Best regards to your intact son. You came to the right place for the correct information. Good for You!

[brealyn]

Originally Posted by tutucrazy

GET A NEW PEDI!

The AAP even outlines in their intact care instructions that NO ONE should try to retract an intact boy. This doctor and whoever else you have talked to is very out of touch and a serious threat to your son.

Please read this and the links:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...893&highlight=

Were you able to replace the foreskin back over his glans? If not this needs to be done immediately before it gets trapped. Please pm me for instruction on how to safely return the foreskin back to its proper position.

Give him a little bath with a tablespoon of baking soda to soothe the tissues. Don't mess with his foreskin anymore as you risk introducing infection. Change his diaper as soon as he is wet or poopy for the next few days to avoid exposing his wound. Most importantly from here out LEAVE HIM ALONE.

Foreskins usually will heal well if you leave them alone.

I was able to get it back by gently coaxing it, but not for a minute....I will never do that again and Im getting a new pedi. Im so pissed about him saying that when it was wrong

thank you all for your answers.

[KissyStarfish]

I'm so sorry your Doc gave you such lousy advice. Your son will heal though, and we all have moments we feel we fumbled as parents, don't be hard on yourself if you can help it.

[tutucrazy]

Originally Posted by brealyn

I was able to get it back by gently coaxing it, but not for a minute....I will never do that again and Im getting a new pedi. Im so pissed about him saying that when it was wrong

thank you all for your answers.

You are welcome! Keep us posted on how he is doing. Stick around and maybe we can help you find a foreskin-wise pedi in your area. What city and state are you in?

[Claire and Boys]

AAP intact care info: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Uncircumcised.htm

Print this out and give to it your old pedi. He needs to be educated to stop this happening to other babies.

[Night_Nurse]

Originally Posted by Claire and Boys

He needs to be educated to stop this happening to other babies.

:

[brealyn]

I cannot print that but I will give him the web address. Do any of you think I might have harmed his penis or caused damage?

[brealyn]

Originally Posted by tutucrazy

You are welcome! Keep us posted on how he is doing. Stick around and maybe we can help you find a foreskin-wise pedi in your area. What city and state are you in?

I am in WA and ill stick around hes my first I didnt know about the skin but now do...his dad is intact and didnt even know...

[tutucrazy]

Originally Posted by brealyn

I am in WA and ill stick around hes my first I didnt know about the skin but now do...his dad is intact and didnt even know...

Can you pm me your city so I can look for someone in your area?

Also, be sure to read that thread i posted with all the links. After reading that you will know more about foreskin than 90% of US doctors. It might be beneficial to take a trip to the library and print them for your to keep on hand.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by brealyn

I cannot print that but I will give him the web address. Do any of you think I might have harmed his penis or caused damage?

Fortunately you avoided the worst damage that can be caused from forcible retraction when you managed to get the foreskinn back down and back in place. Getting stuck behind the glans is called paraphimosis, and if not corrected quickly can actually lead to strangulation of the galns. This is the worst thing that can happen from forced retraction, and you avoided it.

There are some possible future problems, but remember these are just possible and not definite. Through out the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s all mothers were advised to forcibly retract and clean. Many of these boys have grown up to be fully functional men with no problems.




Possibly problems you son might experience are:

• Infection, this one would happen pretty soon if it's going to. It can be treated either with antifungals or antibiotics depending on what kind of infection it is.
• Greater than normal discomfort when natural seperation begins, this you just wait out.
• Adhesions, These won't be evident till after you DS is a full retractable adult/teen. Since seperation can happen unevenly, you need to be sure they really are adhessions and not just a spot that hasn't fully seperated yet. The treatment for this is to slice the adhession.
• Phimosis, again you won't know about this till your DS is a teen/adult. The treatment involves steroid cremes and stretching excercises.

Remember, a Dr who is ignorant enough to tell you to retract and clean, will also likely tell you that these conditions (and some Drs even recommend it for normal developemental stuff like ballooning) warrant circ, but he would be just as wrong.