retracted foreskin on 1 yr old

[acast]

I've been told by all of my family members to gently pull back my son's foreskin, so that it will stretch and eventually fully retract. So that is what I have been doing, until one day it all just popped out or pulled back. He did not cry or anything, but later on that day he kept crying. I assumed it burned when he peed. The next day he was fine, but the foreskin is still red. It doesn't look infected or anything and he seems a bit uncomfortable when I pull it back in the bath. The day that he kept crying every time he peed I went online to research the topic, turns out I should have just left it alone =/. but now it is done. Should I continue to pull it back since it is already retracted it like my parents have advised or leave it alone like I keep reading online? I don't want to stop doing it, because I am afraid scar tissue will form and will cause problems later on. but I also am afraid to continue pulling it back since it can put him at risk for infection. Also I've been told to put vaseline or some type of skin protectant on the red part to help protect the broken skin. I should've just left it alone, but what should I do now? I'm thinking, since it is done, I should just continue to do what my parents have told me to do since all my brothers, nephews, cousins have been treated the same way and I have never heard of them having any issues in later life. What do you think? any advise? Thanks in advance.

[bandgeek]

Just leave it alone.  Repeated retraction is what causes scar tissue to form, not retraction, then non-retraction.  What's done is done and he'll likely be fine.  To keep doing it would possibly cause more problems though.

[acast]

Should I pull back to clean the part that is already out but no further? I can do this now without forcing it. or not pull it back at all? The head of the penis is not completely showing when I do so. Also, Is retraction the term used when it is forced or for when it is pulled back without force (only until it will go on its own)? Did you ever go through this with your little ones?

[bandgeek]

I wouldn't mess with it at all, honestly.  Just because it's coming back now, doesn't mean it should.  It's been stretched because of the retraction and you could be causing scar tissue even if you think it's not physically hurting him (he might not have any pain, but that doesn't mean there's no damage being done).  It's meant to just protect the head of the glans in infancy and early childhood.  Every time you pull it back, even if you aren't forcing it, it's an opportunity for bacteria to work it's way in.  And really, you can't know how far is too far so each time you do it you'd risk "too far".

My own son is still completely non-retractable at 1 month shy of 7 years.  He's never been retracted so no, I haven't been through that.  It's just what I've always heard....don't retract it...if you do, stop, if a doctor does it, don't let it happen again.  Everything I've ever heard says leave it alone, no matter how it's been taken care of in the past.  He'll likely become non-retractable again after a while of not retracting.  And really, that's how it should be. 

[tropicana]

someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i do believe that the child needs to clean the penis under the foreskin *only* when he is much older and starts having hormonal secretions (ie, as a much older child). at one year old, he is still a total baby and has no such hormonal issues, so no need whatsoever to clean it. it's simply not dirty at all.

[jd0805]

You may be interested in the material here, "Forced Retraction: Now What?" http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/forced-retraction-what-now.html I'd second the others - best thing to do from here on out is leave it be. The prepuce on boys does not need 'cleaning' anymore than it does on girls, and especially in infancy, there is nothing there that needs to be 'cleaned out.' It's a self-sustaining organ - even when retracting. :) 

[acast]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was really confused on the issue. I will be leaving it alone. I feel terrible now for even listening to family members after reading up on it and your answers. Poor baby, I hope this doesn't cause him any problems in the future =/

[bandgeek]

Originally Posted by acast 

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was really confused on the issue. I will be leaving it alone. I feel terrible now for even listening to family members after reading up on it and your answers. Poor baby, I hope this doesn't cause him any problems in the future =/

I'm sure he'll be fine. :)  Have you read all the stickies about proper care and age of retraction?  It's important to know all of that stuff so you don't get stonewalled by some doctor telling you your 6 year old needs circ'ed because he doesn't retract. It happens to MANY well-meaning parents.  If it helps ease your mind a bit, even if he does have difficulty later, things can almost always be fixed without surgery.  If he developed any scar tissue and has difficulty retracting as a teen, you can get cream and he can do some stretching and it will all be fine.  I liken it to how I had an episiotomy with my first kid and had a decent bit of scar tissue (it took *forever* for sex to be comfortable again!).  My midwife said to make sure it was getting "exercise" (LOL) so the skin would be softer and easier to stretch when #2 was born.  I didn't pay much attention to it because I figured sex and stuff was helping.  Then her apprentice took great care to massage the area while I was pushing.  I stretched just fine, even though DD was a full 2 lbs bigger than DS and ended up with only a tiny tear that didn't even need stitches.  The foreskin can "relearn" to stretch, even if there's been damage.

[NicoleT]

For a gentle support, you may add essential oils of lavender and tea tree directly on skin or in his bath water.  Lavender is soothing and calming to the skin and tea tree helps to keep the skin infection-free.  Place one drop of each oil on a cotton swab and gently apply to area, if uncomfortable, do the bath (2 drops of lavender and 1 drop of tea tree in bath water, mix well).

Hope this helps,

Nicole

[Rachel727]

Can you point me in the direction of the stickies? I'm not finding them and am wanting to reread information now that my son is 6 and I'm thinking he needs to know a little more... :)

Thank You!
 

Originally Posted by bandgeek 

I'm sure he'll be fine. :)  Have you read all the stickies about proper care and age of retraction?  It's important to know all of that stuff so you don't get stonewalled by some doctor telling you your 6 year old needs circ'ed because he doesn't retract. It happens to MANY well-meaning parents.  If it helps ease your mind a bit, even if he does have difficulty later, things can almost always be fixed without surgery.  If he developed any scar tissue and has difficulty retracting as a teen, you can get cream and he can do some stretching and it will all be fine.  I liken it to how I had an episiotomy with my first kid and had a decent bit of scar tissue (it took *forever* for sex to be comfortable again!).  My midwife said to make sure it was getting "exercise" (LOL) so the skin would be softer and easier to stretch when #2 was born.  I didn't pay much attention to it because I figured sex and stuff was helping.  Then her apprentice took great care to massage the area while I was pushing.  I stretched just fine, even though DD was a full 2 lbs bigger than DS and ended up with only a tiny tear that didn't even need stitches.  The foreskin can "relearn" to stretch, even if there's been damage.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The stickies are found here: http://www.mothering.com/community/f/44/the-case-against-circumcision At the top of the forum it says TCAC Resources.