Explain "Intact Care" to me

[bannanachild]

Hi! 

I'm expecting my second child any day now! We don't know the sex, just like the first we are waiting until birth to find out! My first is a girl, but while pregnant with her my husband and I decided not to circumcise in the occasion it was a boy. DH is circumcised  and, sadly, I don't really know any moms who have uncircumcised boys (although it usually doesn't come in conversations so who knows?). 

I come from a family of only sisters, no brothers. I don't really know a lot about changing little boys diapers, and even less about an intact boys. 

So! Would someone please explain to me exactly what I need to do if this baby is a boy? And use terms that a 12 year old would understand, pregnancy brain is really setting in here...

[EchoSoul]

Everyone always explained it, "wipe it like a finger",  But technically speaking, I had never wiped a finger before, so from me, to you, I'll explain it as, just wipe downward. In the case of a poopy butt.. I've always been fond of butt baths vs wipes. Same care there, just wipe it downward.

[NSmomtobe]

Never retract the foreskin, which means don't pull it back towards the body. It is really very simple because no special care is needed. The hardest part seems to be convincing others not to retract. 

[Yaliina]

Make sure you put "NO CIRCUMCISION if baby's a boy" in your birth plan.  Just in case there's any confusion during the birth, of he's separated from you for any reason.  I've heard horror stories.

"Intact Care" for a boy is WAY easier than care for a girl's labia, if you ask me (mom to 2 intact boys).  I changed some girls recently at our homeschool group, and I was amazed at how difficult it is to clean a little girl bottom!  Boys you just wipe the outside, being careful not to pull the foreskin back.  You only have to be cautious when he's being cared for by others, since some people are ignorant (doctors included).  Just don't let anyone touch his penis without a reminder that he's intact & shouldn't be retracted.  I just tell people (including the doctors) that I'm sure they know, but it's my job to protect my child.

[EchoSoul]

Originally Posted by Yaliina 

Make sure you put "NO CIRCUMCISION if baby's a boy" in your birth plan.  Just in case there's any confusion during the birth, of he's separated from you for any reason.  I've heard horror stories.

"Intact Care" for a boy is WAY easier than care for a girl's labia, if you ask me (mom to 2 intact boys).  I changed some girls recently at our homeschool group, and I was amazed at how difficult it is to clean a little girl bottom!  Boys you just wipe the outside, being careful not to pull the foreskin back.  You only have to be cautious when he's being cared for by others, since some people are ignorant (doctors included).  Just don't let anyone touch his penis without a reminder that he's intact & shouldn't be retracted.  I just tell people (including the doctors) that I'm sure they know, but it's my job to protect my child.

Agreed, agreed, agreed! My son had to be rushed away from me just after birth because his heart had stopped and they wanted to do a spinal tap to understand why he had a fever. I was TERRIFIED they'd take the opportunity to circ him.. fortunately they did not, and about the only thing that hospital was good for was being very good about our wishes to leave him intact. In fact we only got asked if he was getting circ'd one time by each of the doctors in authority. The nurse didn't even pull up on his foreskin when she washed him down, which I made sure I was there for, and informed her not to do.

[3girls1boy]

After my 3 girls, I agree that it's much easier cleaning up a baby boy. I just cleaned my son's penis like I did any other part of him-- wiped with a washcloth or baby wipe--no probing or pulling. At around 3, he discovered that his foreskin would retract, which he was delighted to show his older sisters back when they all bathed together. One of my daughters was rather alarmed 'cause she thought he was hurting himself. I assured her that if it hurt, he wouldn't be doing it. Now he is 12 and it's been years since I've seen it . Never any problems. When he started school, he did notice at the urinals that some of his friends had penises that looked different than his. When I explained nonjudgementally that other families made different choices, the horrified look on his face told me that we had made the right choice.