Cleaning under foreskins

[Trillian]

Well, Lindsay is 5 now, and I was wondering when I should start teaching him to clean under his foreskin? I was told not to retract it until he was 5-6 years old. I haven't retracted it yet to wash under it, but it still gets a good wash IYKWIM? he hasn't ever had an infection, so it must be clean enough, but I know I'll have to start teaching him soon.

Any advice?

[Bambi]

What really??
I was told to start this about 2 years of age....
My son is turning 4 in June and we have been doing this since he was two, Cleaning it always too though, but starting pulling the foreskin back and clean at about 2. He does it himself in the shower now, He knows the routine. (i always watch and try to help but he is more and more independent everyday)
May i ask who told you that age?
My parents and parents in law and the Drs told me to do this.

[{sarah}]

We were told not to retract it until it did itself, if that makes sense??



Just moving to Kids & Teenragers Discussion...

[~Raven~]

My MCHN told me to leave it to them and their curiosity and they will eventually stretch it enough. The way my two wrangle theirs I'm surprised they haven't as yet but it can't be too far away!
The only time I've attempted to pull it back a bit was if they had a really runny poo to make sure none was stuck in there, but I'd rather soak them in the bath for a little while to clean it anyway.

[Rouge]

I was told by friends that you are definitely NOT supposed to pull it back, not sure till about when, as I think as Sam & Sarah says it eventually gets stretched back by itself iykwim? But sometimes it can hurt them if you try to do it iykwim? Eeks at doing it at 2, my gf went to start doing it at 2 and her Dr told her it was a big no no, isn't it funny how everyone has a different view! I'd check with your Dr Sherie.

*hugs*
Cailin

[Melbo]

Yeah I'd heard pretty much what you did Sarah and Sam.

It's different to what mothers were told before ... I remember Mum doing this for my brother right from him being little but this was 30 years ago and pulling the foreskin back was believed to be necessary at the time. I guess things have changed in the interim.

[Trillian]

Sarah - That's OK to move it, I wasn't sure where to put it.

Bambi - I was told that by the first MCHN I saw with Lindsay. I suppose they say 5-6 as a general age incase it doesn't retract earlier you may think there is something wrong IYWKIM?.

The way he plays 'trumpet' with it, I'm sure it would probably be stretched by now, although i have never seen it retract.

I might give it a go in the bath tonight and see what happens, although i will probably have to start bathing him by himself now, because Paige grabs at it enough as it is

Thanks for that girls.

[Bambi]

Oh really, My brother is 7 and i watched him grow up and do all this before i had my son, So he is fine and we didn't yank it or anything, just starting cleaning under it and pulling it little bit at a time by the age of about 2.
We let him be curious with it, and trust me, He shoves toys and teddys down his pants, very odd.... hehehe
But what should i do? Its been years of us doing this.
Sorry TMI. I know i went out with a guys years ago and he never pulled the foreskin back when growing up, just let nature take its course and it never did, it grew like that, it looked odd and he never could use it properly, IYKWIM. So i would be careful when deciding when?

[Rouge]

I know i went out with a guys years ago and he never pulled the foreskin back when growing up, just let nature take its course and it never did, it grew like that, it looked odd and he never could use it properly, IYKWIM. So i would be careful when deciding when?

I doubt it would be the cause of that, as I know plenty of women who's sons they didn't pull the foreskin back and through self exploration the foreskin went back on its own, maybe his foreskin never went back due to another reason.

*hugs*
Cailin

[Bambi]

Maybe, I don't know for sure.
Oh well.
Its still funny, how we all get told different opinions on how to do things though.

[Tracey]

:-k I hope I get another girl, Foreskins are so confusing!

My Sisters son (now 8) had to go to Dr's once every week for 5 weeks to help his foreskin retract? Not sure why, but she said she was talking with another Mother & had said she didnt do anything (he was 6 or 7) at the time, the other Mother said, You better make sure it can come back, My sis asked How? As he had been bathing himself for quite some time, how was she now going to help him in the bath & yank at his foreskin without it seeming odd!?
So she asked him to shower with DH & see if he could, well he said he couldnt, so my sis took him to Dr whom gave it a yank & my nephew screamed& cried & it hads kind of sealed as suck (?)
so he had to go back every week for 5 weeks to show Dr how much progress he had made. My sister said the skin underneath was almost raw as it had been covered over with the skin, she said he wore loose shorts to bed as he said it stung, but after the 5th week the Dr gave him a lolly pop & all has been fine since3...
Not sure if his was different initially, or this was due to not pulling back or what...

I am not sure, I'd just ask a Dr & maybe a few to get a broader range of answers & ideas!????

[Bambi]

I understand totally Barley, This is the reason that we do this and all other mothers i know do this. The Dr said it could happen.
My son is fine, he does it himself, under our supervision of course.
I would hate for him to have anything wrong when he grows older.

[Ambah]

I have heard and read many times that if you retract it back too early, or force it in any way then it can cause some damage... Most things I have been told or read seem to say around 4 or 5 is an appropriate age to start.

Though I know a generation or 2 ago it was entirely different, as I'm pretty sure MIL was doing it to her sons foreskins when they were just babies.

[Trillian]

Well, decided to give it a go in the bath last night and the poor little fella was MORTIFIED!!! I asked him if he wanted me or DH to do it, and he said he wanted me to do it. Then he asked why he had to do it and had to explain that some boys have one and some don't and then he asked why some don't, so I had to explain circumcision to him and he got upset cause he though we were going to cut his off! Once he finally understood, he was really upset that some mums and dads would do that to their babies.

In the end I got it to pull back about half way i suppose with no troubles, but I don't know how far back it will go IYKWIM? and we gave him a bit of a wash.

In saying all of this, BIL and SIL are taking their 9 day old baby to be circumcised today, so Lindsay wont be done, but his cousin will.

[penty]

Well we all have our ideas..my four boys are all uncircumsized and no.1 couldn't have his retracted by the MCHN so was sent to a specialist who upon examining decided there was nothing wrong, all boys are born with their foreskin stuck to the head of the ir penis and it depends on dvelopment and so forth as to what happens and was instructed under no terms were we to force the skin back as it can cause scarring and problems. the penis is a self cleaning organ and the cheese like ( sorry TMI) stuff underneath is a mixture of dead skin cells and sweat which is cleaned normally with bathing and showering.. basically was to go back at 12-13 if there was any probs but mostly the skin can sometimes take erections to retract properly.
We have had no problems with younger boys and jesse seems to be fine.. I think if their was a prob at 12 he would tell us...oh and he has never had a urinary tract infection...none of my boys have.

Jan xx

[Trillian]

So if it is attached to the head of the penis, then when they are circ'ed, does the doctor have to forcibly pull it back to cut it off?

[penty]

Basically I think so..some have a plastic bell thing attached which makes the skin come away and then come off with the bell I think. Or the op is they cut it off and stitch it...either way sounds ouchy to me..

Jan xx

[Trillian]

So glad I didn't get Lindsay done then.

Another thing, not that I hold it against anyone for getting their boys done, but BIL & SIL recently got their baby done and she said she couldn't bare to go in and see him like that (in pain I think?) and she made BIL go in with him. If that's the case, why on earth would they get it done then!