Circumcision, a surgical procedure in which the foreskin around the tip of the penis is removed, is an ancient ritual that continues today. Typically, the majority of parents choose to have this procedure performed, which is done in the first few days of the baby’s life. Although parents may want to have the newborn circumcised, there is always the question of pain. Keep in mind that not all pediatricians support circumcisions. In fact, medical doctors have arguments on both sides of this issue so the bottom line would be a decision made by mom and dad.
As far as pain, the answer is that it depends on how circumcision is performed. For instance, some doctors believe that with the procedure taking a few seconds to perform, and the fact that small babies will have no memory of the surgery, that pain medication is not required. However, other doctors believe this to be cruel punishment since many safe and effective pain medications are now available.
If you were to check with the leaders from the American Academy of Pediatrics, you would hear them recommending some type of medication to help reduce pain. For instance, the doctor can administer local anesthetics, which not only cuts back on pain but also stress. In addition, topical creams are available, which can help numb the penis. The thing is, if your doctor does not use anything for pain during circumcision but you prefer this, then talk to him or her, or perhaps consider another doctor performing the surgery.
Typically, a baby will do well after the circumcision although you would likely notice some yellow or reddish coloring at the tip of the penis. Usually for the first week or two, you would apply petroleum jelly and bandages to ease the discomfort and keep the wound clean. As part of the process, a plastic ring is attached to the penis’ tip, which would fall off in about a week. Remember, while a circumcision does have some degree of discomfort, babies do not necessarily seem to be in “pain”. In fact, problems associated with this procedure are rare and babies pull through nicely.