Health Tips

It is not new that your baby is now two or three years older but he or she is sucking his hand. This habit is seen in many child, in older child also. Many child suck their thumb till the normal age tow and a half year. Some children only suck their thumb when they feel thirsty of when they want to sleep. It is a natural process this habit goes with time. It is not a very series matter to worry.

Some people think that this habit is arises when teeth are coming. But according to the baby doctors this problem does not arises due to the teeth development. But if your child is sucking his or her thumb when his or her second teeth is coming then it is series matter because there is a possibilities of some dental abnormalities.

Now do not take in mind if your baby is sucking his or her thumb. This is not a sign of any abnormalities. This habit will disappear as soon as your child will attain the age of two and half years. And if your child is sucking his or her hand after the age of two and half years then it is a little series matter. In this case please consult to your family doctor.

After pregnancy and after delivery every woman wants to back in shape. This is a normal thinking but do you know that you don’t need to do something extra, actually while breast feeding you burn around 500 calories. It is also very important that what you should eat and what not to eat, because during breast feeding its effect on your baby what you eat, so avoid junk food and outing that time. Vogue or one time diet like cabbage soup are not good at any cost and specially when your body dealing with hormonal, metabolic and caloric necessities of pregnancy and post pregnancy. It depends on you if you want your baby most healthy milk then you has to take better nutrition.

Dont smoke remember dont somke because all things you do effect on your baby health and you are a smoker than it effect to your baby.

Those nine is the very sensitive and caring period of a women life. The nine months in which she doesn’t have to care about her as well as about new life coming to life inside her. It’s every women dream. But after delivery it’s not over yet, yes then you tied in a new relationship. There are many things that you have to care and have knowledge about after having your baby like how to feed her/him, how to give a bath and many small things here makes difference. If you are thinking what in this it’s too easy then you are wrong every baby needs special treatment in his/her in every first step he/she taking towards their new life. You should always be beware about small things that you never thing about, every thing should be in place foremost those which are dangerous or harmful to your baby. Baby may create some problems in your married life but remember that’s not his/her fault, to avoid this of problems update a time table about which time who (dad or mom) going to look after baby and if their if any such time that both of you are ignoring and want to take that by your partner so do it like two day you will do it and two days your partner will.

If you are planning for bottle-feed for your breast-feeding child, then keep this point to avoid troubles and also to keep your baby healthy. Always remember to clean the bottle in boiled water as it contains breed germs which might ill your child. Decide the perfect time to introduce bottle feeding as if it introduced earlier baby may chances to quit breast feeding and if it is late then baby might denied quitting breast feeding.
Finally when you decided to bottle feed your baby you may choose breast milk or artificial milk also known as formula. Expressing milk may you feel boring, you can use your hand or breast pump. When you expressed the milk, store it in a clean with boiled water bottles. You might to express numerous times to store enough milk to feed your baby. Formula milk is dehydrated cow’s milk which is developed as per the babies’ requirements. Soya based formula is mostly recommended by doctors. Follow the instruction given to prepare the formula milk. Prepare the perfect formula milk because is it remains dilute they may your baby didn’t have his daily requirement of calories and if it remains thick it may raise problem like dehydration.
Wash the nipple and bottle with boiled water as milk contain bacteria easily in it. Before giving formula milk remembers formula milk increases the chances of infection and illness. It is recommended to give breast milk in the starting months which is 8 months from the day of birth. Baby doesn’t require water or fruit juice until he/she starts solid food as it increases the chance to get infected as this reduces effectiveness of breast milk working to protect your baby with. Scientist still didn’t find the way to produce artificial breast milk.
You may also continue Breast feeding along with bottle feeding it is called mixed feeding. But introduce bottle feeding after breast feeding.

Here we talk about baby shower. Baby shower is most important for baby. Every mother’s like to arrange baby shower for her baby. Every likes to care his baby and also she knows what is good think for his baby. Every mother can try to always try can do best care for his baby. Mother can also arrange different gifts foe his baby for the time of pregnancy celebration is also an essential feature of such parties. After when the time of baby ‘s birth it is more important for mother that shall need many small items baby oils bottles diapers, bibs, lotions, baby powder, feeding toys and so on to suitably appear after her baby.

If we give such items to the hopeful mother in the appearance of baby shower gifts, it obtains significant Pressure off her wits is concerning to impending fiscal tasks. So it is necessary for every mother to care her baby .

When you became first time a mother many problems comes around you and one of them is what to do when your newborn baby crying. How you know the reason why is baby crying. Firstly you should know that baby communicate by crying. Because they have only the way of crying to attract there parents or any one who cares them. If they feel you ignore them or they want some thing the only way is crying to attract you. Some times baby have some physical & mental problems and then they cry.

Mostly when baby feel hungry they cry, when you feed them they may feel relax and be quiet immediately. You must help baby to pass the gas after feeding by hold him in your lap in upright position because some times baby feel very uneasy with gas problem. If baby feel very hot or very cold they must cry, so you must careful about the temperature which is appropriate for baby. Babies cry when they are wet when you change her diaper hey feel happy. If hey feel you ignore them they must cry only to attract you. Some times massage helps hem o feel relaxed when hey are sleepy.

Parents always wants that new born baby should be comfortable and sleep well during night, this is batter to give a massage to newborns. Massage helps in infants to low their stress, so they sleep batter and then they cry less. Massage is also very helpful to improve the attachment between parents and the baby. Now we can say that a massage helps a newborn baby to relax, so they sleep well and cry less. Massage is a traditional part of India. But now baby massage is recommended to parents by doctor, because in massage every part of body from head to toe is touched by parents or massager who gives them a gentle movement in whole body which keeps comfortable to newborn baby. Now this is proved that the baby who massaged regularly had less level of Cortisol hormone which is responsible for stress, so when low stress then baby will cry less and slept well at night.

Every baby has the right of mother’s breast milk for at least six months after birth, which helps baby in his\her growth. You may feed your baby up to one year. After one year baby’s body wants some other nutrients. It may be harmful for mothers. Commonly mother’s also wants to stop breastfeeding when baby becomes one year old.
But this is not an easy job to discontinue breastfeeding. Some times if you stop breastfeeding early or late of baby’s requirement it should be unfavorable for baby health.
You can consult to your doctor when and how you stop breastfeeding a baby.
Most doctors and medical association agree to the fact that when your baby becomes six month old you should decide to weather you want to stop breastfeeding.

If a mother decides to stop breastfeeding of a baby quickly it will be difficult for baby and mother can have some physical and mental problems. You should reduce to feed baby gradually. After six months baby can eat baby food and this will help you to stop breastfeeding. Some babies after the age of one year they eat natural food like dal and rice. Now mother can feed the baby only at nigh his will help in reducing breastfeeding. His will gradually reduces as baby grows up.

The new born baby when fed by the mother by breastfeeding at that time the baby is exercising many of its muscles. When a baby cries, it is an exercise for the baby’s lungs and for diaphragm. This helps in the growth of baby’s muscular development, when you see a baby crying or feeding you should understand that baby do these activities only for exercise. Sometime when a baby cries without any reason you don’t have to worry, because by nature they have some activity to do for them self. Every baby has his/her own nature, if one cry many times in a day and another not, in that case this is not fair to try to cry the baby in various ways, because the mother belief that the development of lungs and diaphragm would be only when the baby will crying. His would be very harmful for he baby. When a baby plays it would be a part of exercise because in playing they enjoy exercising their muscles. When babies play they involve every part of body in game and arm muscles, leg muscles moves in a form of exercise.

Today women are not only a house wife’s they also want to became a working woman, so some times they become late for a baby because they don’t plan about it. If you plan about a baby after the age of 30s it will not create a problem for you, but after the age of 40s it will create a problem to be pregnant for you, because the percentage of fertility may decline in a women with age. If you are over the age of 40s and you have not a positive result about pregnancy after you are trying for six months, then you should go and consult to your doctor about fertility evaluation.
If you are trying for a baby from last twelve months (one year) and you have a problem to be pregnant this is known as experience infertility, this is a common problem in those couples who plan late for a baby. Now you consult your doctor and must have fertility treatments. These treatments may be surgical or with drugs advised by your doctor.

Conception

How your baby will grow

Before she actually starts growing, you'll set the stage. Last week an increase in the amount of estrogen and progesterone coursing through your bloodstream prompted your uterus to form a lush, blood-rich lining of tissue to support a potential fertilized egg. At the same time.
How your baby will grow: Before she actually starts growing, you'll set the stage. Last week an increase in the amount of estrogen and progesterone coursing through your bloodstream prompted your uterus to form a lush, blood-rich lining of tissue to support a potential fertilized egg. At the same time, in your ovaries, eggs were ripening in fluid-filled sacs called follicles. At the beginning of this week (often around day 14 of a 28-day cycle), you ovulate: One of your eggs erupts from its follicle and is swept away from your ovary and into a Fallopian tube. During the next 12 to 24 hours that egg will be fertilized if one of the 250 million sperm (on average) your mate ejaculates manages to swim all the way from your vagina through your cervix, up into your uterus to the Fallopian tube and penetrates the egg. Only about 400 sperm will survive the arduous ten-hour journey to the egg, and only one will succeed in burrowing through its outer membrane. (It takes about 20 minutes for the lucky winner to find his way in.)

Over the next ten to 30 hours, the sperm's nucleus will merge with the egg's as they combine their genetic material. If the sperm carries a Y chromosome, your baby will be a boy; if it's an X chromosome, you'll be welcoming a girl. During the three- to four-day trip from your Fallopian tube to your uterus, the fertilized egg (now called a zygote) will divide into 16 identical cells. Once it enters the uterus, the zygote is called a morula. A day or two later, it will begin burrowing into the lush lining of your uterus, continuing its amazing growth and transformation. By this time your developing baby is just a little ball of cells that's officially referred to by scientists as a blastocyst: It has an inner cell mass that will become the embryo itself, a fluid-filled cavity that will become the amniotic sac, and an outer cell mass that will become the placenta, the pancake-shaped organ that delivers life-sustaining oxygen and nutrients to your baby and carries away her waste products.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing: Your last period started 12 to 16 days ago, so you're probably ovulating now or will be soon. Strange as it may seem, your practitioner calculates your due date (and your baby's gestational age) starting from the first day of your last menstrual period. Pregnancy lasts about 38 weeks from conception, but since it's often difficult to pinpoint exactly when egg and sperm merged, doctors and midwives simply count 40 weeks of pregnancy beginning with the onset of your last period. That's why you're already considered to be two weeks into your pregnancy when fertilization occurs.

A lot of things have to fall into place for conception to happen — in this case, timing really is everything. To boost your odds, aim to have sex sometime between 72 hours before you ovulate and 24 hours after. (You're trying to accommodate the lifespan of both sperm, which survive for up to 72 hours, and the egg, which lives no more than 24 hours after ovulation.) Now's not the time to hesitate: Make sure your mate clears his calendar and that the two of you have plenty of time together to make love.

Before you retreat to the bedroom, though, you might want to do some homework: Read up on detecting ovulation to help you pinpoint your window of opportunity. Get the scoop on which sexual positions may help you conceive faster and even how you might influence your baby's gender. Finally, to spare you and your partner unneeded anxiety, learn how long it usually takes to get pregnant — most couples need more than a few tries before they can announce that a baby's on the way.

Last but not least, if you're trying to get pregnant and you haven't already stopped drinking, smoking, and taking drugs — even over-the-counter ones — now's the time to do so, since you want your body to be in the best possible shape for baby making. (If you're taking any prescription drugs, check in with your health provider to find out whether you should continue taking them.) And don't forget to take a daily multivitamin that contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid (ideally starting three months before you want to conceive) to reduce your baby's risk of birth defects.

Women who followed at least five certain lifestyle and diet behaviors were about 80 percent less likely to have infertility from ovulatory disorders than women who followed none of the behaviors, a Harvard study concludes.

The analysis of 17,544 married women participating in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study II found those with the highest fertility scores: ate less trans fat and sugar from carbohydrates; consumed more protein from vegetables than from animals; ate more fiber and iron; took more multivitamins; had a lower body mass index (BMI); exercised for longer periods of time each day; and consumed more high-fat diary products and less low-fat diary products.

The relationship between these behaviors and reduced risk of infertility was similar for women regardless of age and whether they'd been pregnant in the past, said the Harvard School of Public Health authors of the study, which was published in the Nov. 1 issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

"We analyzed what happens if you follow one, two, three, four, or more different factors. What we found was that, as women started following more of these recommendations, their risk of infertility dropped substantially for every one of the dietary and lifestyle strategies undertaken. In fact, we found a sixfold difference in ovulatory infertility risk between women following five or more low-risk dietary and lifestyle habits and those following none," lead author Jorge Chavarro, a research fellow in the school's department of nutrition, said in a prepared statement.

"The key message of this paper is that making the right dietary choices and including the right amount of physical activity in your daily life may make a large difference in your probability of becoming fertile if you are experiencing problems with ovulation," senior author Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition, added. According to the researchers, infertility affects one in six couples, in the U.S. and Europe and ovulatory problems have been identified in up to 30 percent of those cases.

Given that a woman's abdominal mass increases by a third during pregnancy, it's a miracle that such a significant shift in gravity doesn't have her tipping over during her final trimester.

Now, a new study describes a surprising set of anatomical reasons why the delicate balancing act works.

According to researchers, the female spine has evolved differently, most likely to accommodate the tremendous demands of pregnancy. Without these evolutionary adaptations, women would probably experience even more back problems than they already do during the gestational period.

"The maternal center of mass shifts forward about three to five centimeters during pregnancy, so that it's no longer beautifully aligned with the hips and feet," said study author Katherine Whitcome, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University's department of anthropology who began the research as a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin.

Whitcome explained that the female body compensates for this shift in several ways. One is to recruit more back muscles. Solely using these muscles, Whitcome said, would quickly cause muscle fatigue and make women more prone to injury. Instead, the female back has evolved to allow three lower vertebrae to form a larger curve to support the growing fetus. In men, only two vertebrae form this curve, called lordosis, she explained.

Females also have a key hip joint that is larger and can flare out further, according to the study, published in the Dec. 13 issue of Nature.

"It's a nifty little package of adaptations. We see it in modern humans, but it's also apparent from the little bit of vertebral anatomy we see in earlier hominids," said Whitcome. "It seems part and parcel of the challenges of bipedalism [walking on two feet rather than four]." These changes would have allowed women in prehistoric times to continue to forage for food, as well as quickly avoid predators, she said.

Whitcome's study included 19 pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 40. The researchers found that when the women were standing, they naturally increased their spine's lordosis, sometimes by as much as 60 percent. Even when the women extended their hips only slightly, their lower backs were extended by as much as 28 degrees.

However, despite what appear to be nature's best intentions, back pain is still a common complication during pregnancy.

"Women, by and large, make pregnancy look so easy, but there are very few women who have experienced pregnancy who haven't had some back pain," said Whitcome. But, she added, "without these adaptations, I think this back pain would be exceedingly worse. I think these adaptations mediate some of the intensity of back pain."

Dr. Miriam Greene, an obstetrician at New York University Medical Center, agreed that "there's plenty of back pain in pregnancy," but said she wasn't convinced that the differences in male and female spines account for the majority of a woman's pregnancy stability.

"I think the reason why pregnant women don't tip over is that the placenta produces relaxin, a hormone released in pregnancy that spreads your pelvis, making it wider, and giving you a wider stance. That's why you walk like a duck when you're pregnant," she said.

Greene said a pregnant woman's center of gravity starts to shift slowly as she gains weight, with the majority of the shift occurring in the third trimester.

To prevent falls and back strain, Greene recommends wearing flat shoes, ditching heavy bags, taking extra care anytime you lift objects, and perhaps wearing a pregnancy belt. Additionally, she said that pregnancy exercise classes can help maintain the strength in your back.

Newborns can scratch themselves with their tiny — but very sharp — nails. Prevent these mishaps by trimming your baby's nails. You can get the job done in three easy steps.

Your baby's nails are soft — but their ability to scratch may surprise you. If wielding a scissors or other sharp object anywhere near your baby runs counter to your parental instincts, don't worry. With the right tools and a little practice, you can trim your baby's nails quickly and safely.

What you need

Nail clippers or manicure scissors designed for infants are best. The tips are rounded for safety. Look for these products where you buy other baby supplies.

Resist the temptation to trim your baby's fingernails with your teeth. The nails may tear easily, but not evenly. And the germs in your mouth may cause an infection if there's a break in your baby's skin.

What to do

You can get the job done in three easy steps.

• Get a grip. Use one hand to hold your baby's finger or toe. To reduce the likelihood of a pinch or cut, press the skin under the nail down and out of the way.
• Trim the nail. Use the other hand to trim the nail and round off any sharp edges. For fingernails, follow the nail's natural shape. For toenails, trim straight across.
• Check your work. When you've trimmed all the nails, smooth any rough edges with a soft emery board.

At first, your baby's fingernails may grow more quickly — and need more attention — than his or her toenails. But even if your baby's toenails don't need to be trimmed, check them for sharp or rough edges that may get caught on blankets or clothing.

When baby won't hold still

A squirming baby can take the challenge of trimming tiny nails to a new level. It may help to trim your baby's nails after a bath, when the nails are softer. You might ask another person to hold or distract the baby while you trim his or her nails — or simply wait until your baby is asleep.

If you cut too close

If you accidentally cut one of your baby's nails too short or nick a finger or toe, apply gentle pressure with a clean tissue or sterile gauze pad. Once the bleeding stops, there's no need to cover the area with a bandage. It may only pose a choking hazard.

Returning to work after maternity leave? Here's what to do before you go back to work — and how to stay connected once you're on the job again.

Are you dreading the day your maternity leave ends? Don't despair. Working mothers face many challenges, but you can prepare for the demands with careful planning.

Before you return to work

While you're still on maternity leave, set yourself up for a successful return to work.

• Let go of the guilt. Returning to work often poses emotional conflicts for new mothers. But working outside the home doesn't make you a bad mother. And it's OK to look forward to the challenges and interactions of your job. Remind yourself that you're doing what's best for you and your family, and then move on.
• Find dependable child care. Consider local child care providers and facilities or make other arrangements for child care, perhaps even before the baby is born. Look for a safe, stimulating environment and qualified caregivers. Trust your instincts when interviewing potential caregivers.

• Talk to your boss. Clarify your job duties and schedule so you'll know what's expected of you after your maternity leave. You might ask about flexible hours, telecommuting or working part time.

  If you're planning to continue breast-feeding after returning to work, ask your employer to help you find a private room for pumping. Consider buying or renting an electric breast pump that allows you to pump both breasts at once. If timing is a concern, offer alternatives — pumping during your breaks or working from home to make up for the lost time, for example.

• Set a return-to-work date. If you can, go back to work late in the week. That'll make your first week back to work a short one.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

• Breast-feeding: Choosing a breast pump

Once you're back at work

When you go back to work, expect ups and downs as you become more adept at managing multiple demands. These tips can help:

• Get organized. Make a daily to-do list. You might divide the list into tasks for work and tasks for home, or tasks for you and tasks for your partner. Identify what you need to do, what can wait — and what you can skip entirely.
• Stay connected. Plan a daily phone call to your baby's caregiver to find out how your baby's doing. Place a favorite photo of your baby on your desk or in your work area. Set aside time after work to reconnect with your baby.
• Make backup plans. Know what you'll do if your baby is sick or your baby's caregiver is unavailable on a workday — whether it's taking a sick day yourself or calling a friend or loved one to care for your baby.

• Honor your commitment to breast-feeding. Bring your breast pump, containers for expressed milk, an insulated bag and ice packs to work. Keep a stash of breast pads and extra blouses handy, in case your breasts leak.

  If you can't express milk at work, breast-feed your baby or pump just before you go to work and as soon as you return home. You could also pump between feedings on weekends for extra breast milk to be used while you're working.

• Seek support. Don't try to do everything yourself. Accept help from your partner, loved ones and friends. Speak up if you're feeling guilty, sad or overwhelmed. If you're having trouble pumping milk at work or nursing your baby at home, contact a lactation consultant from a local hospital or clinic.
• Nurture your own well-being. Relax in the tub after you put the baby to bed, or unwind with a favorite book or soft music. Cut down on any unnecessary commitments. Pick a reasonable bedtime, and stick with it. On weekends, sleep when your baby sleeps.

Above all, maintain a positive attitude. Tell your baby how excited you are to see him or her at the end of the day. Your baby may not understand your words, but he or she will pick up on your emotions.

Caring for a premature baby can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Here's help taking care of your preemie — and meeting your own special needs.

If your baby is born too early, the miracle of birth may be overshadowed by anxiety about your preemie's health and the possible long-term effects of prematurity. But there's much you can do to take care of your premature baby — and yourself — as you look toward the future.

Your preemie's special needs

Generally, the earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of complications.

At first, premature babies often need help breathing and maintaining body heat. Feeding your preemie may be a challenge. Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), low blood sugar and lack of red blood cells to carry oxygen to the baby's tissues (anemia) are possible. More serious concerns may include infection, episodes of stopped breathing (apnea) and bleeding into the brain, especially if your baby was born before 34 weeks. Some preemies have impaired hearing or vision. Others experience developmental delays or learning disabilities in childhood.

Taking care of your preemie

Your preemie's special needs call for special care, probably in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The medical professionals caring for your baby will do everything they can to help your baby thrive. Your role as a parent is essential, too.

• Learn as much as you can about your preemie's condition. Uncertainty can be frightening, as can the monitors, respirators and other types of equipment in the NICU — even the darkness in the NICU meant to mimic life in the womb. Write down your questions and seek answers when you're ready. The more you know, the better you'll be able to handle the situation.
• Share your observations and concerns. If you notice changes in your preemie's condition, tell the medical team right away.
• Establish your milk supply. Breast milk contains proteins that help fight infection and promote growth. Although your preemie may not be able to feed from your breast or a bottle at first, breast milk can be given in other ways — or frozen for later use. Begin pumping as soon after birth as possible. For the first few days, pump at least every two to three hours around the clock. Once your milk supply is established, pump at least eight times a day.
• Learn to feed, change and soothe your preemie. Speak to your baby in loving tones. When your baby is ready, cradle him or her in your arms. Hold your baby under your robe or shirt to allow skin-to-skin contact. Turn your baby's head to the side so that his or her ear is over your heart. If you're feeling unsure, count on the support of your baby's medical team.

Taking care of yourself

You're concentrating on your baby now, but remember that you have special needs, too. Taking good care of yourself will help you take the best care of your preemie.

• Allow plenty of time to heal. You may need more time to recover from the rigors of childbirth than you imagined. Eat healthfully, and get as much rest as you can. When your health care provider gives you the OK, make time for exercise, too. Even brisk walks through the hospital hallways or courtyard may lift your spirits.
• Acknowledge your emotions. Expect to feel joy, excitement, sadness, anger and frustration — sometimes all on the same day. Remember that you and your partner or spouse may react to stress and anxiety differently, but you both want what's best for your baby. Support each other through respect, understanding and compromise.
• Expect to feel overwhelmed. You're under a tremendous amount of strain. You may celebrate successes one day, only to experience setbacks the next. Give yourself permission to take it one day at a time.
• Take a break when you need it. Your baby needs you, but it's important to balance time at the hospital with time for yourself and the rest of your family.
• Accept help from others. Allow friends and loved ones to care for your other children, prepare food, clean the house or run errands. Let them know what would be most helpful.
• Keep a journal. Record the details of your baby's progress, as well as your own thoughts and feelings. Include pictures of your baby.
• Seek support. Surround yourself with understanding friends and loved ones. Talk with other NICU parents. Consider joining a local support group for parents of preemies, or check out online communities. Seek professional help if you're feeling depressed or you're struggling to cope with your new responsibilities.

Bringing baby home

When it's time to bring your baby home, you may feel relieved, excited — and anxious. After days, weeks or months in the hospital, it may be daunting to leave the on-site support of your baby's medical team behind.

Before you leave the hospital, consider taking a course in infant CPR. Make sure you're comfortable caring for your baby, especially if you'll need to use special monitors at home or give your baby supplemental oxygen or other treatments. Ask as many questions as you need to. Nothing is silly or unimportant when it comes to caring for your baby. Schedule follow-up visits with your baby's doctor, and find out who to call if you have questions or concerns in the meantime.

You'll always remember your baby's time in the hospital. Now cherish the opportunity to begin making memories at home.

If you have a baby boy, you'll need to decide whether to have him circumcised. Consider the pros and cons.

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin covering the tip of the penis. The procedure is fairly common in certain parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. But is it right for your son? Here's help making an informed decision.

Opinions are mixed

For some parents, circumcision is a religious ritual. It can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. For others, however, the procedure seems unnecessary or disfiguring.

In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement that says the benefits aren't strong enough to recommend routine circumcision for all male newborns. Today, the AAP leaves the decision up to parents — and supports use of pain relief for infants who have the procedure.

The benefits

Circumcision may have health benefits, including:

• Easier hygiene. Circumcision makes it easy to wash the penis — although it's simple to clean an uncircumcised penis, too.
• Decreased risk of urinary tract infections. The risk of urinary tract infections in the first year is low, but these infections may be up to 10 times as common in uncircumcised baby boys. Severe infections early in life can lead to kidney problems later on.
• Prevention of penile problems. Occasionally, the foreskin on an uncircumcised penis may be difficult or impossible to retract (phimosis). This can also lead to inflammation of the head of the penis.
• Decreased risk of penile cancer. Although cancer of the penis is rare, it's less common in circumcised men.
• Decreased risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Safe sexual practices remain essential, but circumcised men may have a slightly lower risk of certain sexually transmitted diseases — including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The drawbacks

Circumcision also has drawbacks, including:

• Surgical risks. Excessive bleeding and infection are uncommon, but possible. The foreskin may be cut too short or too long or fail to heal properly. If the remaining foreskin reattaches to the end of the penis, minor surgery may be needed to correct it.
• Pain. Circumcision hurts. Local anesthesia can block nerve sensations during the procedure.

Other considerations

Circumcision may not be an option if your son has certain medical conditions, such as an abnormality of the penis that requires surgical treatment. In this case, the foreskin may be needed for repair. Circumcision doesn't affect fertility, nor is circumcision thought to enhance or detract from sexual pleasure for men or their partners. After a circumcision, it may be impossible to re-create the appearance of an uncircumcised penis.

The procedure

Circumcision is often done in the hospital nursery. It may also be done in an outpatient setting within the first few weeks after birth.

Your son will lie on his back with his arms and legs restrained. After the penis and surrounding area are cleansed, an anesthetic will be injected into the base of the penis or applied to the penis as a cream. A special clamp or plastic ring will be attached to the penis, and the foreskin will be removed. Afterward, the penis will be covered with an ointment, such as petroleum jelly, and wrapped loosely with gauze.

The procedure takes about five to 10 minutes.

Circumcision care

It usually takes about seven to 10 days for the penis to heal. The tip of the penis may seem raw at first, and you may notice a yellowish mucus or crust. A small amount of bleeding also is common the first day or two.

It's OK to wash your son's penis as it's healing. Change the bandage with each diaper change, and apply a dab of petroleum jelly to the tip of the penis to keep it from sticking to the diaper. If there's a plastic ring instead of a bandage, it will drop off on its own — usually within a week. Once your son's penis heals, wash it with soap and water during each bath.

Problems after circumcision are rare. Contact your son's doctor if:

• Your son doesn't urinate normally within six to eight hours after the circumcision
• There's persistent bleeding or redness around the tip of the penis
• There's foul-smelling drainage from the tip of the penis or crusted sores fill with fluid

If you skip the circumcision

If you choose not to have your son circumcised, simply wash your son's penis with soap and water during each bath. There's no need to clean beneath the foreskin until it retracts on its own, often by age 5. Then teach your son to clean beneath the foreskin during each bath — gently pull back the foreskin, clean the area with soap and water, rinse and pull the foreskin back over the head of the penis. After each bath, pull back the foreskin again to dry the area.