Circumcision Aftercare

A clear, day-by-day guide to caring for your baby following circumcision.

Start with the first 24 hours
Urgent concern? Call 416-702-8990

Immediately after the procedure

Care during the first 24 hours

Expect some irritability and light blood staining. The staining should become lighter with each diaper change.

Keep your baby comfortable

Keep your son snugly swaddled. The less he moves his legs, the less discomfort he will have. Most babies sleep well following circumcision.

Prepare each dressing

Place a Loonie-sized amount of antibiotic topical ointment in the centre of a sterile 4″×4″ gauze pad and set it aside.

Change the diaper gently

Clean your baby and place a clean diaper underneath him. Gently peel the existing gauze from bottom to top.

Inspect and redress

Check for fresh blood. If there is no new bleeding, place the new gauze over the penis so the ointment rests directly over the tip, then close the diaper.

Helpful to know: Babies who cry for more than a few minutes are often experiencing swallowed air and may need to be burped.

Daily care

General care and dressing schedule

Healing is promoted by keeping the area clean, dry and protected from sticking to the diaper.

Days 1–2

Antibiotic ointment and gauze

At each diaper change, apply a Loonie-sized amount of antibiotic topical ointment to a sterile 4″×4″ gauze pad and place it over the penis.

Days 3–7

Petrolatum ointment and gauze

Replace the antibiotic ointment with petrolatum ointment such as Vaseline and continue the dressing at each diaper change.

First 7 days

No immersion bathing

Do not immerse your baby in a bath. Sponge baths and affusion baptism are allowed. Keep the circumcision area clean and dry.

Normal activities

Use disposable diapers during the first week when possible.
Tummy time and chest-to-chest feeding are permitted.
Normal clothing is permitted.
A properly secured car seat will not harm the healing area.

What to do

Bleeding after circumcision

Light staining during early diaper changes is expected. Active bleeding requires direct pressure.

If there is active bleeding

Apply firm pressure for 3 full minutes. Grasp the penis gently between two or three fingers over the existing 4″×4″ gauze pad.
Do not remove the pad. Removing it may restart or increase the bleeding.
Inspect for continued bleeding. Ongoing bleeding is evident if the pad continues becoming redder.
If bleeding continues, add another pad. Place it over the existing gauze and repeat the 3 minutes of pressure.
When bleeding stops, leave the pads in place and close the diaper.

Slight fresh bleeding can occasionally occur around days 5–7 as the scab shrinks or separates. Reapply gauze and petrolatum for another 12–24 hours to prevent sticking. In all cases of bleeding, contact Dr. Greenberg by WhatsApp for further instructions.

What is normal

The healing process

Every child heals differently, but healing is usually rapid and follows several recognizable stages.

Within minutes

The cut edge seals

Bleeding normally stops as the cut edge seals.

Hours to 1 day

Swelling may develop

The area just behind the glans—especially underneath—may become swollen. This usually settles within one to two weeks.

Days 1–2

White or yellow patches

An off-white or yellowish patchy appearance can form on the glans. This is a normal type of scab. Do not remove it.

Over several weeks

Appearance normalizes

The glans may initially look red and glossy. It gradually toughens after exposure and generally takes on a more typical appearance within about one month.

Anatomy and healing vary. The penis may temporarily look smaller, and one circumcision will not look identical to another. Most heal properly and develop a normal appearance over time.

Contact the clinic

Signs that require medical advice

Contact Dr. Greenberg promptly for:

Bleeding that continues despite repeated direct pressure
Pus-like discharge or a foul smell
Excessive swelling or redness
Local warmth around the penis
Fever or a rash in the penile area
Any healing change that concerns you

Doctor’s cell / WhatsApp416-702-8990

WhatsApp is the best way to reach Dr. Greenberg. Medically urgent post-circumcision messages will be answered as soon as he is able.

Message on WhatsApp