Circumcision is a procedure that removes the skin covering the tip of the penis, known as the foreskin. Gomco circumcision uses a clamp to help remove the foreskin. The penis should be fully healed in 7–10 days. Follow these instructions as you care for your baby.

• If your baby has a bandage, change it each time you change his diaper. Put some petroleum jelly on the tip of the penis to protect it from sticking to the bandage.
• Gently wash the area with warm water every day. Do not scrub or rub the penis. If poop gets on the penis, gently clean the area with soapy water.
• Apply any antibiotic ointments as recommended by your health care provider.
• Some swelling and redness of the tip of the penis, crustiness, and a small amount of blood on the diaper are normal.

• Your baby is not urinating (peeing) normally by 6–8 hours after the procedure.
• Swelling or redness of the penis gets worse or does not go away in a week.
• Yellowish crusting lasts more than 1 week.
• You see a bloodstain larger than a quarter on your baby's diaper.

• Your baby has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
• Your baby seems to be in severe pain.
• There is new bleeding or a large amount of bleeding.

What is circumcision? Circumcision is a procedure that removes the skin that covers the tip of the penis. Parents may choose to have their baby circumcised due to religious beliefs, for hygiene reasons, or because of tradition or cultural factors. Circumcision often is done before a newborn goes home from the hospital. The procedure to remove the foreskin takes about 5–10 minutes.

What happens before a circumcision? Before a circumcision, your baby's penis was numbed with a cream or injected medicine. The doctor may have also given a sweetened pacifier, which can be soothing.

What happens after circumcision? After the procedure, the doctor may have put a bandage with petroleum jelly on the area. The doctor will let you know how long to use a bandage.