Circumcision Gone Wrong?

The doctor agreed that it didn’t look normal and said it looked like they didn’t take enough skin off. I felt relieved we weren’t imagining things until she said, “hopefully, he will grow into it.”

I’m no expert, but I’m somewhat confident my now 16-month-old son’s circumcision was not done correctly. I remember the doctor telling us on day two after his birth, that he would be back later to do the quick procedure. Well, the good news is he kept his promise, but at the expense of my son’s penis, perhaps?

It was after 11 p.m. when the doctor returned to our hospital room to ask if he could take my son to circumcise him. Of course, I was happy to see him and thought, wow, he kept his word! Guess he went home for dinner with the family and/or had more babies to deliver. But he came back. In no time, he was back in our room (before I could even fall asleep) and said the baby did great — he was tough and barely even cried. Hmmmm, looking back, maybe we now know why.

When we came home from the hospital and in the weeks that followed, my husband and I noticed the tip around the penis was red and looked inflamed. He squirmed every time we would change his diaper and cry when we touched it with a wipe or washcloth. When we went for a check-up, the doctor pointed out that the foreskin was in fact stuck to the head and needed to be unrolled or pulled down every time we changed him. Great, I thought. This would be torture for the poor little guy. How long would he have to endure this pain? We did what the doctor suggested, and it seemed to get better. He would still cry when we pulled the skin back, but it was not red anymore and it was not stuck. However, there was more skin than I remember being left after my firstborn’s circumcision.

Fast forward a few months and we went back for another checkup — this time around six months. The doctor agreed that it didn’t look normal and said it looked like they didn’t take enough skin off. I felt relieved we weren’t imagining things until she said, “Hopefully, he will grow into it.” Hopefully?!? How long will that take? I know he has a lot of growing to do — in all areas of his body — and maybe this could still happen in time because I don’t see much of a difference yet some 10 months later.

I feel terrible every time he cries when I get near it. I know it’s a choice and not everyone chooses circumcision, but we did, and we hope it corrects itself like the doctor mentioned. If it doesn’t, what are our other options… re-circumcision?

I was looking online to see what other parents had to say who experienced something similar. Many suggested getting a second or third opinion in the event he may need surgical intervention later down the road.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what did you do?

Kerry Schicker
Boy mom. Household CEO. Corporate leader. Outdoor lover. Social seeker. Sun worshipper. Curious traveler. Champagne enthusiast. These words describe me, Kerry Schicker, and contributor for Jacksonville Mom. I first approached founders Vicky and Megan after a heartbreaking miscarriage a few years ago. I had a very unpleasant experience with my OB at the time and I needed to get it off my chest so I wrote an anonymous blog that resonated with some of our readers. I have since written dozens of blogs mostly about motherhood. I have a passion for writing. My 20-year career has grown through some form of writing including TV news reporting and producing, magazine publishing, public relations, advertising, marketing, blogging and my current day job doing HR and employee communications for a Fortune 300 FinTech company. I am thankful that Jacksonville has such a supportive community for moms like me, and I can't imagine raising my two boys anywhere else.

20 COMMENTS

  1. I had to have a surgical reconstruction on my son’s circumcision. I got a second opinion and it was done at St Joe’s in Tampa. They waited until he was over one to be able to sedate him. He hasn’t had any issues since.

  2. , the sooner the problem is fixed the better. you might have to have it surgically done again. it would probably be better to have the job well done so he won’t have complexes as an adult.

  3. With my oldest two sons, I had a Jewish doctor perform their circumcisions. This doctor also performed the Bris for Jewish families here in Jacksonville at the time. The doctor used anesthesia and had me drink a glass of kosher wine before the procedure and nurse them. Both boys were fine with no complications. That being said, if circumcision is something that you have decided on, please make sure it is performed by either a urologist or a doctor who is more experienced. Also, if possible, don’t do it in a rushed “drive through” setting like the Maternity ward.

  4. Why are we still cutting and altering our children’s genitals? People, every male and female are born with foreskin because it PROTECTS our clitoris and their glans/meatus. STOP IT! Just STOP IT! If we weren’t meant to have foreskin none of us would be born with it!

  5. Forced infant Circumcision does not go wrong, it was wrong from the beginning. It was wrong 2,000 years ago when it was being done to psychosexually damaged men, it was wrong 140 years when it was forced on boys to stop masturbation. It’s wrong now as it is forced on newborn babes cause mommy had a preference and Daddy had a scar.

  6. Foreskin restoration is the best thing for your son. He’s already been through a mutilation that removed the majority of his penile nerves, but at least he could have the gliding action and gland protection and increased sensitivity from a restored foreskin.

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