# Auto-circumcision at birth?



## thebee321 (Dec 13, 2003)

Every time I come here and read about not retracting, I have nagging worries about my ped. I really like her, she said there was no good medical reason for us to circ. But she has always retracted DS ever-so-slightly, and did recommend gently retracting him in the tub and swishing a little to get the white stuff out when he was a baby. When I told her I had read we shouldn't retract at all, she saikd he was born with a partial auto-circumcision, and that he was already pretty loose and retractable - which honestly to me seems true, because I never felt any resistance when we slightly retracted before I read that we shouldn't. She implied that because he was already somewhat retractable, that was WHY we needed to clean under there a bit and very gently.

My problem is, his is the only intact penis I've ever seen, so how do I know if she was right? I'm going to have another boy sometime withing the next 8 days, and need to be prepared again. ARE THERE DIAGRAMS SOMEWHERE where I can try to determine if DS1 was one of the rare cases born retractable? I tried googling auto-circumcision, but was frankly afraid to click on the links, because I don't think it was going to be about infants or necessarily medical-related.

I get so confused when I read about people saying they see a difference and now there son is retractable, or they can look and see where it is still attached. I don't have any idea what's supposed to be attached to where!!!


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## +stella+ (Apr 17, 2005)

In my opinion and probably the opinion you will get on this board is no matter what he came out looking like when he was born, he is the ONLY one to be tugging, pulling, manipulating his foreskin. period.

I believe she is wrong.

There is no need to clean under there at all if they dont want to and for personal reasons will want to around puberty but as an infant, no. Just wipe the outside just like you would any intact infant, regardless of retraction status or lack of.










I see that hes 4, it really doesn't matter, he should clean as he feels he wants to. You can suggest pulling back and swishing but he should be the one doing this, and really, I dont see why it matters where he is attached still or not. Not trying to be short or snarky, but everyone is different, you very well may never see the inside of that area unless your son specifically wants you to. And thats ok I think. its his body and he will tell you if he thinks it isnt working right. I hope that makes some sense, I just dont think you should get worried about how he was born or how he is now, as we are all so varying in a lot of ways , especially the genitals.


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## mamasophy (Mar 15, 2007)

The "white stuff" (smegma) is not harmful or "dirty" - it's supposed to be there. Leave the foreskin alone.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

What stella said even if he came out fully retractable there is no reason at all to push it back. You can teach him to do it but you shouldnt and neither should the ped.

With the new baby request that she not touch his penis at all. She can do the testical check without it and there is no way she can accidently hurt him if she dosnt touch it.

As for the auto circumcision that is a bunch of BS. The only thing that would even come close is a defect of the foreskin were it didnt form properly. If this is the case then it would be a birth defect not a auto circ. And even if that is the case it should be left alone until the boy is old enough to do the cleaning.

Here is a link to what a normal intact infant penis looks like.
http://www.cirp.org/library/hygiene/camille1/
See figure 3 (the other pics there are disturbing because of the retraction being done







)

Keep in mind that everyones foreskin looks different shorter, longer, thicker, thinner etc. but this pic is a good one.


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## QueenOfThePride (May 26, 2005)

Like others said, there is no reason to wash inside a baby's or young child's penis. Just leave it alone, he'll be fine.

Also, there is no such thing as being 'born circumcised'. Circumcision is a surgical procedure where part of the penis is amputated. You can't just be born with something amputated. Sometimes the foreskin fails to develop properly in-utero and is shorter than normal, mishapen, or simply not there. But that isn't because it was circumcised, it's because of a birth defect. Your physician's choice of words was incorrect, and I've never heard of the term auto-circumcision.







I do not believe it is an actual medical term, so you can forget about it.

Even if your baby was born with a short foreskin, or partially retractable, there is no need to do any extra cleaning. You can teach him to wash his own penis when he is capable of doing so by himself (usually between age 3 to 5).


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## paquerette (Oct 16, 2004)

If there are cases where boys are born already retractable (seems plausible to me, though certainly very unusual), I can't imagine it being termed "auto-circumcision". That sounds more like a term for what some fetishists do.







: Retraction is not circumcision! And I don't think "auto-" is commonly a prefix for congenital issues. I can't imagine where the doctor pulled that from. Sometimes they feel like they have to say something to appear like they know what they're doing, so they say any fool thing.


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## thebee321 (Dec 13, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamasophy* 
The "white stuff" (smegma) is not harmful or "dirty" - it's supposed to be there. Leave the foreskin alone.

I'm aware of that now. Was not aware of it when he was an infant and she pushed the skin back a little and I'm like "oh my gosh, where did all that come from?!?"


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

We all learn as we go thank goodness







I think it is great that you are taking the time to research this so that you will be up to date for you new one coming soon







Good for you.

Have you explained to your ds yet that if he wishes he can push the skin back and swish if he wants? Right now would be a good time (if you haven't already) to get him in the habit. Tho until he hits puberty it really isn't necessary.


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## hunnybumm (Nov 1, 2003)

Just like everyone else said, he isn't auto circumcised, he is retractable. Just because he may be retractable now doesn't mean he will always be, it is normal for him to become non retractable. Don't pull back the foreskin even if it is retractable on it's own. The owner of the penis should be the only one to retract it.

Just the fact that the doctor called it "auto circumcision" shows how ignorant she is about the intact penis.


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## Greg B (Mar 18, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hunnybumm* 
Just the fact that the doctor called it "auto circumcision" shows how ignorant she is about the intact penis.

What she said.

Regards


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## pantufla (Jun 7, 2007)

Really, I don't want to come off sounding harsh here. It doesn't matter if he is retractible or not. What does matter is that when your next son is born, that no one retracts him. The only way they would have known if he was retractible is if they retracted him. Before anyone takes your DS's diaper off you can tell them not to touch his penis.


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