# question about baby boy's scrotum...



## danav

This is a weird question! I've noticed lately (the last few weeks, maybe?) that my 5 month old baby's scrotum always looks "shriveled up" rather than loose and "baggy". It has not always been like that - before, it would sometimes be loose, sometimes shrunk up. I know that can change as a boy feels cold, etc, but I haven't seen it loose and baggy at ALL lately, even during a warm bath. (Does that make sense?).

I can still feel at least one testicle in there - they were both definitely descended before but I'm not feeling the second one, at least not this morning.

I have an older son, but I don't remember ever being concerned about this with him and I just looked through his baby pics and there are several nakey pictures of him around the same age, and his scrotum looks fine.

He does seem to have a large "fat pad" in that area. Could that have anything to do with it? His (uncirc'd) penis also looks more wrinkled than it did before - could the fat behind his genitals just be pushing the skin forward so everything appears shrunken? Could there be a problem? Is it normal or not for a descended testicle to go back up inside?

Told you it was a weird question, but I just can't stop wondering/worrying about it!


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## dynamohumm6

My son had a hydrocele (water in the scrotum) for the first few months of his life, making his scrotum look big and baggy and loose. As the hydrocele went away, the loose/baggy thing did, too. Do you know if your ds had a hydrocele?


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## Mama Poot

Hmm...Have you tried switching diapers and see what happens? Maybe even let him have some naked time and see if temperature is affecting it. My son's scrotum will be more "loose" like you described if the clothes he's wearing are too hot. It will also be that way during his bath, but as soon as he hits cool air it tightens up. I do agree that if your son's scrotum is staying "one way" for too much of the time, there could likely be something causing it. See if temperature change does anything. As long as he isn't in pain, the situation rights itself in a few days, and everything goes back to normal, I wouldn't call the doctor. But if it persists you might need to make a call. HTH!


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## redd.

when my ds gets too warm it gets loose and wrinkly
but for some reason that doesn't apply to the bath

so your ds sounds normal to me.


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## aisraeltax

if you are worried about it, i would take him to the doc to get it checked but say this with reservations b/c i woudl be careful about a ped. wanting to retract first.
my son had one undescended testicle but that was at birth.


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## danav

He did not have a hydrocele that I am aware of (neither the midwife nor the pediatrician ever indicated there was anything unusual) and while both testicles were undescended at birth, both were definitely descended within a couple of weeks. I just checked again and I can only feel one now, though.

I believe my ped is cool about not retracting - she's seen him a few times already and has been very gentle when quickly taking a peek at his genitals.

Maybe I'll give the ped a call this week just to ask since he's not going in for a regular visit again until August.


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## danav

Update...

I took a nice, warm bath with the baby tonight and got the water deep enough to let him float around while I held him. With his body down in the water (I usually bathe him in shallow water so he's not submerged), his scrotum relaxed a lot and I was able to feel both testicles just fine. I think what is going on is he has developed a very generous pubic fat pad which is causing his scrotum/testicles to look/feel less pronounced than before. So, I feel much better now!

I feel like every week I find something new to get anxious about. He's a beautiful, perfectly healthy baby - I just need to relax (and you'd think that would be easier on the third baby!)


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## allbrightmama

Perfectly normal! You are right about the fat pad. My son has a huge fat pad too and his scrotum always looks shrivelled and empty. Even the ped has trouble finding his testicles but they are there. His penis appears to have shrunk away too. It looks odd but nothing at all to worry about!


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## In awe

Anyone noticed on baby boys when giving them a bath their testicle floats?


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