Supplies

• Two 1-ounce tubes of Neosporin ointment or triple antibiotic ointment. ( DO NOT use Neosporin more than 24 hours, if you need more contact the Mohel)
• Thirty 3×3 sterile gauze pads
• Baby oil
• Medicated baby powder (such as Caldesene)
Note: for your convenience, the Mohel can supply the post-bris supplies

The mohel will guide the parents with respect to continued care of the baby.

Babies vary greatly in their reactions; some are more calm and quiet than usual and some are more restless.

The parents’ obligations

Maintain strict cleanliness of the baby, rediaper him frequently.
Make sure that he urinates regularly (check that the diaper is wet).
Don’t try to remove the bandage or open it; this should be done only by the Mohel.
The baby can be placed in his crib to rest and be fed as usual. He may be placed on his stomach to rest in order to release gases from which he may be suffering.
Don’t hesitate to approach the Mohel about any apprehensions which you may have, at any time of day or night.

Examination

The Mohel will remove the bandage and check the recuperation of the area. Occasionally he will put on a second loose bandage, which the parents can carefully remove while bathing the baby. The Mohel will guide the parents concerning further care.

The most important and fundamental thing for the parents to do after the Brit is to maintain strict cleanliness to avoid any inflammation and to expedite the healing process.

Highly recommended:
After the bandage is removed with the guidance of the Mohel, one should diaper the baby frequently, and wash him under warm soothing running water at least once per day and whenever he becomes dirty. Soap also may be used.

To cleanse the area with ointment or fluid as directed by the Mohel.
Remember, the more careful you are about cleanliness, the quicker the wound will heal.

About three days after the Brit a whitish/yellowish scab may appear which is a natural and proper secretion. Don’t try to remove it or touch it; it will disappear on its own when the healing process is completed.

• The original bandage applied by the Mohel at the bris should remain on for 24 hours. This bandage must NOT be removed before that amount of time.

• Do not diaper the baby for the first 4 hours after the bris if there are no bowels. The following diapers may be tinged red. This occurrence is normal and is not a cause for concern.

• Sometimes after a few days there might be light bleeding in the area of the Brit, do not panic, it’s because the wound stuck to the diaper. As long as it’s not consistent it may be left alone, the bleeding should stop right away.

• If there’s bleeding, apply pressure and call your Mohel.

• For the first 24 hours, double diaper the baby at each diaper change; Apply ointment to sterile gauze and place it on the penis. Do not remove the original gauze pad applied by the Mohel, rather place the additional pad over it. Remove the additional gauze pad at the next diaper change when you replace it (if the gauze applied by the Mohel does fall off, there is no problem).

• IMPORTANT: While the baby is unpampered during a diaper change, be sure to hold his feet to prevent him from stretching the dressing with its toe, resulting in hemorrhaging.

• Please do not put the baby on a rigid schedule for the first 24 hours. Some babies need to sleep for longer periods of time after the bris, while other babies tend to eat more frequently. After the 24 hour period, you may resume the baby’s regular schedule.

• The morning following the bris, pour some baby oil over the dressing at diaper changing to prevent it from sticking. This will aid in its removal later on.

• After the removal of the bandage, put a lot of medical powder over the penis so that it covers the entire area.

• Once the powder had been applied to two diaper changes, if the umbilical cord had fallen off bathe the baby in warm water. However if the umbilical cord had not yet fallen off, bathe only the area.

• After removing the dressing, it is normal for the area to go from red to white, then yellow, then to normal skin color, it is part of the healing process.