How do I care for my baby boy's genitals?

Cleaning your son’s penis As with any part of the body, good general hygiene for the penis will help prevent infection and disease. It’s particularly important for uncircumcised boys. The circumcised penis If your baby boy is circumcised, keeping his penis clean is quite straightforward. Gently rinse the genital area while bathing. It’s not necessary to use soap. If you’re going to use soap, choose one with a built-in moisturiser, and use only a small amount. Harsh soap and too much washing can irritate the penis. To prevent your baby’s penis from sticking to the nappy, it’s recommended that you moisten the front of the nappy with petroleum jelly, paw paw cream or something similar. The uncircumcised penis Parents with an uncircumcised son often have questions about keeping the penis clean, because their child still has the foreskin covering most of the head (or glans) of the penis. If your baby boy is uncircumcised, you need only clean the outside of the foreskin during his first 2-3 years. You can do this at bath time, and bath water alone is all you need. The foreskin won’t become loose or mobile until your son is 2-3 years old, or possibly later. It’s normal for a milky white substance (called smegma) to gather under the foreskin. This is just made of dead skin cells and natural secretions.