Caring for Your Baby After Circumcision (Khatna): A Gentle Guide

Khatna is one of the first milestones for a baby boy in most Pakistani families. Whether it's done in the first days or a little later, the procedure itself is quick — most of your job is the simple aftercare that helps it heal cleanly within a week or so.

Choose a safe pair of hands

Where it's done matters more than when. Have circumcision performed by a trained doctor or surgeon in a clean clinic or hospital, with sterile instruments and proper pain relief — not by an untrained hand at home. A medical setting also means the rare case of heavy bleeding is managed on the spot. If your baby was premature, unwell, or there's any bleeding disorder in the family, tell the doctor beforehand.

The first 24 hours

• Expect the tip to look red and a little swollen — that's normal.
• A small ooze or spot of blood on the nappy is expected; a stain larger than a big coin, or steady dripping, is not — ring the doctor.
• Keep the nappy loose so nothing presses on the area.
• Offer extra feeds and cuddles; paracetamol, if your doctor advises it for your baby's weight, keeps him comfortable.

Day-to-day care while it heals

1. At each nappy change, dab a generous smear of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) on the tip or on a piece of clean gauze, so the wound doesn't stick to the nappy.
2. Change nappies often and clean gently with water — pat, don't rub.
3. Expect a yellowish film to form over the tip after a day or two; this is healing, not pus. Don't scrub it off.
4. Give sponge baths rather than sitting him in a tub until it has healed.
5. If a plastic ring (Plastibell) was used, leave it be — it drops off by itself in a week or so.

Most babies are healing nicely within 7 to 10 days.

Signs it needs a doctor

Get him seen promptly if you notice:

• Bleeding that won't stop with gentle pressure, or a large blood stain
• No wet nappy for 8–12 hours afterwards (he may be in pain passing urine, or getting dehydrated)
• Fever, spreading redness, worsening swelling, pus or a bad smell
• The ring still on after about two weeks, or slipped down the shaft
• A baby who is inconsolable, floppy or off his feeds

None of these are common, but each is worth a quick call rather than a wait.

Keep your surgeon's or paediatrician's number close through that first week, and use it the moment something looks worse instead of better.