Genital care and babies – are you doing it correctly?

We recently did some Live videos with Dr Deb Levy, talking about genital care for boys and girls, and what to do about any problems you may come across.

It can be tricky to know what is right or wrong – especially if you are dealing with genitals you didn’t grow up with!

Problems and caring for your baby girl’s genitals 👶🏽

Some of our favourite tips from the video above:

• When your baby is born, her genitals may have some swelling and bruising. This is normal! If however, her anatomy doesn’t look right, this is something to have checked out.
• During the first couple of weeks after birth, your baby may experience a little discharge that is period-like. This is also normal!
• Wipe from front to back!
• Cotton underwear is best for vaginal health
• Discharge that is clear or even a little white with no smell, is normal. If it has an abnormal colour or an odour, this needs to be checked out!

Watch the video to learn about lesions, foreign bodies, and what to do when your toddler tells you her vagina is sore or itchy – because it will happen!

Caring for and common problems with your baby boy’s genitals 👶🏽

Some of our favourite tips from above:

• When boys are born, their genitals can be quite swollen – this is normal. It will slowly go down over the first year. If there is still fluid after one year, this is time to get it checked out! It should also be checked out if it seems tender or if your little one is uncomfortable.
• Sometimes boys are born with the urethra (where urine comes out), not in the right place – if your baby doesn’t have a good stream of urine, this can indicate an issue. It is often picked up in the newborn checkups as it is quite obvious.
• Babies can get erections! This is normal (and often very surprising for parents who don’t know about this).
• It is very normal for boys to play with their genitals – a lot! It is important to not shame them.
• Never forcibly retract the foreskin.
• Tuck the penis down when doing nappy changes – trust us on this one!

Take a look at the video to learn more about testes (specifically what to expect with ‘descending’), smegma, and cleaning to prevent infections.