Frequently Asked Questions

Infant Circumcision


  • Q: How long does it take for the circumcision to heal completely?
    • In babies under 2 months, it should heal completely in about four days. In older babies, it should heal in about seven days.
     

     
  • Q: What is the ideal age to do a circumcision?
    • The best time is between 7-14 days. I will circumcise babies up to 3 months of age in my office. It is best to do it in the 7-14 day window because the babies are less aware at this age.
     

     
  • Q: What types of complications are possible from circumcision?
    • Occasionally there will be a small amount of bleeding from the site many hours after the procedure. This is treated by applying pressure to the penis for about 3 minutes. Infection can also occur, however it is extremely rare. It is evident by seeing excess redness and pus, accompanied by a foul smell. It is treated by applying an antibiotic ointment and resolves within 1-3 days.
     

     
  • Q: Will it hurt my baby?
    • Published studies have shown that the pain control protocol is very effective. Many babies can sleep right throughout the procedure. Most babies experience little or no pain.
     

     
  • Q: What can I expect my baby to be like after the circumcision?
    • It is not unusual for the baby to sleep for 6-8 hours after the circumcision and to miss a feeding. Some babies will be irritable for a few hours afterwards. The baby should void feeding within 4 hours of the circumcision.
     

     
  • Q: What methods of circumcision are used by other doctors?
    • The Gomco Clamp - This is the most common technique used by physicians. It requires much longer to perform and involves much more tissue handling.
    The Plasty Bell - With this technique the baby must go home with a small plastic device tied on to his penis that allows the foreskin to rot off over subsequent days. This is a more lengthy procedure and open to more problems.
     

     
  • Q: Do all doctors use the same anaesthetic method?
    • No. Doctors have different beliefs and practices with respect to anaesthetic use.

 

Bris / Brit Milah


  • Q: Who is obligated to be circumcised?
    • A male born to a Jewish mother, or a male going through a conversion process.
     

     
  • Q: Why do some call it a Bris and others a Brit?
    • The word Brit/Bris is the same word pronounced differently. Brit is the Sefardic pronounciation, and Bris is the Ashkenazic pronunciation.
     

     
  • Q: What does the word Brit/Bris mean?
    • The literal meaning of the word Bris is covenant. The covenant we are referring to is the covenant G-d made with Abraham recorded in Genesis...
     

     
  • Q: When should the bris be performed?
    • Under normal circumstances, if the baby is healthy, the bris should be performed on the eighth day after birth. The day the baby is born is considered day one. A day is defined as the time period between sundown and the following sundown. For example, Monday begins from sunset Sunday and continues until sunset Monday night. Therefore it would follow, that if a baby was born on Sunday night after sundown, the bris/brit would come out the following Monday. It would also hold true, that if a baby were born one minute before sunset on Sunday, the bris would fall out the following Sunday.
     

     
  • Q: Where should the bris be performed?
    • A bris is usually performed in the home, or synagogue. On occasion, I will perform the bris in my office when requested to do so by the family. As I observe Shabbat, brises that need to be done on Shabbat or Yom Tov (Jewish Festival/Holiday), must be held within walking distance of my home. Should this circumstance arise, I will discuss the options with you.
     

     
  • Q: Are there exceptions to the rule?
    • Yes, Friday night. If a baby was born naturally Friday evening between sunset and about forty five minutes after sunset, the bris/brit would be performed on Sunday. However, if the baby was born more than forty five minutes after sundown the baby would be circumcised on the following Shabbos/Shabbat/Saturday, provided that the baby was born naturally, as opposed to a Caesarean Section.
     

     
  • Q: What is the ruling as far as a Caesarean Section?
    • The only difference is that a baby born through a Caesarean Section may not be circumcised on Shabbos/Shabbat/Saturday.
     

     
  • Q: Can a bris/brit be performed on a Festival such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos/Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Passover, or Shavuos/Shavuot?
    • Yes, a bris may be perfomed on a Jewish holiday provided the baby was born the previous week, and the 8th day falls out on the Jewish holiday. Like Shabbos/Shabbat, the rules regarding birth by caesarian section apply.
     

     
  • Q: When is the baby considered born?
    • The definition of birth is considered in Jewish law, when the majority of the head, or the majority of the body, not including the head, has exited the body of the happy mother. This comes into play if there is a long labour, and the head came out a minute or two before sunset and the rest of the body followed after sunset. The bris would be performed corresponding to when the head came out.