The animal milk is offered with a cup rather than a bottle. Diapering is not common in Somalia. When the baby is awake, the mother holds a small basin in her lap and at regular intervals holds the baby in a sitting position over the basin. At night, a piece of plastic is placed between the mattress and the bedding. The bedding and plastic are cleaned daily.
Somali mothers say infants are toilet-trained in a short period of time.
Circumcision Both males and females in Somalia are circumcised before age five. Circumcision is viewed as a rite of passage and necessary for marriage. Uncircumcised people are seen as unclean. Male circumcision may be performed by a traditional doctor or by a medical doctor or nurse in a hospital. Female circumcision is usually performed by female family members but is also available in some hospitals.