1,121. The Pidyon HaBen Ceremony

164:4 The father brings the baby to the kohein and tells him that he is the first-born, who "opened the womb" of a Jewish mother. He brings the equivalent of five silver shekels in coin or merchandise and places it before the kohein. He says to the kohein, "This is my son, my first born..." and he puts the baby in front of the kohein. The kohein asks him, "Which do you prefer..." and the father replies, "I prefer to redeem my son...." While the father is still holding the coins, before he gives them to the kohein, he recites the bracha "Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding redeeming the son." He also recites the bracha of Shehechiyanu, that G-d has kept us alive to reach this occasion. He then immediately gives the coins to the kohein, who passes them over the baby's head and says "This instead of that..." He then places his hand on the baby's head and blesses him with "May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menashe...," "May G-d bless you and protect you...," "A long life...," and "May G-d protect you from all evil...." He then recites the bracha over a cup of wine. If there's no wine, he may use any drink that is a customary beverage in that locale. If so, he must perform the redemption before washing his hands for the meal because one doesn't recite brachos on other drinks during a meal. This isn't the case with wine, so if there's wine he may perform the redemption after HaMotzi.

164:5 If the father is not in the location of the baby, he can still redeem him from a kohein wherever he is. He says to the kohein, "I have a first-born son to redeem" and the kohein replies, "Which do you prefer...," etc.