Sensitive - what do you call your ds' girlie bits?

[beegee]

This is a tough one - I've a 3 yo ds and i've confidently called his private 'bits' his willie..he's happy with this and always uses the name when needed. No probs there. With girls its harder...i've got a 6 mo ds and, although it's early days, i feel i'm already searching for an equivalent for my daughters girlie 'bits' but struggling i'm afraid!

I'm not a prude. I don't find it difficult to talk about these issues. I just want to avoid the name my mum called mine - wee wee - eeeck! Now I call mine 'my vagina' but this doesn't seem right for a little girl and it always makes me feel a bit...errr...cringey IYKWIM.

When my ds and dd share a bath or when i'm changing my dss nappy, my ds is satisfied that she just 'hasn't got a willie'. But it's started to make me think - what does one name it?!!

I apologise if this offends anyone...not intended. I would love others opinions/experiences.

Yep, stoppinattwo - did meand dds girlie bits!!

Franny - that's an awful story about the girl being abused. Really sad. Shows how important it is to get it right.

The choice seems to be that you either call it what it is or use a euphamism that can sound a bit cutesy IMHO. I have to say when mine was referred to when i was a girl -'wee wee'-aaahhh!!-i actually hated it as i felt it was babyish somehow IYKWIM. I suppose i wanted to feel grown up when referring to it (i only ever referred to it when speaking to my mum-ie 'my wee wee's sore' etc.) I didn't need to refer to it with other people until i got to my teen years and then it became fanny amongst my peers!!

Why does the word vulva put me off? The formality? The association with the word vulga? I would LIKE to be comfortable enough to use it but - as lilymolly put it - it's not commonly used. Penis also sounds a bit like adult genetalia (although it is more commonly used than vulva)- willie works well to me - a childs penis..

Just take a deep breath and say it - it does get easier. We should have therapy sessions about it

shall i ask my therapist to join mn?? he is a bloke though

Just thought I would tell you we call my dd's 'parts' her 'lulu' no idea where it comes from! My mum said my nana called her's that and its stuck!

Anybody been to see "The noony monologues'?

lol at noony monologues - not quite as catchy

we call it a minnie (although i guess it should be mini lol)

I want to say 'vulva' but I think I need to join the MN girlybits therapy group. Perhaps a little practice??

Vulva

Vulva

Vulva

Vulva

Vulva

At least I got to use the new icon

We say 'minnie' too, although the term 'front bottom' is also used much to dh's disgust. Dd is 5.

I know the biological name is vulva but, but we call it bottom in the same way as I know the biological name is 'umbilicus' but we call it belly button.

I don't know why all you vulva fans (arf) get so agitated.

We call it a mimi (meemee). Fanny & fufu sound to adult to me

oooh where is harpsi?!

There is another thread here on this subject, which got rather funny.

I thought of harpsi when the consultant at the hospital told me that they would be shielding ds's goolies when they did his xrays. Goolies?! WTF?!

My turn - girlie bits therapy group - (gbtg)

Vulva

Vulva - sounds like vulga

Vulva - its not vulga!

Vulva

Vulva

Vulva

I'm going round in circles now

Kelly, the Consultant used 'goolies'?!?

yep! My jaw literally dropped. AS well as the professional aspect she was a very petite, pretty, young woman, and I was totally

we used the word goolies in the playground when i was about 7/8 yo...haven't heard it for a long time. Oh, those were the days...

rather like the idea of a pretty little consultant talking goolies at work, wonder what her boss would make of it!

beegee
do feel sorry for you! I raised this issue a while back and was amazed by the emotive responses. We haven't come to a decision about what to call it and to me in my humble opinion vulva is a little old for my DD at present.

hello - we call it a twinkle!

Huw, we get all agitated because by refusing to give your dd's genitalia a proper name (and by calling it 'bottom' you are instead using one that generally refers to another part of the body, the buttocks and anus), you are sending a strong message about what you think about that part of the body. If you feel uncomfortable with even mentioning it, how can our daughters be relaxed and comfortable with their bodies?

Franny- agree with you. As mentioned in an earliar post, I have some issues with sex etc, and the therapist I am seeing says that you call an elbow an elbow, so why call a vulva/vagina etc anything other than its anatomical name. However- until dd is at an age where she has an understanding of biology/reproduction etc,(she is only 8 months) I think we will be calling it a mary!! But watch this space....