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Children's health

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Original poster

Question for baby girl moms..

14 replies

Comma2 · 13/08/2010 16:09

Sorry, tmi, and I hate to ask this on the web, but I can't see the clitoris on my baby girl....is that normal? It seems like the skin has grown entirely over it; it's hard to check, she doens't like me fiddling around there....I always thought there was something off, but never had that close a look. The labia are assymetrical, too, but that obviously would't be a problem. Uhm, is that normal in baby girls or should I get her to the doctor? Sorry.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 13/08/2010 16:10

Why are you looking? Baby girls genitalia looks different from adults' so try not to worry too much.

LibertyGibbet · 13/08/2010 16:11

Eh?

foureleven · 13/08/2010 16:12

I dont think it 'pops out' until puberty so dont stress. wobble is right, it looks a lot different from adults. Not suprised she doesnt like you fiddling...

MollysChambers · 13/08/2010 16:17

I have three girls and can't say I've ever checked to see if their clitoris is there. I'm sure she's fine. Ask the health visitor to have a look if you're concerned.

Just had a thought - don't paediatricians check genitals during exam before a baby leaves hospital (enough to notice any obvious abnormality anyway)?

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 13/08/2010 16:18

You're meant to just wipe them front to back, and not clean anything you can't see without opening her labia - you're risking causing her infection by fiddling around.

Original poster

Comma2 · 13/08/2010 16:22

Sorry, I wouldn't have checked if she wasn't so assymmetrical down there in general, which is what you see changing the diaper. This is good, I'm more than happy to leave her alone. :-))
I haven't seen the ped check her there ever, which is part of why I had a look (after 9 months..). So no, I'm not constantly fiddling around, just a quick check today while I was cleaning her.

OP posts:

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 13/08/2010 16:28

Just leave her genitals well alone, and only clean what you can see - her body will sort out the rest. I've had four girls and never seen inside their bits!

Meglet · 13/08/2010 16:30

The paediatrician would have checked at birth. Don't panic.

winnybella · 13/08/2010 16:33

I am sure other posters are right wrt your question, but, really, Wobble, you've never had a look? It's not really inside, is it- I often have to gently wipe on the inside of the labia because she gets poo up there!

And I'm quite sure my DD has a clitoris- of course it's tiny, but it's not just flat skin iyswim.

So Op if you have any doubts ask at the next check up appointment.

foureleven · 13/08/2010 16:43

Thats right, there is a box on the form they fill in immediately after the birth for genitalia. They are checked same as boys being checks for foreskin of testis problems..

Original poster

Comma2 · 13/08/2010 17:48

I'm in the US, but hopefully then they check here too. nobody told me about that, but must ask my husband.

I know about the wiping, don't worry. She's fine, my care-taking is pediatrician-certified and my wiping technique is generally as superficial as anybody could wish for; neither she nor her sister ever had so much as half an irritation anywhere.

But yes, it's just completely flat skin, as far as I could tell. It just sort of all looks odd, which is why I checked in the first place. Don't remember that with her sister, and I never had a look there, either.

So considerations one way or the other, maybe I'd better ask the ped next time to have a quick glance. I don't want her to carry some dark teenage secret around later..

Thanks to all of you who are lovely enough to give me a constructive response!

OP posts:

loopylou6 · 13/08/2010 17:56

If you are at all worried pop along to the doc with her

As for those of you who are making the OP feel bad because shes concerned about her daughter shame on you

tyler80 · 13/08/2010 18:22

And just to reassure you, I don't have any sort of lump or bump under the clitoral hood 95% of the time. It doesn't stop me enjoying myself.

I have to admit I was surprised to read on boards like this about people saying their daughters had found their own clitoris and said decided they had a little willy too. I was about 16 when I found mine (I'd had a concerted effort to look for it around 13 but gave up!)

Genitals are just like most things, there's a huge range in what is normal, it's just that you don't see that variation in day to day life. I remember watching a program on TV which had a 5 minute segment which was just photos of different vulvas, it was very educating.

Original poster

Comma2 · 13/08/2010 18:54

I'm sure the asymetrical thing is fine, but the problem is more that there is nothing resembling even remotely a hood. But I really have no idea what baby girls are supposed to have or not have. I'll just get over myself and ask the doc to make sure everything's okay, despite the risk of seeming (or being) overly hysterical. At least baby won't mind being checked yet any more than she minds having her diaper changed.

OP posts:

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