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Original poster

What should I call my vagina?!

97 replies

RedDwarfPosse · 26/03/2015 16:37

Apologies for the straight-to-the-point headline, but i need some advice on this...

Yesterday evening, while taking a bath with my 2.4yo DS, we were playing a body parts game, where I ask him what certain parts of the body are called... eg. I point to his nose, ask him what it is, he tells me, then I ask him to show me where mummy's nose is, etc.

Off his own back, he pointed to his penis and exclaimed "my willy!". I praised him for knowing what it was. But then he pointed to my 'lady parts' and said "mummy's willy!" I proceeded to correct him with "no mummy is a girl, girls don't have willies, girls have..." and then I was totally stumped. I didn't know what to tell him!

Vagina/vulva is far too technical & blunt - he doesn't need to know it's correct anatomical term just yet - but all other euphemisms are vulgar. As children my sister and I were told it was our "front bottom" which now makes me want to die knowing we went around calling it that! Blush And I remember my friend at school calling it her "tuppence" which makes me want to gag, bleurgh!

What do you call it for the sake of your infants innocence?
(He's my first child and I really don't want to scar him for life!)

OP posts:
yellowdaisies · 26/03/2015 19:03

But isn't there a difference between the part of your body your DS can see when you're in the bath and your vagina, which he probably can't? I mean isn't he going to think that a vagina is the hairy bit if you tell him that's what it's called?

SycamoreMum · 26/03/2015 19:06

Chun chun Grin

CuttedUpPear · 26/03/2015 19:09

It is not your vagina.
If you can see that, you're in trouble.

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General parenting
ThinkIveBeenHacked · 26/03/2015 19:11

In this house its a Noonie. I dont really give a stuff about all this "its a Vulva" shite - ive never used the word vulva in my life and dont intend to start now when there are other much nicer sounding words out there.

I always think the MNers who insist on usong the word Vulva are the same ones who dont let their 18mos have chocolate and frankly I dont need that kind of advice Grin

StrangeGlue · 26/03/2015 19:17

We use 'gina' and 'willy' I have never ever in real life heard anyone use vulva. That for me is a real only on mn thing.

CheeseandGherkins · 26/03/2015 19:28

Mine has chocolate fyi. I don't think letting young girls think that the correct word for one of their body parts isn't nice. Not hard to see where that is going is it.

Branleuse · 26/03/2015 19:33

I wish Fanny hadnt gone out of fashion. I think its a great word

Branleuse · 26/03/2015 19:35

everyone knows what it means, its not twee, nor does it sound too anatomical and latin. Its a good strong word. Fanny.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/03/2015 19:38

I would do a double take at a two year using, "dick". " Fanny" is the female equivalent...

pegster · 26/03/2015 19:40

I've taught my 3yo DS that's it's mummy's vulva, don't think it's odd to hear him using the correct word, better than the alternatives

brokencrayons · 26/03/2015 19:41

La-La or Flower

brokencrayons · 26/03/2015 19:41

Vulva is such an ugly word though Blush

bimandbam · 26/03/2015 19:43

I have a now 10 year old dd. We always called it a flu. Dunno why its just what worked for us.

Now she is older although she knows vagina and vulva and penis and scrotum her vulva is a fanny for anytime it needs identifying. Which isn't often. Just because I want her to have a.word for it that is as understood and unambiguous as willy that she is confident to use with her peers and also grown ups.

With ds who is 15 months currently it will be flu again.

BettyBitesBums · 26/03/2015 19:59

I used to say vulva to DD and as she's only two she tried to say it and came out with voo-voo a few months ago and that's stuck.

Passmethecrisps · 26/03/2015 20:13

We considered vajajay. Might reintroduce it.

ChoudeBruxelles · 26/03/2015 20:14

Evie
Isla
Chloe?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/03/2015 20:16

MNHQ should create a new topic for all these threads. We already have "Baby Names",, we just need a " Vulval Names" topic.

stevienickstophat · 26/03/2015 20:19

Balonz?

Passmethecrisps · 26/03/2015 20:20
MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom · 26/03/2015 20:28

I am terrified of DD being old enough to ask me what it is.

Vajayjay sounds good. I hate the word vulva, makes me shudder to say it - there's just something about the sound of it.

BadPenny · 26/03/2015 21:07

Labia?

Original poster
RedDwarfPosse · 27/03/2015 10:54

Im fully aware the vulva is not the vagina thank you cutteduppear - I have worked my whole life in area's of gynae and sexual health (medical education, forensics and fertility, both private & nhs) I am not in any trouble recognising this. But despite my employment history I still don't think my 2yo, at this stage in his very young life, needs to know the ins-&-outs (excuse the pun) of a vulva, vagina, labia minora & majora or any of its other corresponding parts! I just want him to recognise the very basic difference of a male & female, so that he doesn't think mummy has a willy like him... christ

ThinkIveBeenHacked - Im totally with you on that one

Loving vajayjay btw lol Grin

Oh and my apologies to those who have seen a thread like this before, I really wasn't aware. Very sorry

OP posts:
Katekoom · 28/03/2015 19:45

Mine was always a fooeey as a girl and so my daughters shall be.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 29/03/2015 14:28

I'd probably use pudendum - although I had to think about that, tbh I really don't think I've had to talk about it that often!

scaevola · 29/03/2015 14:44

I'm not wild about pudendum (the word!)

It's Latin root is the word for 'shame'