MIL bought baby boy doll with willy for my DD

[AlwaysHopefull89]

I am pregnant and expecting a baby boy. MIL (very kindly) bought a baby doll with a very obvious willy… in preparation?

I don’t think my DD who is 3 needs to understand the anatomy of her little brother yet until I say so? She hasn’t been asking about private parts yet let alone little boys?!

When I saw her she then finally said ‘I hope it was ok to give it to her’… is it just me or is this odd?

DH said it was a good idea to ‘prepare her’ but I think the opposite? Am I being a bit OTT? 🤦🏻‍♀️

It's just a penis. I had a baby doll with one when I was a little girl. I think you are thinking too much into it.

@RozGruber

you can never be sure if someone is serious. It might blow some people’s minds that in Germany it’s common for people to swim naked in pools, I did take a bit of a gasp the first time we went (kids were 10&8) but this was a family friendly hotel near a big attraction and not a naturist place, most wore costumes but they weren’t compulsory, also mixed open changing (actually easier for dads with daughters). Different culture I suppose.

Really don’t see the issue - it’s a boy baby - mini blondes has one and quite normal for children to know that boys /men have willys

I think sweet of mil

Why on earth not? We're all born with them. Do you think the first time a girl should see a penis is on her wedding night?

Your attitude is a great way to create people with body image issues.

This.

I Incontinence pads are changed in private to preserve the dignity of the person having them changed. This isn't the same as a baby having their nappy changed.

Making your children grow up thinking there is something shameful about adults' bodies is the way to mess them up. @AmieWhineHouse, you have some serious issues.

We are saying you are lol

We got a baby boy doll for our daughter, simply because that was the one on sale.... Not sure what the problem is.

Yeah your reaction is odd in my opinion. It's just a willy.

Well this thread is fun 😁

I never realised such prudery still existed in 2026. People shouldn't be watching when a baby has their nappy changed. Children shouldn't see their own parents' naked bodies. By implication, I shouldn't strip off at the gym, and especially not if someone has a boy child with them.

I think we Brits are alone in European culture on this one, perhaps it's time we grew up and joined the adults?

I had a baby boy doll in the 80s with male parts. I called him Billy. He was my favourite doll. Not just because of the willy. But he was generally a very accurate looking doll all over. And I much preferred that to my very plastic looking tiny tears.

‘Willy’ is almost universally understood in the U.K. IMO it’s a pity there isn’t a similarly common ‘friendly’ name for girls’ outer bits. The ‘proper’ names do sound very cold and clinical. In any case, so many people misuse ‘vagina’ for girls’ outer bits.

When I was a child it was "private parts". I think the correct terms are much better but that phrase actually worked really well. I knew from very young that nobody but my mother or a doctor was allowed to touch my "private parts" and that no stranger was allowed to see them.

It’s a penis, not even a real penis. She’s going to be interested in her brother’s anyway at her age- my then nearly 4 old had many questions! Her friend was equally fascinated by his little sister not having one! Same applied.

I can’t believe someone upthread thinks it’s wrong for a child to see their own parents genitals in any circumstance. Wild the hang ups some people have, bearing in mind it’s 2025 not repressed Victorian times.

Perhaps they should wear a 'shift' in the bath so they can't see their own bodies like Convent schools in the 1950s. (Disclaimer: I didn't go to a convent school in the 50s I've only read about them).

I was embarrassingly old before I knew the outer bit was the vulva and it was only when teaching Sex ed with Year Two children about boys and girls being different that I actually looked at the vocab list and twigged. There has to be something wrong with a society where a woman in her 30s who is pregnant with her first child doesn't know what her own body parts are called! So absolutely no need for foo foo or twinkles or any of that crap (or twinky winkys ewwww).

You'll be suggesting we go back to those wheeled cabins the Victorians used on the beach to change for swimming next 🤣

complete non issue

Boys have willies, fact. I don't remember being traumatized by the sight of my younger brothers willies at bath time when we were all little. I expect the sight of a fully grown one would have caused some surprise and possibly consternation to a Victorian virgin on her wedding night. The sooner you know ( age appropriate) facts of life the more normal and natural they seem.

There sure are, the types that say "front bottom" 😂

You think it's 'woke' to help safeguard children from sexual abuse? Really?

Exactly. I do think children also deserve privacy and dignity and I would chance/toilet ds in private wherever possible. But if you're out alone with a baby and a 3 year old then you're going to have to change that baby in front of their sibling. It's also good for children to see how babies should be treated and taken care of, they're learning how to be good parents themselves one day. This is very different than for an adult who's aware of the need for privacy and who would feel shame being exposed in front of someone else and we usually let children lead us on that, for example when you stop supporting with bathing or similar.

Did you never take your child into public toilets with you? How did you manage on a day out?

Of course they see you weeing. At 2-3, I was taking DS into the bathroom with me at home as well, I did not want to risk an unattended toddler getting up to god knows what while I was on the toilet.

Quite a bizarre reaction on your part Op. If she goes to nursery or anything they'll probably have dolls of both sexes, which of course they should.