Playing with herself, I'm worried she's going to hurt it!

So Jazz is toilet training (one accident since Tuesday, and only nappies at bed or if we go out! SO PROUD!). She's running around without knickers or shorts, because that seems to be more of a struggle for her since she does the typical leave it to the last minute and her rushing to the toilet becomes a race against time!

But she's rediscovered her vulva/vagina/clitoris. And obviously it's wonderful for her because she's constantly poking and proding around down there. She's poked and said "OW!" a few times, probably poked a bit hard, but she just won't stop! I don't want to get angry with her because I don't want it to become something she does hiding away and not telling me KWIM. But I'm worried she's going to hurt herself!

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one out there with a fiddley toddler. What do you do?

Well if she's getting a bit full on, I just distract her with something else. Like come on Ava lets go do some drawing etc kwim? But if she's ok and not doing any harm I just leave her be. Or a couple of times when she's been really going for it ( lol ) I say that's something we do in our room miss ava.. and she stops lol not exciting after that. Its a hard one I know. I know dp has a reallll issue when she's doing it lol he gets really creeped out

No idea about little girls but a 2 yr old little boy can stretch his willy a fair way!!!!!!!
When ever nappy off he is fiddling with it and in bath with his brother he trys to fiddle with his too but w tell him only to touch his own.

I'm pretty sure she won't hurt herself. Protection instinct will kick in eventually.

My little sister started masturbating (I know this is different to what Jazz is doing though! Jazz is just discovering) when she was 2 or 3 (from memory) and as far as I know, no physical damage was sustained.

Maybe if you notice that she's getting a bit rough and says ouch, just tell her she needs to be gentle with it...my DD has started fiddling with herself too. I guess she will soon learn how to touch herself without hurting herself, but for now just try to remind her when she does hurt herself to be careful!

I wouldnt be too worried about it. Ide be a little concerned with what sort of nasty germs she could be putting in there, being a toddler and all.

DD loves playing with her's too and stretches it and it looks like it would be sooo painful!!! :o it's usually after her shower/bath when we're trying to put a nappy on her for bedtime. We just tell her "ouch don't do that you might hurt yourself" and struggle to get her nappy on in the meantime so she stops :lol: but continues to chuckle!!

LOL yes MM, I'm worried about what she's putting down there. We're trying to get the washing hands thing happening but she got a bit obsessive and wanted to wash them every 5 minutes (probably not a bad thing for a grubby toddler, but still LOL!).

So... she probably won't hurt it? I wasn't worried until she started saying "ow" but then didn't stop playing. Very confusing??

lol I reckon if she really hurt herself babe she'd stop. She wouldn't keep doing something that was hurting her kwim dont stress.. it will pass and she will stop.. or barely do it anymore... ava use to do it heaps and now its like once every couple of months

All kids go through this when they're toilet training. Suddenly it's out within reach, not covered up by a big nappy and it's very exciting, probably feels better for them too.

You don't want to tell them not to touch it but you don't want their hands constantly in their pants either. I used to distract them, suddenly find something really interesting to do or look at, we went out to check the mail box heaps when the kids were doing things that I didn't want them doing :lol:

It's a phase and it will pass. Just takes time.

I probably wouldn't worry too much about germs at this stage either - if she has just stopped wearing a nappy then she has probably had poo smeared up there so many times anyway. As long as she is bathing daily, I think she'll be fine.

With the saying 'Ow' - she is probably just figuring it all out. My kids say ow a lot (not just doing that but DD1 has said it while poking herself in the eye :rolleyes:) but I can tell if they are seriously hurt because they have a particular cry when they are really injured. I don't think she could really hurt herself - her pain threshold or survival instincts would kick in before then.

Given that she kept going after saying 'Ow', is it possible she felt an unfamiliar sensation, but not pain? I say ow all the time, but not always when I hurt myself. Its like a reflex, like if I'm holding something and that thing hits a doorway I'm walking through, I'll say ow even though it didn't cause me any pain y'know?

Hmmm good point Keike!