Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

The other day I put my DD in the crib for a nap. I was watching her on the monitor and to my surprise she started humping her blanket. It took her around a half hour of humping before she decided to fall asleep.

And yesterday, while I was cooking dinner I realized that she was way too quiet so I went to check on her and caught her doing it in her bedroom. What the heck???? Isnt she too young to do this. Is this normal 2 year old behavior? Do you think it could be an infection of some sort? She also hates when I wipe the inside of her vagina when she does poop. Do you think that could mean anything?

Any opinions are welcome. Should I call the ped.?

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

My DD humps her carseat crotch strap. I absolutely can't stand it, but there is nothing I can do about it. I am fairly certain it's normal.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

DD is 2 1/2 and has been humping her blanket/stuffed animals before she falls asleep for over a year. It seems to help her calm down and get comfy. We find it very strange!

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

My son used to do this when he was tired. I don't think they actually mean to hump...I think they are fighting sleep and it just looks like that but it freaked me out for a while. He doesn't do it anymore at a year old.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

my DD does this too! before she goes to sleep for the night or takes a nap she will do it. it definetly freaks me out. I was hoping it wouldnt last for too long. i'm assuming its normal.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

I am sure its age appropriate. She probably rocked herself to sleep. For them its soothing.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

My cousins dd would do this, rock on seats, etc, to hump them, around the same age. Must feel good I guess then become a habit. They will outgrow it.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

My sis did it as a toddler. She humped everything. She grew out of it.

Unfortunately for her, we didn't outgrow it. We tease her mercilessly.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

My son humps his baby doll. He actually slowed down with this lately and plays with the doll more. My husband thinks he's wrestling with the doll, but I say he's humping it.

I think it's pretty normal for very young children. I try to ignore it--he stops pretty quickly.

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?

Completely....100%...NORMAL....

They do it b/c it feels good....

I found the following online...I thought it explains it very very well.

Toddlers masturbate for the same reason that older children do: It feels good! Bodily exploration is part of growing up.

During the toddler years, your child will learn to run, jump, throw, pump a swing, draw, and (probably) "make all her poops in the potty." She may be just as curious about her genitals as she is about her fingers, toes, and belly button — and if she's recently switched from diapers to underpants, she may be able to get to them for the first time.

"When parents first see this kind of exploration, they wonder 'is this normal?'" says Meg Zweiback, a nurse practitioner and family consultant in Oakland, California. "The answer is yes, you don't need to be concerned."

What to do
Don't panic. Masturbation is a completely normal thing to do. It doesn't cause any physical ills, pose any health risks, and no, it won't turn your child into a sex maniac. Masturbation in toddlers isn't sexual (as it is for adults) because toddlers don't know what sex is. And while in older children explicit sex play is often a tip-off to sexual abuse or exposure to inappropriately explicit sexual material, this is extremely unlikely to be the case with toddlers, who don't have the imaginative skills for this kind of role adoption. (A toddler who's been sexually abused is more likely to become withdrawn or suddenly have trouble sleeping.) That said, toddlers masturbate because it feels good, and the good feelings can be as pleasurable for her as they are for adults. "A toddler may masturbate herself to ******," says Zweiback "complete with panting, red face, and a big sigh at the end. But it's absolutely not something to be worried about."

Ignore it. You may have already told your toddler that some of her parts are private, and that no one but her, or her parents or a doctor, gets to touch them. Many parents attempt to explain privacy during the toddler years as a way to head off sexual abuse, and it seems logical to extend this to masturbation. But it may not sink in for your toddler. "Privacy means nothing to an 'under 3,'" Meg Zweiback says. "It's not a meaningful concept." And, she adds, "A toddler by nature is looking to push buttons — so if you start drawing attention to it, you'll probably just get them to do more." Your best bet is to look the other way or immerse yourself in a distracting activity so you won't have to watch.

Distract her. Even knowing it's normal, even knowing lots of children do it, you'll probably be embarrassed if your toddler starts masturbating in front of company. If you can't ignore it or laugh it off, distraction is your best bet. Masturbation is a lot like nose-picking — children do it because it's there, because they're bored, and because their hands are free. If your toddler's hands stray toward her crotch at inopportune moments (in front of your in-laws, for example) keep a squeaky toy or other substitute handy to hand her instead. Invite her to do a puzzle, or play with blocks, or toss a ball around — anything that keeps her hands out of her pants.

Look to yourself. Parents' reactions to masturbation pose the greatest danger for kids. If your toddler is made to feel guilty for exploring her body, or made to feel that what she's doing is dirty or naughty, she may associate sexual or pleasurable feelings with guilt and shame. "If a parent is really bothered by it," Zweiback says, "it says more about what the parent learned growing up than it does about the toddler. Lots of people grow up with conflicting feelings about sex, and finding a place where you can talk these feelings through with other adults will help you handle these issues now and in the future."

Re: Why is my DD humping things…. Is this normal?