7 funky facts about the penis and testicles

Motherhood is an education, right?

If you’ve been blessed with a little prince, but are completely clueless when it comes to the ins and outs of male genitalia, then you might want to take note of these little-known quirky facts.

1. Looks like a package

Tell your hubby to settle down, because it’s very common for male newborns to have extra large balls compared to the size of their penis or the rest of the body. It’s actually swelling caused by the extra fluid which occurs when the testicles descend from the abdomen and into the scrotum (around the time of birth). After a few months, the swelling goes down and their ‘package’ looks more in proportion.

2. Wakey wakey

Baby boys can begin having erections as early as in the womb! So don’t be shocked if you see the little chap standing to attention at any point when you’re giving your bub a bath or changing their nappy. It’s completely normal, not at all sexual and often caused by things such as their bladder being full or air touching their privates. It’s actually a really good sign that everything down there is working the way it should.

3. More than one ...

Boys can be born with not one, but two penises. Called diphallus, it’s a pretty rare condition affecting only one in every five to six million males, and is often accompanied by other genital abnormalities. It’s also unlikely that both penises would be functional and surgery is generally required.

4. Little is fixable

If your newborn’s penis is less than 1.9cm when stretched then it’s considered abnormal and is most likely a micropenis (caused by a hormonal issue). Other causes of an ‘inconspicuous penis’ (yes that’s the real term) are a webbed, trapped or concealed penis – which can be a result of excess scrotum skin or the pubic fat pad burying or trapping the penis. All fixable with treatment or surgery – phew. 

5. Puppetry of the Penis for kids

Yep, there’s an actual thing called penile gymnastics. Kind of like Puppetry of the Penis for kids, a doctor might encourage this with your uncircumcised toddler or preschooler if their foreskin is causing them pain or discomfort because it hasn’t yet detached from the head of their penis (which usually happens by around the age of two). Basically, they just have to try and push their penis up and down a few times each day to loosen the foreskin. However, if it gets stuck (and can’t be rolled back up) this is a medical emergency and you need to get them to a doctor stat.

6. No sperm (yet)

Boys don’t produce proper sperm cells until they reach puberty (around the age of 11). So even if your little man is having frequent erections or even touching himself, thankfully this will not lead to ejaculation as there is no sperm inside the testicles yet. This is also why their scrotum isn’t generally as sensitive as an adult male (i.e. a hit to the genitals with a rogue tennis ball won’t necessarily take them down, yet). However, care should still be taken in that area at all times.

7. You can break it

Technically a penis break is called a penile fracture because there is no actual bone in the organ. And although you might think it’s only adults who can get them (from intercourse or falling out of bed with an erection), they can also occur in toddlers. According to a UK study, the most common reason for penile fractures in boys aged two to four was recently toilet-trained little fellas crushing their penises with heavy toilet seats and lids. Ouch!

If you are at all concerned about your son’s genitalia, please speak with a doctor.

This post originally appeared on Babyology.