WTF do i do! HELP!!

[Anonymous]

ok... here goes. please don't bash me. i really need advice and i have no idea how i should handle this. last year, i was cooking in the kitchen and my kids were playing in their room. so i go check on them and my son was asleep. my daughter, who is 4, was laying on her bed touching her no-no zone. i'm sorry but thats the only way i can put it. at the moment i was shocked, things were going through my mind, and i was scared. i asked her what she was doing and she just looked at me and said nothing. i sat down and i told her that princesses don't do that. i asked her questions like did anyone tell her to do it, why was she doing that, had anyone touched her or tried touching her. she answered no and she didn't know why. i asked her if it hurt down there or was it itchy and she said no. now, i told her to please never do that again and that no one should do that. and if anyone tells her its ok to do that, she needs to tell me. well, i've caught her doing it several times after that. i explained this to my husband and he didn't know what to say. i could understand why. i have not asked her pediatrician, well because i'm scared. please someone give me advice. has anyone gone through this? why does she do it? and i would also like to add, that i do not walk around naked, she has never caught us having sex, nor seen anything of that nature. i never took showers with her when she was little. please help

EDIT***

ok i know my mistake. like i said in a comment, which i'm pretty sure only a few read, that i realize it was a wrong way to approach her. i didn't have info on the subject. now that i do i will address it again and i will have a sit down with her. 

[autodidact]

what are you scared of?  masturbation is normal. 

[singlemom1208]

It's normal. She's learning about her body.

[Jimalin]

Kids do it

[iamcafemom83]

It's normal. Don't tell her to not do it; she just needs to do stuff like that when she is alone. If you are worried about abuse, you can still bring it up to her pediatrician.

I think there are other outward signs of abuse as well.

[luvmymonkeys27]

I would tell her that it is an area that only she should touch like that, and to do it in private. Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Completely normal. The only thing that is 'wrong', is giving her the idea that she is doing something 'dirty' when she does masturbate. You need to educate yourself about this a bit so you don't seriously screw her up.

[momo3fgr8tteens]

That is quite normal for her age. She is just exploring her body. Don't freak out or tell her it is not allowed. Its normal. 

[sheramom4]

Body exploration is normal and healthy. We just teach the kids that you do that when you are alone, but we never ever tell them not to do it ever again or shame them into not doing it, which can cause sexual issues later in life and body issues.

[Anonymous]

It's NORMAL!

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

is this really normal? is it really considered masturbation? i never thought of it like that. but, what do i say? she's 4 for goodness sakes!