How can I explain how babies get into their mother's tummy?

**nothing2lose** · October 10th, 2012, 09:29 PM

There are other books too.

Mummy Laid an Egg and Where Willy Went are two good ones.

Also, Planned Parenthood in the US have a good site called Starts at Home all about teaching kids (yes, as young as four

) about sex.

Good luck!

**myturn** · October 10th, 2012, 09:37 PM

I don't think 4 is too young... I think if they ask you tell them... as simply and with as minimal information as possible.... after all what's wrong with...

...the daddy's sperm meets the mummy's egg and it grows to make a baby..... (dd - what's sperm? mummy - it's like a seed)

.... the sperm comes out of the penis and goes into the vagina where the baby grows....

I'd be surprised if a she'd ask how the sperm gets to the vagina... but if she does..... the penis goes into the vagina....

it's only a big deal, because we make it a big deal.... I've never read any research anywhere that says not to tell a four year old.... I may be wrong... but.... what I know about child development is that you answer the questions when they ask... as SIMPLY as possible... and without embarrassment! because they may never ask again.

in my humble opinion anyway.... for what it's worth

p.s.... I agree with the story books... we read "What's happening to me" to DSD at 9... cause I kept waiting for her to ask and she NEVER did!! In fact I had to manufacture the actual sex talk... cause like n2l... I DO not want her learning it from anyone else but us...

p.p.s..... I'm not suggesting you say ALL of that... only answer her questions... short and simple... one step at a time....

**MantaRay** · October 11th, 2012, 05:52 AM

I got the same question at 2. At that age I decided less was more. When I thought about it for a minute, I realised that his brother hadn't been long born and that maybe was thinking that babies are that big when they start in the tummy. So I just said that when babies start in the tummy they are tiny, so small you can't see them, and then they grow to be baby size and are born. That seemed to do the trick. Three weeks later he asked why only mummies have babies in their tummies, not daddies. I told him that daddies don't have a uterus for the baby to grow in and that kept him going for a long time.

**Blixie** · October 11th, 2012, 08:36 AM

my 4 year old asked me this question the other day. I just asked "how do you think?" She said "i think mummy and daddy put them in there" so i just agreed

i must admit my mind was racing trying to think of an age appropriate way to tell her so will keep all this in mind for when her answer no longer satisfies her.

**nothing2lose** · October 11th, 2012, 08:42 AM

Of course, if I am blessed enough to have another one, the question, "how was I made" is going to be a little more complicated and the answer will have nothing to do with sex at all (unless you count daddy ejaculating into a beaker in order to have his sperm washed in readiness for a party with mummy's eggs in a petri dish

)

**myturn** · October 11th, 2012, 09:37 PM

Of course, if I am blessed enough to have another one, the question, "how was I made" is going to be a little more complicated and the answer will have nothing to do with sex at all (unless you count daddy ejaculating into a beaker in order to have his sperm washed in readiness for a party with mummy's eggs in a petri dish

)

Maybe we could write a kids book and get the fertility clinics charge and extra over the top (nit compulsory!!) fee for every successful pregnancy at their clinic... We could make a fortune....!

**onthefly** · October 11th, 2012, 09:42 PM

My son asked this a while ago.
I said that mummies and daddies make babies together, with a seed from dad and an egg from mum.

That satisfied him.
Except a little later he came back to ask why he'd never SEEN us making a baby.....

**nothing2lose** · October 11th, 2012, 09:44 PM

Did you tell him daddy's seed only comes out at night when all kids are asleep. Like Santa it doesn't come if anyone is awake?

**Ca Plane Pour Moi** · October 11th, 2012, 11:31 PM

Did you tell him daddy's seed only comes out at night when all kids are asleep. Like Santa it doesn't come if anyone is awake?

So that's the reason he doesn't have children of his own...

**Moi** · October 11th, 2012, 09:45 PM

Except a little later he came back to ask why he'd never SEEN us making a baby.....

**myturn** · October 11th, 2012, 09:45 PM

My son asked this a while ago.
I said that mummies and daddies make babies together, with a seed from dad and an egg from mum.

That satisfied him.
Except a little later he came back to ask why he'd never SEEN us making a baby.....

awkward smile.... Ahhhh..... That's special mummy and daddy time.

Moi - it's great to be prepared for the questions, but she probably won't ask for as much detail as you think at this age

Good luck with your discussion, I'd be curious to see how you go

. Of course she may have forgotten all about it and may not even be interested anymore

**myturn** · October 11th, 2012, 09:47 PM

Did you tell him daddy's seed only comes out at night when all kids are asleep. Like Santa it doesn't come if anyone is awake?

**Moi** · October 11th, 2012, 09:48 PM

Moi - it's great to be prepared for the questions, but she probably won't ask for as much detail as you think at this age

Good luck with your discussion, I'd be curious to see how you go

. Of course she may have forgotten all about it and may not even be interested anymore

Thanks - that's the key - I just want to be prepared.

Today I found a book at the library and she loved looking at it. It had pictures of babies inside their mothers. After that I think she was happy to move onto the next thing on her mind.

**Rouge** · October 11th, 2012, 09:52 PM

Thanks - that's the key - I just want to be prepared.

Today I found a book at the library and she loved looking at it. It had pictures of babies inside their mothers. After that I think she was happy to move onto the next thing on her mind.

Thats pretty standard

that's why it's best not to freak out or over think the questions. Because most of the time the answers are simple. And they don't want more than that.

Now explaining to a 10 year old how people can get pregnant and not know, coz yanno they have to have sex right? (This is what she asked me) And when I explained that sometimes adults do it for fun and and not to have babies. She was can we say a little horrified lol.

**onthefly** · October 11th, 2012, 10:44 PM

I think the Petri dish truth would appeal to him more anyway

**Moi** · October 10th, 2012, 09:38 PM

Thanks nothing2lose - From what I've also read online (and yes I know that not everything is to be believed online) it is fine to introduce these concepts at four but no need to go into every little detail at this age, more because of the fact that they have low attention spans. I've been reading articles written by child psychologists, so I am tending to trust what they are saying. Some are saying slightly different things on how much detail to go into, but they all agree that it is appropriate to introduce sex education at age 4, just no need to go into every detail. I might also talk to some child psychologists to make sure the information is correct though.

Just saw your response myturn - and from what I'm reading what you've said is what child psychologists are saying.