What do you tell a child where babies come from when they ask?

Question

I would like mature answers...please.

Answer 1

I feel that if they are old enough to ask the question, they are old enough to hear the answer. Be honest but keep it age appropriate. Explain to them that when two people love each other and are married etc. And that it's a beautiful thing. The more open your communication is now, the more open it will be as they hit those teenage years. If you start young, you will feel more comfortable talking about it when they're older and may be doing it!!

Answer 2

Sara,
If a child is able to ask the question "where do babies come from" then the child is able to get an answer that is appropriate to their age and maturity level.
Explain that a baby comes from the love of a man and a woman.

Do not give more information than what the child asks, stay with the question, keep the answer specific to the question and open and loving.

But to tell a child some silly stories about a cabbage leaf or some other story will just re enforce that "Parents will not tell you the truth". You also need to make sure that your child understands that this information is between your family.
Explain that some parents may not be as open and honest to their children and that as long as they respect your request about not sharing the information with their friends that you will always give them an honest and truthful answer.
If the child is very inquisitive and you feel that they are asking questions that they are just not old enough to understand, simply be honest with them and tell them that and when the get older that you will be happy to answer the question then.
Hope that helps and this has worked very well for my wife and I.

Answer 3

I think you can tell a child of any age the truth, it just depends on how much "truth" they need to hear.

I have two preschool-age boys. Two of their aunts are pregnant, and it's come up.

They know that when two people love each other and get married, they sleep in the same bed, and that's how a lady gets pregnant. The baby grows in the lady's tummy for a long time (trying to explain 9 whole months to a three-year-old is nearly impossible, so we just say "long time") until it's ready to come out. When it's ready to come out, the lady goes to the hospital and the baby comes out of her, and by then, it's a whole baby with hair and 10 toes and fingernails and everything.

You can explain the union of the man and woman without bringing up eggs, ovaries, penis, sperm, or any graphic or detailed description of sex.

Trying to claim anything other than that the baby is made by two people, grows in the momma's tummy, and comes out of the momma (you can decide if you want to include that it comes out close to where she uses the bathroom or something like that... we did not) is ineffective and unnecessary. Most kids can handle getting truthful (but guarded) answers to questions like that.

Answer 4

The truth in an age appropriate way. Obviously a 3 yr old doesn't need to hear the whole mechanics of intercourse lecture. But certainly you can say a man and woman have a baby together and they come from an egg in mom's tummy.

As the child grows, you can add more detail. I am a firm believer in explaining things to them at home. I don't want my kids getting their information from some other person who may not know what they are talking about, I'd rather they get accurate information from me.

Answer 5

Babies come from a woman giving birth to them. Just like mommy cats and dogs. If they want more details you can tell them about Men and Women, Men have sperm, and Women have an egg. When the Man and woman decide to have a baby, they share with each other and it makes a baby inside the mommy- it worked for my 6 year old- she did not start asking about sex because I did not mention it. That is the truth, and she was happy with that. Instead of what her friends parents were saying about the stork crap- she knew better. haha I tried that first...

Answer 6

Ask questions to find out just how much they want to know. Some parents go into chapter and verse on how women get pregnant, and then find out all the child wanted to know was that the baby comes from the mommy's tummy. This depends on the age of the child. Don't talk to the child as though he/she is stupid. At an early age, it may be simple enough to do the when mommy and daddy love each other, they make a baby, it grows in mommy's stomach, then mommy and daddy go to the hospital where the doctor helps mommy get the baby out of her stomach and you bring it home.

I made the mistake of telling my 3 year old son that the doctor cut open my stomach (C-section) to get him out. To this day I'll never forget the look of pure horror on his face. The next day we were at a company softball game and I turned to have him run up pat my stomach and announce to a crowd of people (including my general manager) and "this is where the doctor cut me from!" I was too embarassed to find out how he started that conversation off, but everyone got a good laugh out of it, and it makes me chuckle to this day (14 years later)!

Answer 7

Tell them what they ask but no more.
Where do baby's come from? Their mother's bellys. Don't tell them how they got there until they ask and keep it age appropriate. You don't need to explain about body fluids and what goes where to a 5 year old.
The more simple the answers, the easier it is on the child.

Answer 8

It depends on the age.
When my son was 3 we told him he came from a pumpkin (only cuz when he was a baby we put him in a big pumpkin & he seen the picture).
Now that he's 4 we tell him they come from the Mommy's belly & they come out of the belly button. He hasn't gotten specific on how they're made yet.
If your child is a little older (& you believe in God) tell him/her that when God decides it's time for you to have a baby, he puts one in your stomache - that may lead to more questions, but it's just a suggestion.

Answer 9

depends on the age they are. If my 8 yr old he would know how they are born since he was there when i had my daughter but if he wanted to know where they came from then i would tell him from me and his dad.If he wanted to know more then go into a little more detail nothing to mature for him. ( well son your dad has this stuff called sperm and i have an egg) Don't tell them more then they need to know or that they are ready for. If they are older then 10 I would give then a bit more detailed talk about sex and how pregnancy happens but younger then that give them small simple answers.

Answer 10

I agree with others who say the best thing is to tell them the truth (no "Paris" or cabbage stories...) And I also agree that you should keep it "age appropiate".
When my little brother was like 3, he asked this question. We told him: "Babies grow in the belly of a Mom". This answered was satisfactory for about 2 more years, when he asked: "How do they get there?".... that's how it usually is, their curiosity gradually expands...
so my mom told him: "When a man and a woman get married, they get together and make a baby..." something of that sort...

Good luck!