Explaining pregnancy to a child?

Question

My daughter finally asked how there is a baby in my tummy. I told her daddy put it there. She seemed fine with that answer as she is only two.

She told her cousin yesturday that her daddy put the baby in my tummy and my neice asked me how. Ahhh she is 5 and I had no idea what to tell her so I said go ask your mom.

I know I probably handled it wrong. How would you have handled that question?

Answer 1

You did the right thing by sending the child to her mother, many parents don't want other people to explain such a delicate subject to their children.
When you daughter gets older she's going to ask again, be prepared. I told my son that mommies have eggs and daddies have sperm and that when mommies and daddies want to have a baby the daddy gives the mommy sperm and the sperm and the egg make a baby. Of course the how question came up and I told him that mommies and daddies have a special kind of hug that they do in private...he was 4 and I was pregnant.
He is almost 7 now and he know pretty much everything, he thinks it's gross=)

Answer 2

I probably wouldn't have said Daddy put it in there, lol, but i understand the quick answer you gave your daughter. I would have said to my niece that her uncle loved you a lot so he gave you a baby, but that's with some time to think about an answer. I too would have said "Why don't you go ask Mom."
I'm pregnant with # 4 and have explained this several times to each of my boys when it came time for them to go from the "baby" to the "big brother". I told them that Mommy and Daddy wanted to have another baby and because we love each other very much, one started to grow. My older two approved of this answer and moved on. My youngest son, Connor, who is 3, asks me questions all the time. I've gotten: "Why is the baby going to be a girl and not a boy? How's the baby gonna get out of your tummy? How come it's in your tummy and not daddy's?" I think my favorite so far is "How does she breathe in there?" My answers are always very basic: "It's a girl because Mommy and Daddy wanted a girl and our wish came true. A doctor is going to help the baby out. Mommy's belly has something special inside it for a baby to grow in and Daddy doesn't have that. The baby breathes through a special cord attached to Mommy." He accepts the answers and just comes up with a new one every day. I try and make them as simple as possible because I know he repeats these kinds of things at school. The last thing i need is an upset mother!
Best wishes and congrats on your little one. Hope you have a happy and healthy baby soon! Good luck! =]

Answer 3

Go ask your mom was actually the best answer. I don't know her mom but some parents freak if you tell their kids too much. My sons are 4 and 2 and the older one has some questions but hasn't actually wanted to know how Dad put the baby there yet. Our 2 yr-old just likes my big tummy, he blows raspberries on it and laughs at it. My 4-yr old is getting close, he wants to know why men have penises and why women don't. As a biologist, I told him that the penis would get in the way of the baby. That satisfied him for the moment, but I think we will be having that talk in a couple of weeks, the problem is that he likes to teach, so he will be telling everyone (and I do mean everyone). I would probably have simply told the girl that you would take her to mom and you and mom could talk about it, or told her to ask her parents.

Answer 4

My son was 5, now 7, when I was pregnant with his sister. I still have not said anything about daddy making mommy pregnant. For now the story is when a married man and woman decide they want to have a baby, the woman grows the baby inside her and she goes to the hospital for the doctor to take it out. I know I'll have to go into more detail at some point. But, he has not asked for it yet.

Answer 5

I believe that each child is different and the way you handle it would be different. Especially with age. You handled it great. If it is not your child go ahead and feel free to say ask your mom or dad. If the child ask why, just tell them that mommy and daddy can explain it too them better and be sure to let the parents know there is a question coming so they will know why the child is asking.

Answer 6

My husband told my 4yr old son the exact same thing when I was pregnant with our daughter "I put the baby in mama's belly". He was fine with it and hasnt asked much more.
I would have also told her to ask her mom, that is something a parent should teach a child, not an aunt or other relative.

Answer 7

I would say you did exactly the right thing...things like that are best left up to the parents...simply because you don't know what mom and dad have already told them, and how much they feel the kid needs to know. And some people get really upset if you go to far, especially in things like that....

Answer 8

Well, My mom always told me that when a woman marries a man, that they have so much and prayed to God to bring them a baby. I believed it until i was a teenager... Good Luck.

Answer 9

You just give them the facts. Tell them strait up that when 2 parnets love eachother, they make love in a bed and then a baby just miraculasly is born in the famale's stomach. Then tell them they will understand when they are older.

Answer 10

I would have said:

"Daddy stabbed Mommy in the potty hole with his meat saber."