Nearly 5 year old - how will the baby get out?

[_dreamer_]

How open have you been with older siblings on questions like this? My nearly 5 year old is very inquisitive and isn't really fobbed off lol. We haven't touched on it but she brought it up the other day and asked if they are going to cut my tummy all the way (and signalled down my dark line) to get the baby out? I'm hopefully having a natural delivery but wasn't prepared for the question. I referred to our friends who did have a C section and said it was a very small cut she had and showed her where. She then asked if it's so small how does the babies head fit through.

It's possibly my own issue, or whether it's cos shes young but I found it hard to think of explaining how the baby will really get out.

How have you approached this at this age?

 

[Fruitmash]

DD asks and I just tell her that the doctor will take him out at the hospital. Luckily she hasn't probed any deeper than that

 

[SarahBear]

Violet was 2 when her brother was born and we gave full disclosure and showed her birthing videos. I think she still knows how babies come out... If I was asked about being cut open, I'd say no. I'd explain that some babies are born that way, but when the mommy's body is working the way it's supposed to, the baby comes out through the birth canal. If asked what that was, I'd explain that it's the vagina and that girls and women have three holes in that area: One for poop, one for pee, and that when babies are born, they come out of the other hole (I'd leave the sex talk for another day). As far as size goes, I'd explain that when a baby is ready to come out, the mommy goes into labor which means that her body works on opening up and the hole stretches just wide enough for the baby.

 

[lindseymw]

When my two have asked I have just explained in a simplified way. A girls body pushes a baby out via her girls bits (I have two boys, so had to explain that boys & girls have different parts first). I explained that a girls body is designed in a way that allows a baby to be push out.

I did explain c-sections by saying that a Doctor makes a cut in the tummy and takes the baby out. My eldest's friends are twins and were born via c-section so it came up.

 

[iBeach]

Violet was 2 when her brother was born and we gave full disclosure and showed her birthing videos. I think she still knows how babies come out... If I was asked about being cut open, I'd say no. I'd explain that some babies are born that way, but when the mommy's body is working the way it's supposed to, the baby comes out through the birth canal. If asked what that was, I'd explain that it's the vagina and that girls and women have three holes in that area: One for poop, one for pee, and that when babies are born, they come out of the other hole (I'd leave the sex talk for another day). As far as size goes, I'd explain that when a baby is ready to come out, the mommy goes into labor which means that her body works on opening up and the hole stretches just wide enough for the baby.

I absolutely LOVE this explanation!

 

[Srrme]

My 3 oldest know exactly where. My 2 were there when my 3rd was born (in the room) and the 3 of them were there when their baby sister was born.

 

[broodymrs]

When my two have asked I have just explained in a simplified way. A girls body pushes a baby out via her girls bits (I have two boys, so had to explain that boys & girls have different parts first). I explained that a girls body is designed in a way that allows a baby to be push out.

I did explain c-sections by saying that a Doctor makes a cut in the tummy and takes the baby out. My eldest's friends are twins and were born via c-section so it came up.

We had to have the talk about how boys and girls are different too. We were taking a bath together and ds was horrified to spot I didn't have a penis 'mummy where's your tail gone ' 😂. I've gone with the simplified version too. I'm having a section so I've said baby will come out through a cut in my tummy that the Drs will then sew up but that most mummies push baby out through their lady bits. Ds is fascinated by it all. He's amazed that milk is going to come out from my boobs. TBH I'd just answer any question he asked in a way he'd understand, i.e. I wouldn't use correct biological terms as we generally say tail or lady bits or boobies. I know some people use the proper words but we just don't. Although thinking about it I think I have said vagina but the word doesn't come up a lot in a house full of boys!

 

[Quartz]

Violet was 2 when her brother was born and we gave full disclosure and showed her birthing videos. I think she still knows how babies come out... If I was asked about being cut open, I'd say no. I'd explain that some babies are born that way, but when the mommy's body is working the way it's supposed to, the baby comes out through the birth canal. If asked what that was, I'd explain that it's the vagina and that girls and women have three holes in that area: One for poop, one for pee, and that when babies are born, they come out of the other hole (I'd leave the sex talk for another day). As far as size goes, I'd explain that when a baby is ready to come out, the mommy goes into labor which means that her body works on opening up and the hole stretches just wide enough for the baby.

I agree the question is how they come out not how they are made (even then that can be done truthfully revealing too much).

My DD is aware of both ways (mainly cos I had an ELCS with her and VBAC with her brother). A simple truthful explanation is usually sufficient!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I honestly wouldnt avoid it if they ask. I explained to mine and they know. My 3 yr old knows where they come out and that it stretches x

 

[SophiasMummy]

I told my LO babies either come out mummy's bits or sometimes they're cut out their tummy. Don't see any need for further explanation really. I'm pretty sure LO has seen one born every minute before too.

 

[caz_hills]

This is interesting to hear! My son asked and I explained that the doctor cuts my tummy and helps baby out. I had an emergency section for him and a planned section for my daughter. So it was straightforward. I have no idea how I'd explain a natural birth...

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

At 5 or 6 I would just give facts to be honest!

 

[Zephram]

Just give the facts. Biological facts are nothing to blush about! My 4 year old asked me the other day how babies got out when we were talking about how he remembered when DS2 was still in my tummy. I just told him the truth - women's bodies have big muscles that help to squeeze the baby out of the vagina. He is aware that women don't have penises and that they have a hole called a vagina that men don't. He was not phased in the least, he was mildly curious and once I'd answered his question he moved on to the next thing without blinking an eye!

 

[JumpingIn]

Tell her baby comes out of the vagina? I'm missing the issue here I think

 

[cupcake23]

I told my dd who's 6 I pushed her out, so she expects I'll do the same with this one. She's also watched a few birth videos but also understands that some are born by cs. I don't hesitate to tell her the truth.

 

[BunnyN]

DD is 3.5 now. I just tell her simple, truthful answers to things as she asks. I dont think you have to give all the information at once if they are satisfied with a short answer but it means they find out things in an open natural way. She was there when he brother was born which I think gave her some idea although she was a bit young to remember in detail now. She has asked about how baby comes out. I just started by saying when the baby was ready my muscles would push hard and I would push the baby out. Then I gave a demo of some pushing and labour noises and she was satisfied with that to start with. A few days later she wanted to know where the baby comes out, if it was through the belly button so we told her it was from the pee-pee which is what she called her vagina and I explained that the belly button is where the cord attaches to the mummy. She since drew picture of the baby just having been born with me and the MW there and wanted to make sure she had the umbilical cord between me and the baby connected up to the right bits, lol. So she seems to have gotten the idea. She hasn't thought to ask how the baby got there yet.

 

[pompeyvix]

Being pregnant, my daughter is fascinated with it all. I just tell her honestly what happens, but in an easy to understand way. I've told her girls have three holes down below, milk comes from boobies etc etc. I really want an open and honest relationship with my daughter and I don't want her to be embarrassed talking about anything with me like I was (and still am) with my mum.

She often acts out giving birth with her stuffed toys. I explained more about csections as that's how she was delivered and I've spent many times lately pretending to cut the baby out of her tummy and then placing it on her for her to breastfeed it! So cute!

 

[SarahBear]

Violet used to pretend to give birth too. I forgot about that!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Haha we have the teddies up top here. She is suddenly obsessed with my boobs too!

 

[Eleanor ace]

I explained that the mummy's tummy squeezes (contractions) to help push the baby down and then it comes out of a special hole called the vagina which stretches to let the baby out and then goes back to being tiny like before. Simplistic but it was enough for them (5 and 3, but this was the explanation given I was expecting LO3 when they were 4 and 2)