How to Explain to a Child Where Babies Come From

Children are curious by nature. They want to know about everything because they are constantly learning. It is only natural that they would want to know where babies come from. When answering any question my children ask, I find it best to be as straightforward as possible. It is also important to realize their age and also understand what your child truly wants to know. Depending on your child’s age you will have to adjust your answer to suit their needs at the time. Before you respond to your child with an answer it is important to take a few things into consideration.

1. Age Of Your Child – The age of your child is a very important factor.  For younger children you want to be very simplistic and specific so that you do not confuse them.  For older children you can give more information. You want to make sure that your child’s question is answered so that they understand. Be very straightforward with them and try to get to the point quickly so that they are not confused.
2. Maturity Of Your Child – The maturity level is important as well.  This level can be very different than the age of the child. Understanding how mature your child is will help you to decide how you can talk to your child.  Some children are very mature and advanced and can be given more information while others only need the simplest answers for less confusion.
3. What The Child Is Asking Specifically – If you understand what the child is asking specifically that can help you to come back with a more direct response to that specific question.  Sometimes children can say one thing and really mean something completely different. Make sure you understand exactly what they are asking so that you can tailor your answer to their question.
4. What Brought The Child To Ask The Question – Understanding where or how they came up with the question can also be helpful.  They might have gotten it from school, from an older sibling or from something they saw on television.  This is an important factor to consider when explaining. The more information you have about the question the better off you will be in helping your child to understand.
5. Ask What They Know or Think – As strange as this sounds asking what your child thinks or knows about the subject can be very helpful and can also help you to focus on the answer. You might think that your child is asking one thing but upon asking this question you might find that they are really asking something completely different. Also understanding what they know or what they have learned can help you to clear up any misconceptions they might have.

Understanding these things will help you to formulate an answer and to know how much detail to give in your response. For young children start with the basics in your response this will make your answer simple and to the point. Using the correct medical terminology is always best. And try to answer the question directly.  If your child asks, “Where do babies come from?” Start by telling them from their mother. If they have follow up questions try to answer those as well. Sometimes the child simply wants basic information; older children might want a little more detail. Try not to give too much detail unless asked so that the child is able to process the information given. There are many ways to ask and answer these questions.

When my children were 3 years old my daughter asked me where babies came from. I told her from their mommies.  She told me that she already knew that and wanted to know where on their mommies.  So I told her that babies grow in the mommies stomach in something that is called a womb or uterus and that when babies are born they come out through the vagina.  At this point my daughter had enough information and did not ask for any other information until she was a few years older.

Books can also be helpful. When I was little I remember reading a book with my mother called Where Did I Come From? By Peter Mayle.  This book was very easy to understand and helped to answer the questions that I had at the time about sex and where babies come from. He also has another book called What’s Happening to Me? that focuses on puberty.  Both of these books were very simple to read with pictures to help. 

Finally some hospitals offer classes for families with children who are about 8 to 15 years old.  These classes are geared towards growing up and puberty but they also help children and parents to be able to talk to each other about those questions that some parents find difficult to talk about with their children.  

So take a deep breath, be open and honest and get to the point with your children they will appreciate it.