How to Explain How Babies Get into Mommy's Tummy to 7 Yo

However you choose to explain it, please don't say that babies reside in mom's "tummy." That's not just wrong, it confuses kids. I know folks who said their children asked things like, "If the baby's in mommy's tummy, how does she have room for food in there?" and "Does the baby eat the food that goes into mommy's tummy when she eats?" etc. Even if you don't get into the sex discussion, at least let them know that there is a special place called the womb where the baby grows and it is not the same as the stomach. I think a seven-year-old definitely can handle that idea.

Tell her the truth without being graphic. I was 7 when I learned how babies were made and how they came out of their mommies.

Personally, I don't think that 7 or even 4 is too young to know where babies come from. My daughter asked me at four, and I gave her accurate information about men and women and how their parts could fit together and how a baby was made.
If you just really can't get past being squicked out over the idea of explaining to your kids that penises can emit fluids other than urine, then simply tell them that Mommies and Daddies have special ways of showing their love for each other, and sometimes when they do, a baby starts to grow.
Just please, no storks, cabbage patches, or angels from heaven.

We are a Christian family so for us, it makes sense to give the credit to God. God saw that me and daddy love each other so much so He decided to give us another baby.

If you are religious, then tell your daughter what we told our son. "When he is ready, God puts a baby in the mommy's tummy." Certainly not a lie, but also not the very detailed truth.

Congratulations to you and your family on the upcoming addition.

When my son (at 6) asked if me and his dad (we were never married) had sex, I almost crashed the car. I did hold off on my answer until we got home. When my son then wanted to know what sex was and where babies came from I kept my answer honest and anontomically correct without making a big deal out of it and he was fine.

I simply told him. Babies grow in the womb which is the special place inside the woman which holds the baby until he or she or them are born. The mommy and daddy have sex to create the baby.

That seemed to do it for him. We didn't have a more detailed talk until he was older may around 10 oir 11. Oh the joys of single motherhood ;-) you get to have all the talks of life and living.

Again congratulations and be brave, this is only the beginning but rather your child get correct information from you than wrong information from friends or information that doesn't line up with your values from anywhere else.

Be honest, but keep the detail level low - there are some great children's books that could really help. My son was very curious too when his sister was in my tummy, and he was only 2 when she was born! although more questions came later as some of our friends had babies too. Kids just need a simple answer, she may be satisfied with "mommy and daddy put it there." Keep the details low and only go more into detail as she asks more questions. Maybe even discuss with her teacher, so the teacher is forwarned about possible questions or comments coming from her and they may have ideas on how to explain it or a good book to read with her.

My daughter is 5 and I got her the book "It's Not the Stork!" by Robie H. Harris. This book is for younger kids, but they also have "It's So Amazing!" that is for your daughter's age. I would go to the bookstore or library & look through this book and see if you like it. I sat in the bookstore & read over "It's Not the Stork!" before I bought it. There are some pages we are skipping for now, but my daughter likes for me to read parts of it. We mainly skip around more than reading cover to cover.

There are many excellent age-appropriate books out there that help explain the "nuts and bolts" of things to kids in language they can understand. One is called "It's So Amazing!", amongst others. I would check some out from the library, read through them yourself first, then read them together with your 7 year old. There's also no reason the 4 year old can't have an explanation too, if he/she is asking questions.

We are not overly religious but my answer to my daugher was...God wanted mommy and daddy to have a baby. So when 2 people are married and in love, God gives them a baby.

She is 6 and that answered it for her. If your DD is more curious, you can go into more detail. Be prepared to be asked, how the baby is gonna come out too ;) I didn't want to lie so I flat out told my daughter and she was mortified !

Congratulations on the new baby!

We would tell our girls that God put the baby into our tummy. That was good enough for them until.... about a month ago. My husband was working late and the girls and I were eating dinner. My 5th grader's school was showing "the girl video" at school and I was going to get to preview it. The video subject came up. We talked a little about it. Then my 8 year old said "I know how babies get into your tummy". I asked her how. She told me and I am NOT making this up: "The boy pees into your mouth." I thought I would vomit! So, with that I gently explained that is not how it worked. I told them about the female body parts, which obviously they were familiar. Then I told them how the daddy puts his body part into the mommy. I did not go into erections. They both thought that was GROSS! I asked if they had other questions, and they asked a couple. I told them it was done with love and we talked about emotions. I also told them they should not discuss this with their friends because it is their friend's mommy and daddy's job to tell them, not theirs. So far, no parents have called me - LOL!

I think it is important to tell your daughter the right thing, before she hears the wrong thing, like my daughter.

Good luck!

How about "sometimes when a mommy and a daddy love each other it makes a baby start to grow."

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Be honest, but use simple explanations and explain how some tings are private. You are setting the stage for more painful conversations, so it is to your benefit to get the groundwork correct. Go to the library - there are many great books targeted at that age group. Odds are they want less informaiton than you think. But try to see it from their perspectiv eand think about how mysterious it must be.

The kids probably don't want much information at their ages, but you are absolutely correct to give them just as much info as they want, and not more. As to skirting the question, I think it's important that they not feel that there's something "wrong" with this subject. (And you shouldn't have to worry about what she shares with her friends---lots of 7 year olds have some bizarre notions about sex, even when they have been given all the information they seem to want. And the weirder the notion, the more likely that they will share it with their friends!)

You could try just saying "daddy puts the baby in mommy's tummy when they make love," (or "when they have sex," if you are more forthcoming) and see if your kids are satisfied with that. Certainly the 4 year old should be satisfied. If your 7 year old wants more info, get the Peter Mayle book, Where Did I Come From. It's absolutely the best. Go through it with her, or at least however much of it she's interested in. And have fun with it! Let her know it's a great subject!

I think that answering questions sets the stage for them asking future questions when it matters more. I wouldn't give more description than what they're curious about, but wouldn't skirt a question either - probably going from general to more detailed if there were more questions.

I remember one of my friends telling a story of how she gave a long explanation about her period to her daughter and all she was interested in was a one sentence answer that mom wasn't hurt or injured.

Robie H. Harris has several good books that cover these topics for different ages: "It's Not the Stork" for age 4 and up, "It's So Amazing" for age 7 and up and "It's Perfectly Normal" for age 10 and up

There's also "Where Did I Come From?" by Peter Mayle.

If you want to know what your teen is doing and be able to influence them from an adult's perspective - start having conversations about sensitive subjects. Otherwise they'll be learning from their friends if not from you.