DD wants to see video of baby being born...

[Mummyof3tobe]

DD is 5, nearly 6, and I'm expecting DC3. She asked how baby comes out and I told her in an age appropriate but accurate way. Now weeks later she's asked me to show her a video (we were recently looking at You Tube videos of polar bears so think this is where idea has come from).

I can't say I like the idea of her seeing this (nor do I particularly want a graphic reminder at this stage) but wonder if I'm being prudish to deny her natural curiosity.

WWYD?

How about a video of puppies being born? Would that be less of a reminder to you but enough to satisfy your dds curiosity?

Could there be a cartoon version somewhere?

Lots of nice waterbirths on youtube.

I mean a bit more 'gentle' than thrashing screaming blood and guts ones.

I showed my DD some birth videos at 4. I watched them first and heavily narrated them!

There must be something age appropriate she could watch? You know, without a close up, full frontal shot!?!

My DS doesn't believe me about where babies come out of, he thinks I'm winding him up!

Ds (5) and dd (3) were found watching daytime tv us births predominantly graphic c/sections.

I felt I had to then show them vbs as I was expecting their brother. The watched per-vetted OBEM and YouTube.

It was fine. First thing Ds said on meeting his brother was 'i'm a little bit happy that the baby has come out of your vulva!'. This was extraordinary for a 5yr old who also has autism.

DD's (then 5&3) were found in a museum sitting in front of a video of childbirth. They were glued and thought it was amazing. DH nearly spat his tea when he casually enquired what they had been up to that day . One year on and they both have a very casual, but clear understanding of how babies come out.

Pick your video and show her, I say!

Use one of the positive OBEM ones?

My three year old has watched obem and midwives. She is absolutely fascinated by them and not at all scared. She really only focuses on the baby and seems oblivious to the blood etc.

My dd enjoyed 'one born every minute' at that age and also wanted to see rabbits give birth on youtube(very dull). I can't see the harm if t's a positive experience and she asked.

One of the early One Born Every Minute had a very calm waterbirth with barely any gore.

Having said that, if you don't want to show her any videos, that is entirely understandable. Might not want to start a precedent for the birds and the bees talk

My 3 year old and I watch the nice home births on YouTube quite regularly. It's one of the things we do on rainy days. :) Vet them first (obviously) and stop them before the end because some lovely videos seem to link to not so lovely ones with not so lovely images! We stick to the nice, calm serene waterbirths as a general rule.

My son has actually been at a birth though (my best friends 3rd baby) and seen/heard it all, and he'll be at the birth of his new sibling in a few months providing all is well. So a video is not a massive deal to him. He always gasps when the baby appears and has a huge grin and says 'awwww, they're all so happy'. i

Thanks everyone, that is really helpful. At first I thought it would be odd to show her, but the more I think about it I reckon doing while she is so young it might be better, as she won't associate it much with herself. Don't want to put her off giving me grandchildren!

I braved YouTube and actually came across a Babycentre video that is cartoon/diagrammatic that answers the question without any blood or mess. If I can put up with the American voiceOver I think it will work.

Please please show her something from Home Grown Babies or www.mybirth.tv that isn't all beached whale coached pushing.

My 3.5 and 5 year olds watched loads of gentler births prior to watching sibling births and apart from the 'ha ha it comes out of your bum' stuff, it was fine.