to tell 3yo DD where babies come out of?

[ditsydoll]

My DD is very inquisitive and understands all about where babies live and that they start as eggs (left out the part about how the egg turns into a baby as that's just tmi and completely not age appropriate obviously) but she asked today.. mummy, when the baby is ready to come out, how does it get out.

I kind of skirted around the answer and changed the subject. I don't want to lie to her abd give her sone crap about babies coming out of belly buttons etc, and I know its probably frowned upon for me to tell my 3yo DD that babies have to come out of their mummys front bottoms, but how do I answer this without lieing to her?

[Alligatorpie]

I don't understand why you wouldn't tell her the truth? It would never occur to me not give my children an honest answer when they asked a question.

[rogersmellyonthetelly]

Just tell her, toddlers are very accepting and matter of fact. Dd is 6 and asked this recently as I'm 20wks with no 3. She was a bit worried at first about how a baby would come out of her eventually, but I (lying through my teeth) explained that as mummies are much bigger than little girls, the baby will fit just fine. We watched a video on you tube with the volume tactfully muted to remove any swear words. She is quite excited now, unlike me who is rather dreading it.

[TiggyD]

I found out about the gooseberry bush recently. The ladygarden used to be known as the gooseberry bush which is why it was said that babies are found under it.

[putonyourredshoes]

at the stalk

[choppychopster]

YANBU to tell her. She will probably decide to discuss this loudly with you in public or announce it to the whole nursery.

The other day 5yo DD1 and I were sat in a cafe with 5mo DD2:
Dd1: Mummy, when dd2 was born, she came out of your vagina, didn't she?
Me: Yes darling, that's right.
Dd1: Eeeewww! That's disgusting!
Me: no, that's what ladies' bodies are made for and most babies are born that way.
Dd1:Mummy, when I was born, did I come out of your vagina?
Me:Yes. Shall we finish our drinks and go to the shops?
DD1: Eeeewww! I'm disgusted with myself!!!

The woman on the table next to us snorted latte out of her nose.

[ShowOfHands]

DD knew all about babies at 3, including the fact that you need a sperm and an egg, what an umbilical cord is, placentas, birth etc. She was fascinated. On her first day in preschool, aged 3, she apparently played 'mummies and daddies' and the mummy had to have a cs because the baby was stuck and couldn't come out of the mummy's vagina. The staff were most amused.

It's all just biology. DD was as interested in kidneys and bowels and hearts and lungs. In fact her pop up human body book was her most loved thing at that age. She's 5 now and has a baby brother. She has expanded her knowledge if anything. She knows more about bfing than most health visitors.

[FantasticDay]

Choppy - Just snorted Kenco instant out of my nose at work!

[FantasticDay]

I'd just tell her truthfully about the three holes tbh. Mummy Laid an Egg is a great book for when she starts asking exactly how the baby gets in there!

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I told her it comes out of mummys bum because so far we havent really discussed the three holes aspect. She laughed just.

Shes fascinated but doesnt really ask questions. If she did I would just tell her. I think she doesnt really know where to start.

Shes still trying to get her head around the fact that this baby will call DP daddy but she doesnt.

[Flobbadobs]

Tell her the truth before she gets it from someone else. DD asked DS. She was 5 at the time, he was 10 and had a fairly accurate grasp of human biology but no ability to explain properly. It took weeks to sort that one out...

[MakesCakesWhenStressed]

I'm marking my place so I can research this conversation for approximately 2 years from now...

[puds11]

Told my DD it comes out your foofty, but not the wee wee bit.

[putonyourredshoes]

Why is more acceptable to say it's come out of your bum than explain there are three bits, one for wee, one for poo and one for babies/periods?

[Badgerina]

Babies come out of mummy's bum???? Good grief.

Why not just grow up a bit and bloody well tell her the truth? You're an adult.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Dont tell me to grow up thanks. Did you mean that to be so rude??

I quite like that my 3 yo is able to be innocent.

When she wants to know she will be told. It is not a crime to protect childrens innocence. She hasnt asked in detail and therefore I dont see the need to bombard her with facts.

[Badgerina]

It's not innocent. It's hugely misinformed. You say you don't see the need to bombard her with facts, yet you're happy to tell her something completely WRONG. Why tell her anything? Why is telling her babies come out of one hole, any better/worse than telling her about the actual hole that babies come from? She has one, after all.

[puds11]

I'm not sure how it makes her less innocent to tell her the truth? Surely its worse to lie and have people laugh at her when she thinks babies come out your bum!

I don't understand why people can't just tell them the truth!

[Meglet]

Why is it so hard to tell her it comes out of a mummys vagina? That's what I told my 3yo.

Tellling them where babies come from won't corrupt them FFS!

[fuckbadger]

My almost 3yo was asking lots of questions about this, I told him daddies have willies and mummies have a hole that stretches very big to let the baby come out. He seems happy enough with that explanation!

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Because she hasnt asked. Tbh I have a lot going on right now and telling my 3 yo the facts of life hasnt been high on the list of priorities.

The venom in these messages is really unnecessary. Shes 3. Its not the end of the world.

[Nagoo]

Yep, I went with vagina.

Just say it, and she'll go 'Oh' and that'll be the end until next time.

Start saying the stuff you don't feel comfortable saying now, while she is too little to notice much of your discomfort. Then it will be old hat to the both of you by the time it matters.

[Nagoo]

I don't think that knowing that a baby comes out of the middle hole will destroy her innocence, TBH.

It's far far better that they learn it very young, as boring old biology, than get to the stage where the conversation has to be about relationships and love and stuff at the same time. IMHO.

[sadie3]

YABU shes 3 FGS let her be a child and spare her the graphic details

[ShowOfHands]

It's just biology. It's a bit worrying that you'd equate it with innocence tbh. Have I destroyed dd's innocence by telling her about the digestive process? Or how her heart pumps blood? Or what her lungs do? Where a baby comes out of is just a matter of fact. You're not handing her the kama sutra and a spliff.

When you lie to dc because of your own embarrassment or use strange terms or giggle or blush, you make it sound like their own bodies are something to be ashamed of. A baby comes out of a vagina. It's a very simple statement.

[KitCat26]

I went with the three hole explanation, one for wees, one for poos and one where babies come out of.

Initially I said babies come out of a special stretchy hole down here (pointed). DD1 aged just 3 said very loudly 'So mummy do babies come out of your bum hole then?' . Took a lot of effort not to gaffaw! Then I went on to give the three hole explanation.
StrawberryTot thanks for the recommendation I think I will get that.