theChat.scot

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Following questions like How did the baby get in your tummy? Or: Where did I come from? You might get a question like: Does the baby grow in your tummy? The questions can come up when there is a pregnancy in the family, or when the child meets or sees a pregnant woman. Or maybe because they are curious about their own origins. To respond to the question does the baby grow in your tummy, you might consider these responses.

If your child wants to know more about pregnancy or birth check out the questions: How does the baby get born? Or go to the Talking about section and look for more support to have more detailed conversations about sex, pregnancy and birth, depending on the age of your child.

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3, 4 and 5-year-olds

We offer this suggestion for the very young child with questions.

The baby grows in the mummy’s tummy in a safe place called the womb. The baby is very cosy and safe there.

6, 7 and 8-year-olds

A short answer is suggested here. Some children of this age will be interested in more detail, you can read more in the answer below for older children.

The baby grows in the mummy’s tummy in a safe place called the womb. The baby is very cosy and safe there. A baby lives and grows inside the woman’s womb for 9 months. For the baby, the womb is like a bag of warm cosy water and the baby can hear the mum’s heartbeat like a drum.

You could use all the information below in response to your child’s question. However, you might want to pause after the first paragrpah. That might be enough. But they may be interested in more. Use the rest of the suggested answer as and when you think it is needed

Well, the baby grows in a safe place called the womb. A baby lives and grows inside the woman’s womb for 9 months. For the baby, the womb is like a bag of warm cosy water and the baby can hear the mum’s heartbeat like a drum.

The baby and woman are connected by the umbilical cord that attaches the baby to the mum. The baby gets everything it needs to grow through the cord. This is where your belly button is now because when you are born this comes off – it doesn’t hurt.

In the first 3 months inside the woman’s womb the baby is very small. After 1 month the baby is just the size of a pea. Then the baby begins to grow arms and legs. The baby has a little beating heart. By the second month the baby has grown fingers and toes. By the 4th month the baby is the size of the mum’s hand. The baby can start to hear. The woman will start to feel her baby moving around inside. In the final 3 months inside the womb the baby keeps growing, so much that it needs to be curled up. The baby’s brain grows all this time too. The baby is getting stronger and getting ready to be born.

A teenager might be interested in this but ask the question in a more sophisticated way. The earlier information is still good for a teenager to hear.

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