theChat.scot

---

A child may have various forms of this question: Where did I come from? How does a baby start out? 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 themselves.

As with answers to many questions it is best to try to answer briefly. If your child has a follow up question they will ask, then or later. But the short answer may well be enough. Younger children do not need to have sexual intercourse explained to them when you answer this question. At some point a child may ask: What is sex? Do you have sex? We have written some ways to answer this question, look for it in the list of questions children ask.

If IVF is part of your family story, or if you want to talk about IVF, then you should look at our suggestions regarding the question: What is IVF? If your child wants to know more about pregnancy or birth check out the questions: Does the baby grow in your tummy? And: How does the baby get born? Or go to the Talking about section and look for more support to have more detailed conversations about How human life begins and Pregnancy and birth (organised by the age of your child).

---

3, 4 and 5-year-olds

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

You were made in your mummy’s tummy. You grew and grew in a safe place called the womb, until you were born.

6, 7 and 8-year-olds

We offer this suggestion for the 6- to 8-year-old.

You were made in your mummy’s tummy. To make a baby you need a tiny little egg from a woman, and you need the seed from a man. Mummy and daddy shared the egg and the seed. They made you. You grew and grew in a safe place called the womb until you were born.

By this age children will know some of the words we use for different parts of the body. Your response to the question if posed at this age will mean giving some consideration to talking about conception.

A baby is made by grownups. To make a baby you need a tiny little egg from a woman, and you need the seed (called the sperm) from a man.

A woman’s eggs are inside her body; a part called the ovaries. Every month a woman releases an egg. A man’s sperm is made in his testicles which are inside the bag of skin that hangs behind his penis.

When a couple want to make a baby, they have loving cuddles, this can be called having sex. The man’s penis gets hard and when he puts it inside the woman’s vagina the sperm comes out and travels inside the woman to meet her egg. The sperm and egg join and start to create a baby. The baby grows in a safe place called the womb. Once this happens this is the beginning of the woman being pregnant. She will be pregnant for 9 months and then have her baby.

If there is a need to answer this question for young people of these ages, you can use the response above.

---