Where do babies come from?
12 November 09

We’re talking a lot about babies around here.
Although Aisha’s been around for two new additions, she’s so much more aware and interested in what is happening within my tummy and what will actually transpire for Baby D’s birth. In fact, she’s so inquisitive, David mildly enquired whether she could be present for the birth. (Ummm, no.)
While boxing up the books for our move, I’ve kept out all the books that describe how babies are born and their first growth stages. The variation in quality (and information!) has prompted me to share this gem with you — a book that should be in every home library, introduced while the children are toddlers and left for older kids to peruse at their leisure.



I like the clear writing style: “Boys are different from girls, of course.”
And it is also much easier to read someone else’s words on a squeamish topic rather than answer off-the-bat questions about something kept pretty private. In fact, David was in another room when he heard me reading this book to the kids, and he came in to hear how the author handled the subject of sex:
To make a baby, a sperm from the man has to get to one of these eggs in the woman. The only way for sperm to get to an egg is through the woman’s vagina. This is how babies are begun, with the man lying so close to the woman that his penis can fit into her vagina. If one of his sperms can get to one of her eggs, a baby will begin to grow.
Easy! There, I said it. Now the book moves on to the baby’s growth, beautifully illustrated for three stages of growth. From a child’s point of view, the baby at the end of the book is much more interesting than the two naked people lying close together.

You can find Where do babies come from? on Amazon, but I’m afraid I couldn’t find an Australian online vendor with it in stock. However, I do have an older version, hardback, on my shelves, so leave a comment if you’d like this book in your collection, and I’ll select a random winner!
1 · Someone trying to be funny · 13 November 2009, 01:02
I always wondered where babies came from until I came across your blog…Thanks for posting this topic. Now I know!
2 · Christie · 13 November 2009, 01:09
Yes please! I have to admit that the baby pictured has WAY more hair than my kids ever do. Random observation, I know.
3 · Amanda · 13 November 2009, 06:13
I would love your extra book, although maybe I’ve left it a little late for the toddler stage! Needless to say, there are lots of questions with four girls…
4 · cheryl · 14 November 2009, 03:20
ha, a good book…pick me!
5 · Anne · 19 November 2009, 23:35
All day long, the day you posted this, I kept trying to get to my computer to comment. I was even going to BLOG!! imagine. But I just couldn’t manage it. Anyway, what I wanted to say, days ago, was that something must be in the air. I’d been thinking of this book for a couple of years. I knew I had a copy in the village and my mother kept looking and never could find it. And I’d looked online but I didn’t know the title or the author. But after broaching the subject with Elphine in a more serious way, I HAD to find this book. I managed, after much work, to find it at Amazon for 4 dollars and had it in my mailbox two days later, the day you put up this post. Its a wonderful book—solved me a world of problems caused by my inability to communicate effectively with any of my children on this subject.
6 · Colleen · 12 November 2011, 07:57
I read this book to my sons when they were young and then loaned it to a friend to use with her children. Sadly, I never got it back and can only hope it got passed around for moms and dads to read to their children. I have a granddaughter now who really needs to hear this story in the very tasteful way the book was written. Thanks,
7 · Margaret Plaxton · 24 October 2012, 00:42
I need this book for my grandchildren …any left?
8 · taylor · 11 February 2013, 02:08
I grew up on this book and had to work hard to find it used for my own children. I love the beautiful illustrations and the frank, simple language. Perfect.
9 · Tori · 14 November 2013, 09:33
Thank you for posting about this beautiful book. I feel blessed to have stumbled upon your blog. Much love and prayers xxx