We seem to be talking about breastfeeding and birthing here all the time lately, weirdly, since we are done with that phase. But the kids are still very interested in the subject and clear information and a healthy attitude about the whole thing will help to prepare them for their own future families. I just happened upon these Mamamor Dolls and I think they are hilarious, adorable, and informative. The babies have little snaps for mouths that attach to nipples, also made out of snaps, on the moms. (The designer should consider using pink, red, and brown snaps instead of silver ones, though.)
Some of the dolls also show how the babies are carried in the moms' bellies and how they come out. Some of the babies come complete with detachable umbilical cords and placentas.
There are even VBAC dolls, which also have a slot in the stomach through which the baby can emerge. Which reminds me of a conversation Luke and I had on the weekend. It was the kind of conversation that should have been an exchange of information expressed in a matter-of-fact, healthy manner, but it got away from me.
Steph (witnessing Luke putting shreds of a red balloon that has burst into his mouth): Luke! Never ever ever put pieces of balloon in your mouth! They can get stuck in your stomach and KILL you. And especially not red ones! A surgeon won't be able to find the red pieces in your stomach because they look just like blood and all the other stuff inside you.
Luke: How about if I chew this yellow one? Yellow wouldn't be hard for the surgeon to see...
Steph: Absolutely not! I don't care if yellow is an easier colour for the surgeon to see. It is NEVER a good thing if you have to be cut open.
Luke: All girls have to be cut open when they have their babies.
Steph: No they don't. Just sometimes, when the babies won't come out their vaginas. And it is NOT a good thing.
Luke: Ewww. They come out their vaginas?! Ewww. I came out your VAGINA? (starts laughing)
Steph: No, you did not. You wouldn't come out properly so they had to cut my stomach open and take you out that way.
Luke (still laughing): I came out your vagina! Ewww!
Steph (laughing too, but getting annoying and starting to shout): No! You DID NOT COME OUT MY VAGINA!
David (entering the room, says mildly): Well, now the whole neighbourhood has that clear.
Luke (continuing to snort and giggle): Did you come out of your mother's vagina?
Steph: Yes. Yes, I did. (muttering) Everyone comes out of their mothers' vaginas and it is natural and beautiful. That is what the vagina is for.
Luke: But you just said that I didn't come out of your vagina.
Heh. When my son was in preschool, I told him that one of his friend's parents were going to China to get a new baby. "Babies do not come form China!" he told me. "They come from their mother's tummies!"
Posted by: Annie Logue | June 05, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Stephany....too funny Elliana and I had almost the exact same conversation Sunday during our family walk to the park. It started as it was my nine year olds birthday and we were discussing how we spent the last day or two in the hospital before he was born. Like you I had c.sections and Elliana also wanted to know if I came out my mothers vigina and went on to express with her hand how the viginal opens up and the baby comes out and then said "Yuck, I want to have my babies come out of my belly and not my vigina" Thus, this led to the discussion about how much better it is for babies to be born naturally through the vagina. Glad to hear other young families are having these conversations as well.
Posted by: Susan Porter | June 05, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Susan, that is too funny. I think seven is the age where they start to become really fascinated with the anatomy. We've been having lots of discussions about "privates" -- which seems to be what they are calling them at school, although Luke told me the other day that "some of the boys call them 'pickles'" -- and how they aren't for anyone else to see. Now Sylvie is picking up on it all and is loudly telling everyone "don't look at my bum!" every time she has a bath or uses the toilet.
Posted by: Steph | June 05, 2012 at 11:35 AM
I had the awkwardest moment last week while having dinner at a friend's house. Their 5-year-old came down the stairs and when I asked her where my 5-year-old daughter was, she said, in front of the 10 persons party, "She's upstairs cutting my Tinkerbell's vagina". Some of them laughed nervously, so I went to see what my daughter was actually doing. She said that Tinkerbell was giving birth and the baby wouldn't come out and she didn't want her tummy opened. I guess that's what happens when you answer all of your children's questions as straightforward as possible. :)
Posted by: Mere | June 07, 2012 at 04:13 PM