Took my five-year-old along to my annual gyne exam

[Ellen Forradalom]

It was performed by the midwife who participated in my prenatal care (another one delivered him.) He didn't much care about the proceedings, preferring to play with some band-aids. I did explain to him why we were there--to make sure Mommy is healthy, particularly those parts of her body that make babies.

It seemed a good age to take him--old enough for him to absorb a bit of what was going on, but not old enough to be weirded out by it. I won't do the same next year; six-year-olds are a little more aware and prone to embarassment.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

1. Did the midwife practice any love - you know Bush condones it lol

ok bad joke bad joke . Don't worry by the time he is 6 , he will be able to tell you where babies are made and how they get there . Kids learn fast these days .

[Ellen Forradalom]

2. LOL! No, but she was at my cervix

hee hee

[DemBones DemBones]

10. I'll bet. . .

you just started this thread so you could use that line.

I know I would have. ;-)

Pretty damn funny!

[ironflange]

11. Funny story from a friend

Her son was about six, and asked how his little sister came out. She told him it was through a hole between her legs, to which he said "Oh yeah, sure, Mom."

[liontamer]

3. good for you

I think it's important for children to learn about the human body at a young age. It avoids problems later
:)

[Ellen Forradalom]

8. He's been curious about where babies come from

so I've been explaining it in plain language. He now knows that the daddy and mommy each have one tiny half of the baby and they put them together (we'll deal with the mechanics of that later); and that mommies have a special place where babies grow and a hole where they push the baby out when the time is right.

[alphafemale]

4. Very sweet. When my daughter was three...

She was laying on the table with me looking up at the screen during the ultra-sound the first time we seen her "baby bruddah."

They're both in high-school now.

[Lancer]

5. I'm old fashioned enough

to be offended by this. I would think a five-year-old might find stirrups, etc. traumatic.

Just my stupid, lame, ignorant, spinster's opinion.

[JitterbugPerfume]

6. Uhhhhhh me too

I could not imagine exposing a five year old to a gyn exam

[Ellen Forradalom]

7. It certainly must be a strange mental image

but it wasn't traumatizing for him at all. If anything, he was bored. I might add that my modesty was guarded to some extent by the artful draping of a gown and sheet. I wasn't all exposed, all the time.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

13. I doubt he was exactly getting a bird's eye view if you know what I mean

I rather imagine him sitting in a chair in the room, but not actually being a PART of it. Sheesh.

[Ellen Forradalom]

14. That's exactly right

He was busy trying to put on a pair of latex gloves and playing with band-aids.

[Skittles]

9. I have to agree

I see no sense to this whatsoever

[DemBones DemBones]

12. Maybe she didn't have a sitter to keep him?

It never occurred to me to take my daughter along with me when I had GYN check-ups but women usually have closer relationships with their midwives and the atmosphere is more child-friendly, or so I've heard from friends who were delivered by midwives.

You do know that many couples now include older children in the birth of a new sibling, as in the kids are present during labor and immediately afterwards and sometimes during the delivery itself? I think it's great. It helps the older kids bond with the new sib to be there in the beginning.

[Ellen Forradalom]

15. Bingo

"Women usually have closer relationships with their midwives and the atmosphere is more child-friendly."

Exactly. As was said above, he didn't have a "bird's eye view." What he did learn was that taking care of yourself is important, and not the least bit frightening; and that the ladies who delivered him are thrilled at how big he's getting.

I personally adore my midwives. Those women are saints. I am always overjoyed to see them.