How Did I Begin by Mick Manning

Hey there! I’m Cath Hak from Sex Ed Rescue, and today I want to chat with you about a book called How Did I Begin? by Mick Manning and Britta Braunstrom. Sorry if I mispronounced their names! This book has been around since 1997, so it’s been around for about a decade. I really like it, and I think it’s a great little book.

It starts off by answering the question, Where did I come from? Well, it all begins with a special cuddle. Now, that might not be the most accurate way to describe how a baby is made, but don’t worry, the book goes into more detail on the next page. It’s always a good idea to read books like this before sharing them with your child, so you’re prepared and don’t have any awkward moments while reading together.

The book explains that it all starts with a special cuddle, but it doesn’t happen right away. It takes about nine months for a baby to get ready. How was I made? Well, as your mom and dad cuddled, your dad’s sperm swam inside your mom and met up with one of her eggs. The book also explains what sperm and eggs are.

Then it talks about how you get half of your traits from your dad and half from your mom. Now, here’s where we get to the part about sex. The book doesn’t show explicit pictures of a penis going in and out, but it does show a man and a woman in bed. When we talk to kids about how they began, we usually talk about it in the traditional way, with a mom and dad coming together. But if your child was conceived through IVF, it’s important to explain that their story might be a little different. There are other books that talk about that too. Kids don’t always ask how they were made, but if they do, you can still use this book and say, Actually, you were made a little differently.

The book uses casual language to explain that your dad’s sperm swam like crazy, searching for something inside your mom. It’s like a treasure hunt! There are pictures too, showing the sperm going through a dark tunnel, looking for the egg. Then it talks about how the baby develops, with cell division and all that cool stuff. It even explains why you might have your dad’s nose but your mom’s ears. It covers twins too, and how they happen. And as you grow, it talks about what you looked like while you were developing.

The book also answers some simple questions that kids have about pregnancy, like how you breathe and eat inside the womb. It’s not just about how babies are made, but also about how they grow and develop. It even talks about going to the hospital and being born, with a nice, safe picture. There’s nothing too scary or overwhelming in the images. And finally, it shows a picture of a baby.

Everyone looks to see if the baby is a boy or a girl. Now, keep in mind that our understanding of gender is evolving, and some kids are born intersex, where you can’t tell if they’re a boy or a girl right away. The book wraps up by showing the different sizes a baby can be as it grows.

So, that’s the book! It’s a lovely little resource that provides simple information about how a baby is made, but it also covers how a baby develops during pregnancy and birth. I hope this review helps you out. Cheers!