We all know that kids are quite curious about the world around them – particularly when it comes to matters concerning “the birds and the bees.” I don’t have any kids, myself, but I can only imagine that it’s a bit of a stressful day in a parent’s life when they have to come up with a kid-friendly response to the “where do babies come from” question on the spot. Most parents probably fumble through some tried and true method involving a stork, but what about C-sections? How are those explained to kids without necessarily traumatizing them?
One mom, who also happens to be a doctor, seems to have found the perfect answer. And all it requires is a little bit of play dough. Dr. Jessica So is both a mom and a board-certified dermatologist. According to the Huffington Post, when her son was only 3, he announced that he wanted to be a surgeon. But there was a catch – the young child wanted to be a surgeon right then and there. Dr. So, quick on her feet, decided to organize his first surgery for him using play dough. It was a simple gallbladder removal.
From there, Dr. So got the idea to use play dough as a way of being able to explain a cesarean section birth to kids. She was quite creative too. She used different colored play dough to create the different parts of the body such as fat, muscle, and blood. She also got somewhat realistic with amniotic fluid made out of plastic wrap, as well as a balloon to make up the umbilical cord and placenta.
Besides the anatomically correct method of learning, this also provides the little boy some fun as he gets to “perform a surgery” using plastic surgery tools. Since it’s a C-section that he is practicing, at the end of the surgery he gets a little Spider-Man doll out of the whole thing. Sounds like a pretty sweet incentive.
Dr. So introduced the video, stating, “Our little guy just had a birthday (the big 4!), and we reminisced about the eventful, unexpected day he arrived and the flurry of amazing people involved with getting him here safely. In our next case, a small superhero was born by Cesarean delivery (yes I know it was actually a radioactive spider).”
The doctor continued to say that her son loves superheroes and it often the predominant subject in their household. As she explained, in their home, superheroes aren’t just those from comics, but the real life superheroes who use their special skill sets to help others – like medical professionals. As Dr. So said, “To the OB/GYNs and FM/OBs who use their superpowers for their mamas and miracle babies (alongside a team of midwives, L&D staff!) – you are all heroes.”
You can watch the video below: