reproduction

When I was a little girl, my mother told me that my cousin was an "accident." I couldn't figure out how a couple had sex accidentally, so I assumed that while the couple was sleeping, the man's penis could "sniff out" a woman's menstrual blood, and unbeknownst to either partner, engage in sexual intercourse. Thus, my cousin was an "accident."

Grace

I used to think that when parents wanted a baby, they went to the hospital and looked over all the babies that were there and picked the one they wanted.

Linda

When I was 4 or 5, I thought women had babies by themselves as a matter of course--no daddy needed. I also believed I would join the United States Air Force. I kept asking my mom what would happen if I had my baby while I was in the Air Force. She kept answering, "well, they wouldn't let you stay in the Air Force, would they?" I cried in frustration, because it just wasn't fair: If the baby came along while I was serving my country, they shouldn't throw me out!

Claudette

The mom of one of my close friends growing up always craved oranges when pregnant. She was sure, and convinced the rest of her girl friends, that oranges could make you pregnant. Sad to say we worried about that till freshman year of high school. We were late bloomers!

Mary Anderson

A lady friend reported that as a child when she was sent to the bakery to get a seeded rye on the way home she would eat all the seeds off the top believing that was how she would get a baby (which she wanted thinking it as more of a doll than a baby).

Anon

When I was younger my parents told me I came from a Sears catalog and that I use to be a model.So whenever we drove by Sears they told me they were taking me back because I was being bad. I would try to hide behind the seat and I would cry.

Jenny

my dad told me once that pregnant women were ladies who had swallowed watermelon seeds and had the giant fruit growing in their tummies. to this day, when i accidentally swallow a seed, i think back....and hope that this one doesn't get fertilized!!!

stephanie, nashville

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL I ASKED MY GRANDFATHER HOW BABIES WERE MADE AND HE TOLD ME
THAT BABIES WERRE MADE BY BIRDS SHITTING ON THE FENCE POST AND THEN THE SUN HATCHED THEM. I WAS ONLY 7 SO OF COURSE I THOUGHT GRANDPAW WAS NEVER WORNG SO THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL I TOLD THE WHOLE CLASS HOW BABIES WERE REALY MADE. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE SCHOOL CALLED MY PARENTS BOY DID GRANDPAW GET INTO TROUBLE.

NICOLE

I used to believe babies just happened. I would visit my aunt who was unmarried living alone and ask her if she was going to have a baby yet. Got told to quit asking that.

Anon

when i was younger i used to believe that when people wanted to have a baby, they simply went to the hospital and purchased one. i thought that all the parents looking at their children from behind the window at the nursery were prospective buyers.

ergo

when my 5th grade sex ed teacher was talking about dialation during childbirth, I raised my hand and asked" what does her eye-sight have to do with anything?"

dork fan

I remember when I was about 4 (my sister was a baby about 1 year old) that babies were born wearing those little sleepers- pink for girls and blue for boys.

Marlene

I used to believe that you took The Pill to get pregnant. It took a very confusing letter to Ann Landers to prompt me to ask my mom about it.

kj

My Dad (G'd Bless Him) always told me that he bought me in Myers Bargain Basement. I always imagined rows of babies wrapped up in bunny rugs waiting to be bought! When I 'grew up' I always used to tease him that he could have at least said that I was bought at GEORGES!
LOL

Rozy

As a kid, although I knew all about the sperm and egg thing, I was a bit muddled about intercourse. I didn't realize that it was a "deliberate" act. I thought it was just something that happened sometime during the night while you were sleeping. Therefore it made perfect sense to me that girls and boys who weren't married shouldn't "sleep together".

me

i thought - when i was pregnant - i could dye my hair blond, and my baby wouldn´t be brunette as i am.

judi (peru)