From the article: 5 Reasons to Not Find Out the Gender of Unborn Baby
There is a seemingly growing trend to not find out the sex of your baby before birth. Are you a part of this trend? Why? Just like surprises? Prefer to have an intimate moment at birth? How did your family and friends react? How do you see the declaration happening? Or how did it happen? Share Your Experience
Waiting is easy
- I am 23 Weeks along. I did not want to find out, but hubby pushed to know. During ultrasound the baby flipped half way through the measurements, and at the end we couldn't see. I was thrilled. Now a month later hubby says he does not care, he just wants a healthy baby. It has been much easier than I expected not knowing. I figured I'd be freaking out by now. I'm very excited to find out on delivery day.
- —Guest Anny
Climax!
- I had my 20th week U/S today and we told the technician we did not want to know the sex. We want it to be a surprise. I think it will be exciting to not know the climax of the movie in the beginning itself :)
- —sonalir
Focus,focus
- It was my husbands idea not to find out. I went along with it because we knew about 10 people who were told wrong about their baby's gender, and i thought it would be so terrible if I felt any disappointment when I first saw my baby. His idea was that it would be like knowing what was in a present before you open it. I think he was right, and it was so exciting to find out, but I also felt like not knowing kept us more focused on planning our parenting and less focused on all the STUFF. I felt like we weren't as drawn in to the merchandising of new-baby-hood because we didn't know whether to buy pink or blue, if that makes sense. And it sure feels like not being drawn in by the stuff makes it easier to not gender-stereotype our kids even now. Also, it really did make a very difficult labor that much more motivating...By the way, we have two amazing girls. Weren't you curious?
- —Guest Jen
Lisa
- I didn't find out with my son- I felt like it should be a surprise, and I liked that it added something to the pregnancy. It's so boring to me when half way through the pregnancy everyone knows you're having a ______ named __________. It just kind of ruins the anticipation. Also, I wanted a girl, and my husband wanted to a boy. I didn't want either of us to be disappointed, and honestly, how can you be dissapointed when there is a beautiful baby in your arms? I'm glad with the decision we made- although I had a natural labor with no epidural (although I was on pitocin b/c he was two weeks late) and when he was born I did not hear anyone (not my husband, the doctor, my mom, or my sister) say it was a boy, because the relief of pushing him out just zoned me out for a few minutes! So, I didn't get that 'moment' that I hoped for after waiting for so long, but I imagine if you had an epidural, you would. :)
- —Guest Lisa
fingers crossed
- I am 18 Weeks yesterday and all the old wives tales and even the Chinese gender chart say I'm having a girl. At 14 Weeks my doctor said he didn't see anything between those legs but claimed it unofficial. Being that my son who is 8 was said to be a miracle pregnancy, and now here I am again. I can't wait to have a confirming ultrasound that my unexpected 2nd miracle baby is a girl. I think one of each when I was expected to have none would be a triple blessing. Don't you? My fingers are crossed, But I will take what he gives me.
- —Guest Nicole
Trying to decide
- I'm really trying to decide on what I want and the dh wants. We have a 3 year old daughter. We have had 2 miscarriages in a year and were trying again to get pregnant. When it happens I don't want to find out what it is. I think if we do this it will mean so much more to us since what we have been through. I'm also thinking about a home birth if anyone has done this or knows of someone I would like to know their experiences was.
- —Guest kbug's mommy
I love the surprise
- I'm expecting my 3rd bambino and so far have a girl and a boy, my husband really wants to find out this time as we didn't with the other 2, but I'm firmly in the 'surprise on birth day' camp!! I keep telling him we have everything for either so it doesn't matter, I'm just waiting for my consultant to tell me baby is healthy and that is all I care about! Aside from that I know we couldn't keep the secret if we were to find out and I think it kind of ruins the mystery for everyone, cos then they want to know the name that you've picked.. I think 40 weeks is a small time to get used to baby and it's wonderful to dream of all eventualities... I hope we can keep it a surprise and he doesn't break my resolve... :0)
- —Guest Lagalgormista
More Important Things
- I just had my 20 week ultrasound last week and though the baby was head down, legs out, I asked for the tv to be turned of while lower body was checked. I didn't really want to know with my son but I let everyone talk me into it. This time I'm sticking to my resolve. My son was born with undiagnosed heart defects so I underdo a Lot of ultrasounds and scans this time around. So far I've had no temptation or desire to find out the sex, I just want to know the hearts ok and the babys healthy. Plus, either way, they'll be wearing my sons baby clothes, I didn't put him in a lot of blue to begin with. Dad wants to know but his non role in my life left him with no influence on my decision, I decided last time I would never find out next go around and my dads helping make sure I stick to it and letting no one convince me otherwise. Finding out will get me through the delivery, I'll be in an even bigger hurry!
- —keg85
Keeping My word
- This is my fifth child so I told myself and my husband that I didn't want to know. I just recently went in for my 18 week ultrasound and I almost had a break down and told the nurse to go ahead and let me know the sex. My little one made me keep my word by closing it's legs and not moving at all. So now I have no choice but to wait until labor...lol
- —Guest JH
The gender doesn't matter
- When I found out I was pregnant with our third child I knew right away I wanted it to be a surprise. We have a daughter and a son and just feel that baby #3 will be a perfect addition regardless of the sex. I did have a moment of weakness in my 20 week US when the tech asked if I wanted to know but I stayed true to my desires and look forward to meeting our baby in the delivery room be it a girl or a boy!
- —Guest HsMom
Surprise!
- After years of infertility treatments where everything was planned, measured, and timed for so long, we were just thrilled to finally be pregnant. The first big surprise came at the first ultrasound when they told us there were TWO heartbeats! We immediately decided that we would not find out the sex of our babies, and the surprise was fantastic. We found adorable gender neutral nursery bedding, and stocked up on cute newborn stuff in greens, yellows, tans and browns, whites and creams, primary colors, etc. Since they were completely different in utero in terms of how much they moved, etc, we were pretty sure we had boy/girl, but they were both girls! We were thrilled. We are now expecting our third child and once again have stated at each ultrasound that we do not want to be told. The reveal is something we really savored from our first delivery and we can't wait to find out that way again!
- —Guest Alison
Greatest Surprise!
- We had three children, and did not find out the sex of any of them (girl, boy, girl). It is the best surprise when they put the baby on you and you're trying to see what you have. Then when you find out!! Oh my goodness!! I can not explain the emotional high when you find out! Even the nurses are excited to know!
- —Guest Silly Silly
'Im Desperate to know now!
- I've just got back from my 20 week scan and my husband and I decided not to find out as we have with our other children! This time we thought it would be nice to have a surprise! But now I'm wishing I'd found out, I could have got out all the boys or girls baby stuff and started sorting through. I feel a bit deflated now I know I'll have to wait 4 more months!!!
- —Guest guest vikkiashe
My baby
- When I was 16, I found out I was pregnant. I was already home schooled but I had many friends. When I was 15 weeks along, they said "your twins are bo," I snapped " NO!" I waited till they day of birth. The doctor asked, "daddy, tell her the sex of the identical twins" my (then) boyfriend said "Allison, look at our baby girls" they were beautiful. They came home Samantha in green, Alexis in yellow. They are now 3 and living with my husband and I.
- —Guest Allie
Best present ever!
- It's like opening the best present ever! I love the surprise of the whole thing.
- —Guest hhammerich
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