Yesterday I talked about five reasons you should find out your baby’s gender ahead of time. Personally, I am glad I found out we were having a boy when I was pregnant with my son. Not only did I enjoy calling him by his name throughout most of the pregnancy, but it allowed my family to bond with him in a special way as well. Interestingly enough, I think when we have a second child I would like to be surprised. I want to experience it both ways!
You can enjoy the surprise. There’s nothing like hearing “It’s a ___” after the whirlwind of childbirth. It’s an emotional climax in the intense process of labor. It adds an element of expectation! Plus, it’s keeping with tradition.
It’s something to look forward to when the last weeks of pregnancy get tough. I was miserable my last week of pregnancy. I remember sobbing to my husband, “I don’t want to be pregnant anymore!” I knew we were having a son, I knew his name, and I just wanted to get it over with and bring him home. It might have been easier to handle the wait if I had something to look forward to. I would have had a reason to look forward to childbirth rather than cringe with worry.
You can drive your relatives nuts. How many times do people ask a pregnant woman, “what are you having?” The answer is… too many! How much more fun could it be than to respond with “I don’t know!” when most pregnant women seem to find out ahead of time. Imagine how your mother-in-law’s face will twist with confusion and a hint of disappointment when you tell her she’ll just have to wait to buy those baby clothes. Now imagine her reaction at the hospital when she finally hears the announcement. Isn’t that worth it?
You don’t have to worry about being wrong. Sometimes the ultrasound is very clear in depicting the gender of the baby. But sometimes it can be wrong! If you’ve picked a name, decorated the nursery bright pink and ordered lavender birth announcements, what will you do when the doctor says “It’s a boy??” Believe me, this was my recurring nightmare in the weeks before childbirth. Fortunately the ultrasound tech was correct. Even I could see my son’s “evidence” on the ultrasound, though. I don’t know why I was worried.
You can have fun guessing beforehand. Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets. Start a pool at your baby shower or host a survey on your website. People love to guess, especially when they have a 50/50 chance of being right!