When my mom’s coworker and her husband found out that they were having a baby, they decided to turn the big gender-reveal moment into a memorable one: They had the doctor write the baby’s sex on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope. Then, on Christmas, they invited family over to share in the exciting discovery with them. It was…a boy! Little Cole (isn’t that a sweet name?) was born just a few weeks ago, and it got me thinking about how I don’t think I’d be able to wait nine months to find out. The suspense would kill me, as if I were an anxious child waiting open that huge present on Christmas morning.
And speaking of boys and girls, would you rather have one more than the other? Growing up, I always wondered if my father was sad that he didn’t have any sons to throw the football around with or take on long weekend camping trips. His answer? Never.
So, what’s your verdict, friends? Would you rather find out if you were having a boy or a girl? Or would you rather keep it a surprise for the special day? Do you think knowing helps you bond faster with your baby? Have you ever thrown a gender-reveal party? Have you ever been to one?
[Photo by Monika Elena]
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Jenna E says
We are keeping it a surprise. There are so few surprises left in this world! That being said it makes shopping a bit harder as everything is so gender orientated. My husband is really wanting to have a little girl because he wants to have a "daddy girl" that he can spoil. I hope he is not secretly disappointed if it turns out to be a boy as he has hyped up his little baby girl dream :p
Anonymous says
We kept it a surprise with our first, but I totally knew he was a boy. I loved our boy name so much more. Ans the moment they told me he was a boy, I just was overwhelmed.
For our second we found out as soon as we could. The baby was due on our first son's birthday and we really really wanted another boy. Yay! Got another boy. Loved naming him early and all the other stuff.
For our third we decided to have the ultrasound tech put the gender on a card in a sealed envelope so we could open it at home with our boys. We were shocked when it said we were having a girl.
It didn't change the bonding factor at all.
Liesl says
My mother waited to find out what my sisters and I were going to be until the big day, and she always wanted all girls…mission accomplished! 🙂 As for my sister, she found out prior to the big day, but didn't do any big reveal, and they were both boys. Now, as for myself, I don't have kids and my never, but if I do, I always wanted to wait until the big day like my mother did, but the more I see all these fun gender reveal parties, I kind of like that idea too and begin able to prep mentally and with things, like the nursery, in advance…I guess we'll just have to wait and see! 🙂
Rachael says
I wouldn't want to know, at the end of the day there's only two outcomes and there's enough neutral coloured baby products and clothes out there that I don't think not knowing would be a hindrance to being prepared.
Shannon Hughes says
Did you hear about the parents who kept their baby's sex a secret from others? This was a while ago, but I was wondering what everyone thought of it?
Personally I thought it was a really interesting idea- especially since gender is a social construction. Thoughts?
PinkPanthress says
I believe, I would wait until it is born… the gender is not important to me anyway.
I just need to know that during pregnancy & later birth there are no complications & that the child is healthy.
Mo says
I absolutely LOVE surprises so I'm pretty sure I'm gonna want to wait until the big day. To get around the whole buying gender-specific items, I figure I'd have a gender reveal party with my closest family and best friend, and only let them see the sex (and not tell me!). That way, they can buy the items they were gonna buy anyway but with a specific sex in mind, and I'll still get to await my little surprise.
Is that crazy? :/
Little redhead says
I definitely would not be able to wait nine months to find out, I'd go mad with curiousity. Also, I would want to have fun nesting and get the room the way I like, based on if it's a boy or a girl. Can't put fairies all around a boys room really 😀
To be honest I really really hope I get a girl, not that I wouldn't be happy with a boy, but I hope I don't just get boys and no girls. I've always wanted a daughter, so I do wish I get have at least one. One of each would be good 🙂
Darby Arby says
we didn't find out what we were having until we had our baby (a little girl!) and it was THE BEST SURPRISE EVER! It was so much fun to anticipate and picture and dream. We loved it!
It was cool too, because Levi (my husband) had something that was alllll his. Obviously, I was the one who was pregnant. I knew we were pregnant first, I felt the baby kick first, I was the one delivering the baby, I was the one who got to have the baby on my chest first, etc… Let's be real… pregnancy is a lot about the woman. A lot of men (whether they admit it or not) feel left out of pregnancies and child birth. Levi got to tell me what the gender was, that was so special for him to be the one who know that first and the one who declared it. Pretty cool. 🙂
Natasha and Jesse says
I'm currently pregnant and my husband and I found out! He really wanted to know from the beginning and I kind of wanted to wait until he was born. I'm glad we found out though so we can buy boy clothes and think of names!