To find out or not to find out? Check this out first.
To find out or not to find out?
It is a debate that has divided parents-to-be since the invention of gender scans.
Finding out the sex is one of those favorite sources of conversation for pregnant women and couples and all who know them (friends, family, even people on the bus): "Will you find out/have you found out/did you find out the sex?" It's one of the earliest indication of the significance the world today places upon the gender distinction. Thanks to science and the twenty first century, if we're pregnant and we want to find out whether it's a boy or a girl, we need only seek out a friendly health professional to lather some jelly on our tummy’s and… hey presto! Or you could take your chances of swinging a wedding ring over your belly to see which way it swings first (round and round for a girl back and front or a boy, “they” say). Just a hunch but I’d say the the jelly lathering has a better success rate!
Now just because it's relatively easy nowadays to find out it doesn't mean you have to, of course. Not knowing if you are having a boy or a girl until the day of their birth has been the human experience of the past, which some would say makes not finding out seem a lot more natural?
A lot of couples choose to not to find out because they're looking forward to the element of surprise. For many they cannot wait that long to find out whether they are brewing a little XX or an XY. Some are dying to know.
But what is right for us isn’t necessarily right for everyone and whatever way you’re leaning… as with most things in life - follow your gut instinct (just don’t mix up that feeling with last night’s chili!) Here is a list compiled or some of the pros and cons we read up on that might help.
The pros of finding out baby’s sex:
- It is amazing reward halfway through your pregnancy, particularly if it’s been a tough one.
- Some have reported that the baby feels more ‘real’ and you start to develop a visual bond with it.
- You only have to agree on one names (or wittle it down to a short list of boys or girls names).
- If you already have children, knowing whether they’ll have a little brother or sister can help them feel more connected.
- You can buy gender-specific nursery decorations (if that's your thing) and baby clothes.
- Friends and family have an easier time buying gifts.
- You have time to accept it if you had your heart is set on the other sex.
The cons of finding out baby’s sex:
Some parents believe you should wait until the midwife or doctor announces, “It’s a boy/girl!”. Here are a few reasons why
- The sex of your baby is one of life’s greatest surprises and you don’t want to spoil it by finding out ahead of time.
- All that matters is having a healthy baby and you shouldn’t care about the sex.
- You might start to develop expectations of your baby if you know its gender.
- You’ll avoid receiving too many gender-specific clothes and toys.
- You might not be able to find out the sex if the baby isn’t in the right position, so it’s best not to get your hopes up.
- Ultrasounds aren’t 100% accurate in determining the sex, so you could prepare for one gender only to have the other.
Did you find/are you finding out the sex of your baby, or was it a surprise?
