Would you chose to know: boy or girl?

Speedster · Nov 2, 2006

Congratulations

to you and mrs H.

We have 2 boys, age 6 and 1. With both of them we chose to know: boy or girl. For practical reasons. This was especially nice with the oldest as he was born 9 weeks premature (weighing 1400 grammes) and we had to spend almost 2 months in the hospital.

Nathan Flowers · Nov 3, 2006

Just saw this.

Congrats, Mr. 'H'! Hope your Mrs. is doing well!

Back to the topic, my wife and I chose not to find out what we were having when she had our little girl. We mainly wanted the family to be surprised, and weren't concerned about decoration (we went with light green in the nursery). The baby mostly wore white onesies (that's what we call a bodysuit type thing that buttons at the bottom here in the US) for the first several months of life, as they are likely to make many messes at first anyway.

It just adds a suspenseful element that's been a part of the human experience since the beginning.

When we get around to having another child, we may find out as it'll make it easier with deciding to keep our current child's clothes and things to use again.

Again, Congratulations!

happyfilmluvguy · Nov 3, 2006

These moments are always great around the lounge.

Congradulations and Welcome to the world baby Tom!

I haven't even treaded these waters, but I like a surprise, even if it's planned out. It's like an outburst that you'd never get by knowing before hand. Like a surprise birthday party.

Matthew Dalton · Nov 3, 2006

I picked no. But I don't know what I would do in the event I was actually going to be a Father.

Micawber · Nov 3, 2006

Yes we chose to know what both of ours were going to be as it obviously makes it so much easier buying suitable clothing etc. I believe it is a pleasant discovery no matter what stage of development the discovery is made, besides if the medics know then why should we, the people who's baby it actually is be last in the queue?

RetroModelSari · Nov 3, 2006

I¬¥d love to know. For one reason that it¬¥s easier to buy the clothes and toys. Also I¬¥d like to know if I should name my babybelly with a boy or girl-name.

But I feel I¬¥d know if it¬¥s a boy or girl - my Mom just knew I¬¥m a girl and refused to chose a boys name just in case I wouldn¬¥t be one. Maybe I¬¥ll have that enormous instinct, too. [huh]

Gray Ghost · Nov 3, 2006

Congratulations!!!!!!!

Mr. 'H' said:
MK, "Tom" arrived Sunday morning, two weeks ahead of schedule!

Will fill everybody in as soon as we get some photos up.

All's well and he came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.

Hope the wee one and his mother is doing well. Hope you are too. You need to get a photo of the three of you in your best vintage standing in front of "Pearl". It would make a nice vintagy photo. Congratulations again.

Gray Ghost

olive bleu · Nov 5, 2006

sometimes it's good to be prepared...

First of all..so happy that everything went well, hope you are having tons of fun!

My first born arrived 3 months early, not a good thing, obviously.After being in intensive care for 5 months, he did come home but died from a lung infection at 13 months.{This is not to alarm you MR. 'H', he had very weak lungs due to not being fully developed when he was born}

Anyway, We adopted an infant 2 years later(a boy) and when he was 2 months old, i discovered i was pregnant. I felt so overwhelmed by the prospect of having two babies, when my doctor asked me if i wanted to know the sex, I said, "hell, yes!"...

Braxton36 · Nov 6, 2006

Congratulations!

We chose not to know just as someone else said - there are so few surprises left in the world and there's nothing you can do about it anyway. We also had an old-fashioned doctor who didn't believe in sonograms if everything appeared to be going well which luckily it did every time. I was fine with all that and asked the doctor to only let me know if he thought we might have a two-headed lizard or something in there.

We bought a few advance clothing items (mostly white or yellow) but most things seemed to appear as gifts once the babies were born. None of our newborns expressed any interest in the colour of their room. But, they have no shortage of opinions now!

Rosie · Nov 6, 2006

Congrats on the baby!!

I would chose not to know. I like the element of surprise.

rubyredlocks · Nov 6, 2006

For me I understand both sides of this coin. The thought of not knowing seems traditional and that element of surprise is tempting. The moment when your little one arrives and the doc says "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs.Doe,you have a beautiful baby blank!"
As for decor,doing something unisex is simple enough and you can add more gender specific elements with time.

Of course,I understand wanting to know and being prepared.Some just don't want to go the unisex route.Perhaps,your the type that will choose nursery items differently based on the sex of your child.Some that find out even wait til this point to discuss names finding it easier to come up with something when you only have one gender to think about.

For me,I decided to find out because the suspense was driving me nuts.I really didn't care about the decorating or if the baby was a boy or girl,but I had a strong and undeniable feeling that the babe was a boy.Couldn't even look at girl stuff.
Honestly,I felt silly and never really believed in that whole mother's intuition thing and yet I couldn't shake the feeling,so I decided I had to know if only to prove my own silliness to myself.(My husband also says to point out that I don't like surprises,so we pretty much knew we'd want to know)
Found out:it's a boy!
I'm surprised by how much I love knowing at this stage.For us,we never thought we wanted to have children and this pregnancy wasn't planned.We had a bit of a shock when we found out and continued to be more shocked once we realized how excited we really are,but it's felt surreal.
Now that Dash truly has an identity it's made such a difference for me,but I realize it's so different for each and every parent.

I think if you find out or not it's such a personal choice and neither way is right or wrong.

CherryRed · Nov 6, 2006

Now that Dash truly has an identity it's made such a difference for me,but I realize it's so different for each and every parent.

This is how I felt also. When we found out we were having a boy I really started thinking about him as in individual rather than an unknown baby. I found it very special too. I hope to have another in the next year or two because I really still want a little girl.

jamespowers · Nov 6, 2006

Mr. 'H' said:
MK, "Tom" arrived Sunday morning, two weeks ahead of schedule!

Will fill everybody in as soon as we get some photos up.

All's well and he came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.

Congratulations! Glad everything went well.
For me, I can't understand not wanting to know. I knew before our son was born. We had a name we could use from when my wife was just a couple of months along. He knew what his name was long before he was born. It also makes it easier to get clothes, fill out the birth certificate and a host of other things. I don't know how my parents could take not knowing. :eusa_doh:
How did they have baby showers in those days? What do you buy? Androgenous clothing?!

I found a cache of stuff that my mother never used---still in their original boxes with cards! I could see why some of it wasn't but some of it is getting used now 38 years later and let me tell you, the workmanship on the blankets and clothing was much better then too. (I know--bringing it back around to vintage again.)

Regards,

J

Marc Chevalier · Nov 6, 2006

jamespowers said:
I found a cache of stuff that my mother never used---let me tell you, the workmanship on the blankets and clothing was much better then too.

Interesting factoid: Brazil (the country) makes and exports some of the finest baby clothes in the world. Soft Egyptian cotton and cambric: hand embroidered. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. To be worn on special occasions only -- baptisms, Easter, etc. -- unless you're rich enough to not care about messes.

.

jamespowers · Nov 6, 2006

Marc Chevalier said:
Interesting factoid: Brazil (the country) makes and exports some of the finest baby clothes in the world. Soft Egyptian cotton and cambric: hand embroidered. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. To be worn on special occasions only -- baptisms, Easter, etc. -- unless you're rich enough to not care about messes.

.

Oh come now Marc. We have all seen the castle you live in. Spend the extra money.

Regards,

J

Viola · Nov 6, 2006

I would like to know, I think. Partly because with my family tree I'm going to have to have tests and tests and tests done anyhow so its not like I won't be hassling the bejeezus out of the doctor anyway.

I think I would paint a nursery gender-neutral anyway. Something happy and bright, like lime and tangerine, isn't too rigidly defined.

Viola

MinnieRose · Nov 6, 2006

I had a level II ultrasound a couple of days before Christmas in 2004, so we decided to put the 'answer' in an envelope to open on Christmas day. I was sooo sure it would be a boy and actually cried when my other kids said 'it's a girl!' I am ashamed to say I was initially disappointed, but she is such a joy! I was glad we found out so I had time to 'adjust' to a girl.

Lincsong · Nov 7, 2006

I really couldn't care if it were a boy or a girl, as long as it was healthy.

Mr. 'H' · Nov 9, 2006

Here's Tom, he arrived Sunday before last.

Here he is in my Depression era Mac Lachlan hat:

jamespowers · Nov 10, 2006

Mr. 'H' said:
Here's Tom, he arrived Sunday before last.

Here he is in my Depression era Mac Lachlan hat:

Congratulations! :eusa_clap
Nice hat too.

Regards,

J

Would you chose to know: boy or girl?

Would you chose to know the sex of your baby before it is born?

Yes - if the doctors know, then I should know

No - in a world of instant information, I'd like some things to still be a surprise

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