First of all, THANK YOU so much for all of your wonderful well wishes last week! I felt like a kid on Christmas as I hit “publish” for my blog post, announcing that we are expecting another baby. Your words of encouragement and congratulations mean the world to us!
I’m settling into my pregnancy as I am now entering my second trimester. I actually lost five pounds from week eight to week 12. Luckily, my doctor put me on some anti-nausea meds that are really helping. I certainly don’t look like I’ve lost any weight though!
Now on to the great debate…to find out the gender of the baby or stay surprised? We did NOT find out the sex for Blake and I LOVED not knowing. I feel there are so few GOOD surprises in life and waiting to hear those magical words, “It’s a____” in the delivery room is priceless! There is nothing like that moment! Below is a picture right after Blake was born.
I have plenty of friends that feel the exact opposite. They say they are “planners” and need to know. Believe me, I’m a planner, too. I had everything meticulously planned out for the arrival of our baby. In my opinion, the gender isn’t something you need to plan for.
There is obviously no right or wrong, and I’m not judging those that find out. For me, though, the whole experience is more magical when the greatest surprise is revealed the day your baby enters the world. Another perk….all of our newborn items and big purchases, like the swing, bouncy seats, crib, etc, are gender neutral, meaning I can use them all on baby number two!
What do you think? Did you find out the sex of your baby before they were born? Let the great debate begin!
Kathleen,
PLEASE find out so GAS can start buying. You know how I am. They did not tell us back when Lauren was born and I was so anxious. I respect not knowing but I sure would be alot happier if I did. You know I will cherish the baby along with Blake no matter what it is. Hope the medicine helps with the nausa. Love ya
lol! Nope! You will have to wait and be surprised! I know you will cherish the baby…we are planning to come home for a few days during the week when mom and dad get home. I’ll keep you posted!
YOu know my answer!!
Ha! yes I do!
I am a planner too, but honestly, what are you planning for??? Baby doesn’t know (or care) if the room is pink or blue. We have a lovely room for Jason with a lovely tree painted with all of our baby pictures hanging from it. This tree/room is special no matter if it is a boy or girl. Also, the “buying clothes” issues I don’t get. They wear “sleepers’ for the first few weeks, even months in some cases….so does it matter if it is pink, green or blue. I once saw a baby in a pink headband and a man asked the mother, “is it a boy or a girl.” So it doesn’t matter what a baby is wearing.
My son has 3 girl cousins and we used a lot of their stuff, i.e. exersaucers, etc. and they were pink. Again, he has no clue the color of anything.
I truly believe in the “surprise” moment. For me, laying on the operating table awaiting a c-section, I got thru the whole thing because I couldn’t wait until the doctor said “it’s a ___ BOY!
You can’t predict the future so why tempt it by finding out the sex.
My friend did, and the doctor got it wrong. Enjoy the moments and the surprise. Life is too short!!
Congrats and enjoy life’s greatest gift!!!
Agree 110% Julie! It totally helped me get through my csection, too. I just kept thinking, “boy or girl” and it kept me focused as they performed the surgery. There isn’t a better surprise in the world!
I’ve also heard parents like to find out what they are having for baby #2, 3 etc. because they want to know if they should keep clothes, etc. I say, “you’ve kept them this long right?
Do you open your gifts before Christmas? I just find humor in the whole thing….hehehe
what’s another few months to wait and see what you are having. I am usually the one who can see both sides to everything, I am a reporter….but this is one situation where I just don’t get finding out. You can’t change it once you find out…lol I get “it’s a personal” choice, and that’s great….but again, what are you really planning for? It’s a baby! It will poop, cry, eat, not sleep and make a mess no matter what the sex.
Can’t wait to see you!!!!!!
Ha ha ha!!
I used to find my Christmas gifts as a child. Opened them up, and wrapped them again without ever letting my parents find out! That’s how impatient I am!
I am on phone while my mil is at Dr.so forgive my typing. With gender neutral, you can certainly let it be a surprise. I found out both times. You are right, there is no right or wrong gender. Both are blessings. And I am sure, the delivery surprise is like none other.
We found out with both of ours … it just dpends on the couple. Congrats and I looked forward to the big reveal!
Hi, Kathleen. First of all, congratulations! I just signed up to follow your blog a few weeks ago. I stumbled upon it while doing a Google search for Mommy and Me classes at the YMCA. By the way…I went to the same high school as your husband.
Anyway…I agree 100% with what Julie posted. Speaking of gender debate — everyone makes such a fuss over the colors a baby should wear. I don’t get that, either.
I think it’s a wonderful idea to wait. Like you wrote, there are such few surprises left in this life, so why not just wait and be surprised in that moment when your baby enters the world? I say do it!
I have an 8-month old boy. I wanted to find out what I had growing inside of me because I am a very impatient person. My best friend told me, rather, pleaded with me to wait. She said that the surprise in the delivery room is priceless; however, despite her pleadings, I just had to find out. I knew I was having a boy anyway…from the moment I found out I was pregnant. It was a very strong gut feeling.
So…congrats again! Glad those meds are working out for ya. I was so sick in my first trimester, I lost 20lbs! I was living in Italy at the time with my husband, and the OB there tried giving me anti-nausea medicine that is used for chemo patients! That’s how bad it was. It was a nightmare. I was bed-ridden for the whole 1st trimester.
I love following your blog! I look forward to following your pregnancy. Keep us posted!
God bless.
Hello, Kathleen. First of all, congratulations! I have been following your blog for a few weeks now. I stumbled upon it by doing a Google search for Mommy and Me classes at the YMCA. Lol. I love your blog! By the way, I went to the same high school as your husband — class of ’91.
I agree 100% with what Julie Short posted — what difference does it make what color your baby wears? I think people in our society are a little too obsessed with gender identification using colors. I just don’t get it.
Anyway…I have an 8-month old boy. I KNEW what I was having the moment I found out I was pregnant. Very strong instinct. We found out at 20 weeks only because I am very impatient. I just had to know!
I had been living in Italy at the time I got pregnant, and the belief over there was that if you are very nauseous, it means you’re having a girl. Boy were they wrong! I was so completely sick the 1st trimester, I lost 20lbs. I was put on anti-nausea meds that are used for chemo patients, but they didn’t work!
Anyway…glad your meds are working.
So, I say wait to find out. If I weren’t such an impatient person, I would have wanted to wait.
Looking forward to reading future posts about your pregnancy.
God bless!
Thanks so much for the comment! You must have been miserable your first trimester…and i thought i had it bad! Im so glad you are enjoying the blog. Did you sign up for any mommy and me classes? As you may have read on here, ive done ymca swim lessons, kindermusik, and gymboree classes. Ive like all of them, though swimming is a challenge! Let me know what you decide. Small world that you went to the same high school as my husband!
Yes, I did read about the mommy and me activities that you posted. I would like to look into them more, but for now I signed up for a summer play group through my church that meets every Friday all summer long. It’s a chance for moms to hang out while their kids play. My baby, Luca, is only 8 months, but I need some mommy interaction really bad!
Funny you ask- as my husband and I were just talking about this last night. We didn’t find out with either of our girls- I love surprises and couldn’t imagine a more wonderful surprise. He wanted to know- especially with the second one. But since I was the one carrying the babies for 9 (plus!!) months, he said it was my decision. He said it is a great surprise either way- but I personally don’t think anything beats being in the delivery room and hearing “…it’s a — !” Both of my sister-in-laws and most of my friends, though, couldn’t wait until that mid-pregnancy ultrasound to find out. I don’t get it…but to each his own.
Im with you…to each his own…and i agree with what julie said…it’s like opening your christmas presents early! I also understand some people not being able to wait…but it is sooo worth it! It also gives the dad a really special role…he gets to go into the waiting room and tell the family if it’s a boy or a girl!