Not all parents want to know the sex of their unborn baby and you will only be told if you do want to know. The main reasons for not wanting to know are that you want a surprise or think it’s more fun knowing. But what if you’re impatient and can’t wait?
There are a few things you need to think about before you decide whether you want to find out the sex of your baby:
- Do you and your partner BOTH want to know the sex of your baby?
- If you’re particularly hoping for one sex or the other would you rather know so that you can get used to the idea?
- Will you share the result with family and friends if you do find out the sex?
Pros of finding out your baby’s sex:
- You can plan ahead with names, nursery décor and clothing
- Some people say that finding out the sex helps the bonding process with their unborn baby
- Quite simply you don’t have to wait especially if you are impatient!
Our blogger Laura says “I am impatient plus I just wanted to know. The sonographer told me I was having a girl with both of my pregnancies, I ended up with a girl and a boy so I can confirm it’s not an exact science. I was delighted anyway, but someone else in my position may not have been.”
Pros of not finding out your baby’s sex:
- You get the excitement of finding out at the birth
- The sonographer may have been wrong, it happens, and this could be a shock!
- Everything you choose will be gender neutral and you won’t get loads of pink or blue baby stuff bought for you when the baby is born
Our Facebook Fan, Lisa, says “Finding out at the birth was unlike anything else, the best surprise ever. I felt as though my labour and delivery was less miserable because I was desperate to know!”
If you decide you want to know you can ask the sonographer to tell you at your anomaly scan which is usually offered between 18=-21 weeks. The anomaly scan is predominantly to look for physical abnormalities in the baby.
The baby will need to be in the right position for your sonographer to tell if it’s a boy or a girl. If they cannot see you might be asked to drink water, go for a walk or have a little jump around!
It’s not an exact science and sometimes it is impossible to tell and some hospitals have a policy of not telling parents the sex of their baby. If the sonographer cannot tell you could pay for a private scan or you might have an opportunity if you have a further scan later in pregnancy.
