Do You Find Out the Sex of Your Baby?

[lisamarie]

Just a quick poll~

How many of you find out the sex of your baby by ultrasound? With my ds, I "always" knew he was a boy and didn't want to confirm it via ultrasound.

Now that I'm pregnant again and it will probably be my last one, I'm 50-50 on it. Someone had said, "well Dane would probably bond quicker w/the baby if you found out." Do you think that would be true? My gut says no.

Also, if you do find out, what are your reasons why.

Thanks~

Lisa:heartbeat

[Starfire]

There is all most always two people PG in our family. But what we do is compare dreams. Like every one in my family has been dreaming of a little boy. Now my sister is due in two weeks, if she has a boy I know I will have a girl. And vis versa. My son listens to my belly, now I am only a month along, but he says it is a girl and he wanted a brother.

I do not plan on finding out what the sex is because we all have girls in my family and it was shocking to have a boy 6 years ago. Now I am hoping for a girl and just want to wait and be suprised. If I have another bot I will be very suprised, but my partner will be very happy. I think that is why we are waiting also, we both wish for the opposite.

[rainsmom]

Because of my age, I elected to have an amnio. I wanted to know the sex. As soon as I saw her, I almost told them to skip the amnio as I knew by looking at her that she was perfect, but whatever standards you want to measure "normal" by..... Im glad I found out as we connected closely with her, picked out names, etc. With my first, I knew through my dreams he was a boy. And I guess I knew with this one too.......

[rainsmom]

Because of my age, I elected to have an amnio. I wanted the sex. As soon as I saw her, I almost told them to skip the amnio as I knew by looking at her that she was perfect, but whatever standards you want to measure "normal" by..... Im glad I found out as we connected closely with her, picked out names, etc. With my first, I knew through my dreams he was a boy. And I guess I knew with this one too.......

[hawleyclan]

Hi! :) We never find out... The first couple of babies it made my family crazy- "we can't plan what to buy..." :D We love it though! There is nothing as mysterious in the world as wondering what you are carrying... or as surprising at birth!! We have 3 boys and a girl, and one on the way... wonder if it'll be another boy... or a girl... hmmm... :p

The Lord bless you!
Zoie :)

[Kermit]

We wanted our first to be a surprise, so we didn't find out. At first all I could think of was girl, but then one day it hit me, "This is a boy!" and from then on out I knew it was, and was right. Everyone else thought it was a boy, too!
With my second, she was conceived before we were ready to start trying again. The kids would be very close in age and I was feeling overwhelmed and wanted as much info beforehand as possible. So we found out.
My current pregnancy was also not planned and I felt the need to know for sure. Everyone was thinking it would be a boy again, and they were right! I'm happy to know. It really helps to know because I still feel very busy. I can do all the fun stuff to prepare, knowing the sex. If I had waited to find out, I know after having him, I wouldn't be up for shopping or room planning or anything.
I think it did help make it more real for DH. But it didn't make him anymore into it. I think for men, since they aren't going through anything, it becomes old hat and they forget about what's going on inside of you. I've learned not to hold him to those expectations. He is not having the same experience as me, so I can't judge him. He was very nervous about having a baby with our first, even though we were trying! When I miscarried, he was more crushed than I was, and I realized that even if it didn't seem like it, my being pregnant was real and impacting to him. What matters more to me than him seeming into every stage of pregnancy and connected to the baby, though, is his support and bond with the child when it is born. He's a wonderful dad.

[kerc]

I am a scientist by career choice. That said, I felt ok with getting the US done to check for the location of the placenta and because I hadn't yet felt the baby (at 21 wks). But I prefer to leave some of the mystery of birth there and not have it totally scientific. We have some wonderful tools that scientists have developed and DH and I are 50% sure we will be right when we think the baby is a boy :).

[Super_Mom]

i think the choice is purely individual, I don't see any wrong or right choice, just whatever you want to do. With My First and third I found out the sex before, but with My 2nd i decided to wait for the suprise, and Now that i'm haveing possibly our last, I think i'm going to find out the sex this time too. I love to be able to plan!

[clewal]

Yes, we find out the sex of the baby. I am the type of person who has to know, I don't want to be surprised, plus I can't wait that long. I know it's petty, but that is just the way I'm wired I guess. I also read the end of a book before I read the second chapter, I gotta know what is going to happen. That is one reason I stopped watching "Survivor", I coulnd't stand the wait.

[kittyboo]

I am not one for surprises. . . BUT, I think it is wonderful not to know on the sex of your baby. Everyone is always saying they don't care if it's a boy or girl as long as the babe is healthy, so why do they find out? If the Universe meant for mamas to know baby's sex, our bellybutton would be a peep hole! :shy

[Heavenly]

We don't find out through ultrasound but I know without a doubt. This little one is a girl, I've been "told" that since before I knew she was in there. I look forward to meeting her!

[GB's Mom]

I voted NO b/c we are not finding out with this pregnancy, but we did with our first, even though I already knew from the moment I found out I was pregnant. I'm not planning on having an ultrasound during this pregnancy unless some medical reason emerges, so we're happy to keep it a surprise. And this time I have NO IDEA what the sex it, which is pretty fun.

[ladylee]

I had an amnio, and decided last minute to find out. I was glad because I wanted to talk to her by name :).

[indiegirl]

We found out with Violet; I was having a hard time connecting with the babe not knowing the gender...silly, I know. With this one, I'm sure we will find out as well.

I'd like to be one of those who waited, but I can't even wait until Christmas to open presents let alone this. I'm so bad that I even try to give dh his gifts BEFORE Christmas because I can't stand the wait.

LOL

[merpk]

We absolutely did not. (though the poll isn't letting me vote :crying)

Each time we had to tell everyone we saw in doctor's office/hospital for any test, "please, no gender," or something like that, so that they wouldn't let any stray pronouns slips out. ;)

Though I have to say that in each case I knew. And I was right. Had dreams about it, too. And in the last case both my children told me it was a boy from the start. Yes, they were right, too.

They also tell me we're going to have another ... :love

- Amy

[indigolilybear]

nope, never have, never would.

i love the surprise though w/both, i was told through dreams what their sex was.

[lilyka]

My first one we had seven ultrasounds in which she made it pbvious and each time we resisted. We were told through dreams that it was girl (along with the situation surrounding her birth - sucky, we just assusmed that was all nightmare nerve stuff but wierd though. The dreams were right on some things right down to what the rude nurse said "she won't eat because she is rejecting you")

Second one we would have found out in a second but didn't have any ultrasounds and weren't going to have one just to find out the sex.

This time I was desperate know, had the ultrasound, and the little buger wouldn't reveal :rolleyes: So we don't knowif it is a boy or girl but we are pretty positive we are going to have another intelligent strongwilled child. Yippee :p . Although she thinks she saw girl parts and definitely didn;t see boy parts there was only a two second window to look. Of course that was from the same US where she says "Thats a hand waving at us, there is four fingers there. . . I'm sure there is probably a 5th somewhere" Needless to say this by no means your basic, bioloigical profile, done by a pro ultrasound. This midwife dinking with the machine for some babybook fodder so you never know. . . I would have a real one but it isn't so important anymore.

[candiland]

Nope. My midwife doesn't do ultrasounds.:D

[rwikene]

We found out, and it was a good thing too. I was certain that we were having a boy! and only bought boy things. I resented anyone who said otherwise, but then about a week before the ultrasound I had a dream of my baby, and it was a girl. Then I had the tech take pictures and write down the gender, b/c dh couldn't be there. I was supposed to keep the card sealed until I saw him, but I couldn't wait, I called my mom who convinced me to open it (didn't take much convincing) and surprise it was a girl.

So I had to start buying girl clothes. Although DD wore a lot of "boy" looking clothes. :rolleyes: She was born in November and everyone gave me teeny tiny baby dresses for her, right like I am going to put my newborn baby in a dress in the dead of winter. My mom was upset that her first pics she was wearing overalls....but she looked very cute!!!

Ok, so that was off topic, sorry

Rachel

[Kirsten]

We didn't find out either time - and would never with any future pregnancies. I am not big into surprises in general but LOVE that one! It is just so neat to have no idea (doesn't matter - though many of us - me included - seem at one time or another to think it does) and you can't change it anyway. They just wear little sleepers (many choices in mint, yellow, white, etc.!) at first. And the stores will still sell you pink and blue stuff after the baby comes out. With first dd, we took her out to the mall at 6 days old and bought some pink, girly stuff. And if you don't know the gender, you get more cool books, toys, baby paraphenilia instead of all blue or pink clothes. I kind of like picking out clothes myself anyway - call me picky...
Also, I think it is so fun to call people after you have the baby - everyone is so curious as to what you had!
For me, I had kind of "wanted" a girl both times (first time I just did and second time so DD1 would have a sister as my sister and I are close and I wanted her to have that too). If I had found out at US that I was having a boy, I would have been a little disappointed. But if I'd had a boy and been surprised at birth, well then you have a PRECIOUS baby in your arms and you could care less which gender it is. I think that happened with me - my dad really wanted a boy as a firstborn child. Made it clear to everyone all through their pregnancy. I came out, he said "well, we can't name her Ole (his grampa's name - thankfully I was a girl!) then I wrapped him around my little finger and was a daddy's girl in the biggest way until the day that he died. Still am.
If you have the slightest preference (and I think many people do - though of course we all want a healthy baby as our #1 priority), I would NOT find out the gender beforehand. I feel like it is the difference between spending four months disappointed (after US) or one second (at birth)? This has happened to friends of ours - her dh wanted a boy but they had a girl and found out at US. He is a great dad now but it was rough right after the US. No baby in your arms then.
And for the bonding for your first child - our dd1 loved the baby, kissed my stomach, talked to and about the baby all through. She could not have bonded with her more had she known the gender - IMO. AND I LOVED calling her - it was not one minute after the baby was born and laying across my chest - and telling her she had a baby sister. DD1 was at my house with my own little sister at the time. It was so neat. She got to tell my sister that it was a girl.
One last thing (I think I'm writing a novel here...) another friend had two kids - surprised with the first and knew with the second. She claims now that being surprised is the only way to go. With the first, she called people and everyone is so excited - "what did you have???" When her son was born, we were all happy but it was more like "he's here". We knew it was a boy and we knew his name and now he is here. Just different.
I just think it is the best surprise in the world and am always so thrilled when people choose to be surprised.
Kirsten

[StarMama]

Well I didn't vote, cuz I don't have any children yet. But I am totally gonna find out first. I'm already picking out names and we aren't even TTC yet! (wish wish wish we were though)

I'm a planner, and artistic, so I want to know so I can plan and buy and design and draw/paint and personalize baby stuff. I am also uber-impatient and will want want want to know! LOL!

I am kinda bummed that we won't have a nursery (its so expensive to live in the bay area, so we're in the process of renting a home with a very good friend who wants to be around children) so I won't be able to do up a whole room for them, but the benefit of co-sleeping and being able to be a SAHM will *more* than make up for a froo froo nursery.

Doesn't mean that we can't personalize a handmade froo-froo cradle my dh will make that will most likely be toy storage! Hehehehe

[Staara]

With DS I didnt find out until a week before he was born, DD I found out and was much happier about it..DD I asked not to know because she was induced 2 days later and I figured I waited that long and I could wait the extra couple days..although one of the nurses slipped up and said "she" at one point, but we still waited until she popped out...as I watched the birth the first words that coame out of my mouth were "its a girl"...I was happy I waited, but this time I really wanna find out..just for shopping and name purposes :)

[zacsmama]

we did not want to find out with ds, age 3.5, but for some reason this time around, i wanted to find out. largely for purposes of talking to ds about it, he's kind of caught up on it being a girl, probably because he has a new baby cousin who is a girl, and so i wanted to start to let him down gently if it were a boy. dh didn't want to know, but said if i did, that was fine, he could live with it either way. so i had my US a week ago, at 22 weeks, and it was not clear what the sex was, so even though i was supposed to win, dh won on this one! oh well. we think it's a girl, so we refer to it as she more often, but may be in for a surprise...;)

[AmyG]

We're going to find out in about 2 weeks. I could go either way, but it's very important to DH, and I thought it was important to let him make at least one decision since most of this experience is mine.

My preferance would be to find out but not tell our family members. I dread getting nothing but blue or pink stuff at my shower. But our family would take that really personally if we did that.

[Irishmommy]

Dh didn't want to know with dd1, so we didn't. We wanted to with dd2 because dd1 was so set on a girl we wanted to know so if it was a boy we could prep her. Dd2 was a proper little lady and kept her legs crossed, so she was a surprise too.

[breathingmom]

I voted no. I know so many people who's ultrasound tech has been wrong.

When I was pregnant with twins and had an ultrasound done at 35 weeks to double check their postitions I told the tech that I did not want to know the sex. After the babies were born our midwife told us that when they sent her the report they said I was having two boys. Then about three weeks later they sent her another report saying that they had been wrong and the I was having two girls!!! I can't imagine what it would have been like to think that I was having two boys only to find out three weeks later that it was two girls!!

I love the surprise and think it's fun to come up with two names!

~Jill

[greenluv]

We found out with all three kids.

A funny thing about the second baby was during the u/s when we asked if the dr. could tell the sex and he said "there's no obvious penis, so I think it's a girl". After that I hoped he was right!!! LOL He was right, and I didn't get a son with no obvious penis. LOL

[cosmos]

with our first we found out but didn't tell anyone-that was fun but disappointing to us because everyone was so excited to find out (except us, of course). The second we didn't find out and that was great too. I just kept feeling like I should know and couldn't believe I didn't. Sounds weird but when she was born I wasn't surprised at all. It was just my child, and sex didn't much matter.

[lexbeach]

We are hoping to find out the sexes at the next U/S. We had decided pre-pregnancy that we would only find out early if they were twins. And they are! I think I just want to know as much as possible before they arrive. I also feel like it's a surprise whenever you find out, so I don't understand the argument of wanting it to be a surprise (and therefore waiting until birth). I feel like it will be a surprise enough to find out what they look like when they're born (especially after using an unknown donor to conceive)! I always dream that they're both girls (we already know they're fraternal), but my awake intuition says they're a boy and a girl. I think I'll only be really surprised if they're both boys!

[Aster]

There was no way we could have missed the gender of our ds on his u/s!! lol

That said i absolutely wanted to know if the baby was a boy or grrl. I think it's easier to bond with a he or a she than an 'it'. "It" was just soooo impersonal, it seemed like we were talking about an inanimate object like a rock ykwim?

:love
Happy healthy prenancy to you!!

[SunRae]

We are not going to find out only because we aren't going to have any tests done. I would like to know ahead of time; dh wouldn't, so it is just as well we can't. Since they can be wrong with using ultrasound to predict the gender anyway, I guess I wouldn't want to hear based on that even if we both wanted to. If it was 100% accurate, then I would if I could.

-Rae

[boobykinmamma]

We didn't with ds--didn't have any ultrasounds. I probably won't have any this pregnancy either, unless my midwife thinks I'm measuring small or anything else seems unusual (ds was very low birth weight). If we do end up having one, we'll probably go ahead and find out the sex. Otherwise, I'm happy to have it be a surprise.

[Vixenmama]

We're expecting at the beginning of December and so far have had no ultrasounds (midwife doesn't do them routinely). I buy mostly neutral clothes with some "boy" stuff (I've had a feeling from about week 3 that it's a boy plus two 'boy' dreams).

Mostly I feel patient about finding out! Call me crazy!


-victoria
:baby #1 edd: 12/04/02

[Pallas]

I didn't find out the sex of my kid because I had no compelling medical reason to risk an ultrasound and didn't feel that mere curiousity justified the test. The family, on the other hand ... dear gods, they were outraged that I was depriving them of the information so they could buy gender-stereotypical clothes and toys! (For me this was a huge bonus, as I try to avoid those things anyway) I found it remarkably selfish that they expected me to undergo a test that is not proved safe merely to allow them to choose between pink and blue sleepers.

I had no problem bonding before or after the birth -- Cub was a girl (based on fetal heart tones) until the moment he hit the floor. Well, not literally HIT, you know what I mean. I thought there'd be a period of mental adjustment, but Hub said I immediately cried "Oh, my little boy!" and it was as if that's what we were expecting all along. Weird.

Namaste,

Pallas

[Breathe]

We didn't find out either, even tho we did have a few u/sounds. We just felt like knowing the baby's sex told us nothing about the baby. If it did seem to tell us something, then we were only making up images in our mind of what a "boy" or "girl" would turn out to be like. For ex., a woman said to me, "Don't you want to know if you'll be playing ball in the backyard a year from now?" "Oh we'll be playing ball," I said. "Does it matter if the baby is a boy or a girl?" And we were given some of the most adorable gender-neutral gifts, and I LOVE our yellow nursery (in which ds has never slept, btw). ;)

I just agree with Pallas -- as curious as we were, we felt we needed to resist the temptation to type our baby before s/he ever had a chance to introduce him or herself to us.

And we never called our little one "It" -- we referred to that little squirming bundle of love as "BABY" for 40 weeks . . . and that's what he was! (We even insisted our birth team not announce the sex at birth cuz we wanted to discover it ourselves, and we forgot to check for about 3 minutes!) :love

[velveeta]

Is there any other way to know other than by u/s? If not, then we won't find out, even though we *would* like to know. My midwife probably won't give me an u/s...

Jean

(we think our baby is a girl! :love )

[Chloe]

I voted yes- we find out. //my dh likes to know. I didn't want to find out, but I figured if he knew and I didn't, I'd end up being mad! With my ds, I dreamt that I was having a girl. I was wrong. With this second baby, I wasn't sure, and I have had boy dreams. Even though the u/s says we are having a boy, I am not sure. So when the baby comes, I will know then!! :)

I may or may not find out with the next baby.

[lauraess]

wow! It IS a Natural thing!~ I thought so. Its great not knowing and yet I learned to trust my intuition this way. with my first I felt it was a boy yet didnt understand or trust my instincts. with my second ( after being correct the first time) I KNEw it was a girl and Voila~ after NIne months of being told by EVERYONE it was a boy and a long labor and c sec, I was ELATED to learn it was MY Girl! I always heard my mom saying " I just wanted my little girl and then I got you!" And then there I was on the operating table thinking pretty much the same thing----and also " I knew it!!!" Happiest moment of my life!!!!!
Laura

[SagMom]

Originally posted by jeanvanzyl
Is there any other way to know other than by u/s?

Amnio would do it.

=====
We didn't find out because all my pregnancies were uneventful and we had no need for ultrasound or other testing.

[Pallas]

Though that's risky, too.

[SagMom]

Oh, Pallas, absolutely--I wasn't *recommending* amnio, just saying that it would indicate the gender.

Joan (who's not even convinced that ultrasound is safe.)

[Pallas]

Oh, I didn't think that you were implying that amnio was safe, I just couldn't STAND to let it go by without clarifying! Not that I'm confrontational or argumentative. Gosh no. Gentle flower of Southern womanhood, is me. :rolleyes:

[veganmamma]

I knew I weas having a girl from the moment I saw her heartbeat. Unfortunately, (well not to me) this generation has been all girls so they get less valuable as we add to them. I knew if we were having a boy that he would be held to ridiculous standards of masculinity and that my life and his would become a living hell. For that reason I didn't want to find out. If it was a boy, no one would leave me alone, and I don't really like sports paraphanelia that much, and if it was a girl, everyone would care less, and we, (especially me) HATE gender specific clothing. But when I saw her tiny little bodywriggling around on the screen at 10 weeks and the doc asked if I wanted an early guess I wanted to know everything they could tell me about her. He said boy!! I pointed to her genitals and showed him her labia and clitoris. Guess who was right? At the official ultrasound I wasn't sure whether or not to truly find out, but again I saw that tiny wriggling little 17 week old in there, and I wanted to know everything about her. I didn't just find out she's a girl. I looked at her brain, her kidneys, heart and bladder. I loved to know all about her and now I can't wait to meet her!!! 7-10 more weeks!!

Lauren

[Sloane]

I don't plan to. I'd like to stress the gender as little as possible, and for me, not finding out seems to be the best way to go about it. And then I can also avoid the pink or blue clothes, heh heh.
I'm just afraid the little guy/gal will be stereotyped even in my own mind before he or she is even born. And if it means mint-green clothes from people, so be it!
But this is very early on for me, so who knows if curiosity will get the better of me.

and hey, is it normal to get a little possessive when you see someone mentioning the name you plan on using!? I was like "whoa, Violet?? wait, that's my name! ha. :D Oh well I'm pretty sure our boy's name choice won't be floating around, unless there are any Poles here. ;)

[veganmamma]

Claim your names now. We had our boy and girl names chosen before we told anyone we were preggo. Not like everyone was really keen on stealing Persephone Ann or Gianluca Del Carlo, we mostly didn't want to get any crap so it was set in stone ahead of time. You can say if it's a girl then Violet, if it's a boy then ____. Nothing wrong with that. If your names are really uncommon or come from Lord of the Rings or something (I love LTR names!!) You may want to wait until the baby is born. No one will criticize the name once that would include criticizing the baby. I didn't want to find out either. It made me so angry that gender was so importnat to everyone else when it really didn't matter to me. What is it about people that they get so worked up. "Oh, if it's a boy he'll be just like this...." "If it's a little girls she'll be just like this..." PleeeecchhhKK People suck sometimes...

Lauren

BTW Nobody take Persephone=P it OURS hehe
We love our little Sephie girl

[marchmom19]

I didnt want to know with the first. Mainly due to being an high risk pregnancy I was having so many ultrasound being done. I could see the baby on the screen and had lots of heart beat test done to ehar the heart beat. That was enough for me. I was happy with technology and that it was able to provide the dr with information to make sure my baby was growing according to the norm despite my diabetes. I didnt want to abuse the system and find out the gender since personally and with my belief system I dont think God wanted us to find out. Plus whats the difference with the gender... it wont make one bond more if its a girl or boy. You will still bond with the baby regardless of the gender.

In fact, when the baby was born, we didnt know of the gender until long after we held her. We were just so surprised to have created this miracle and just adored this 'being' in our arm looking at us with bright wide eyes. The dr had wrapped the baby in cloth as soon as baby arrived and gave to me. Then when they put baby on the scale and opened the cloth and saw the gender, asked us 'what her name was'. Dh and I were so surprised 'her?' (our insinct told us it was a girl from early on) but we didnt even think to check out what the gender was when she was born.

This pregnancy, I have been contemplating since my belly was so big, yet I wasnt feeling pregnant liket he first time (which is good since first round was a hard pregnancy). Also with distraction of my toddler its hard to bond with the little one growing inside me.

Two weeks ago I had the major ultrasound at the hospital (22 weeks) and so I was contemplating if I should find out or not. Still unsure on the day. But I asked anyway since they were taking so long with measuring the baby and all... so they tried to look but told me baby wasnt letting them find the gender and even blew up the screen. But as soon as I asked I felt this guilty feeling. My conscious telling me that I really didnt want to know.

I was relieved when they couldnt find out and werent able to tell me. I guess it confirmed that I am not ready to find out for this one too.

My gut tells me its another girl, but the other day for some reason I thought it was a boy. Oh well, guess we will be in for another fun surprise. :) In a way would be nice to have a girl, sine I live abroad I have been showered with dresses for my first child and I was cleaning out her summer clothes and noticing that most of the dresses she has never worn or only worn once. If I have another girl then she would be able to wear them. haha. :) Silly reason. :) (of course then I would have to ask people not to send any more dresses since I prefer to dress them up in playclothes that they can fall in, climb stairs, rough around in.)

Great topic. :)

Stephanie

[MaWhit]

I wasn't sure how to answer, so I answered "No", since we will not be finding out this time. We did, however, find out with the last two. #3 will be a surprise, though.

[kerikadi]

My first 2 were standard OB managed pregnancies with planned U/S's and my ex HAD to know so we found out. That is one of the biggest regrets I have. I think that you bond more if you know is a crock. I have done it both ways and would never want to find out again. There are so few real surprises in life and I can honestly say having done it both ways it is so much more fun once the baby is born to call people and say "It's a Girl"!
We didn't know with #3 and won't with #4 however, it is easier when you don't do U/S, much less tempting.
Keri

[Domestic Goddess]

Just got back from my US exam and there is a VERY obviouse penis!

I told the tech not to tell me if it wasn't a clear pic and after a minute or two she said, your little boy is right, he's getting a baby brother.

Definitely saw the family jewels and a little penis poking up.

I'm so excited for my 3 yo ds, he's going to have a little buddy to play trucks with. :love

[veganmamma]

It was 8 more weeks and she's 4 months old now. I think I'd let the next be a surprise. Maybe never get an u/s.

Lauren

[chante]

we didn't......(like I used ti tell people), it's like opening your presents before x'mas! :wink

[rootsaloo]

We are in the don't want to know camp, just love the suprise. My cousin is a sonographer. She said that whenever she has patients come in with a sibling, particularly younger children, she first asks the child the sex. She says that 9 times out of ten the kids are right. My last pregnancy my three year old insisted that we were having another girl. I kept saying "well it coud be a boy". Finally she got exasperated with me and said "how can it be a boy if it doesn't have a penis?". Sure enough, we had a girl.

[stafl]

I never wanted to know the sex ahead of time... that is, until I was actually pregnant!
But I always knew, before I ever got pregnant, that #1 would be a girl. DH had his doubts, just like he doubts that I *know* this one is a boy! (I am only 6 wks, btw, but I just know it.) So the u/s is like a way for me to say "I told you so"
:D

[carminex]

We like finding out because we then bond on a different level. Talking to her by name. It is a surprise whenever you find out! As far as I am concerned labor has enough surprises already, I loved knowing!! It gave us time to adjust and prepare too.

[lauraess]

We didnt find out both times because we really like the idea of the big climatic surprise at the end! I think it is totally an individual choice but since everyone has the option these days it must sometimes be hard to know what to do. I found it interesting that some posters tried both ways and would choose to not know next time! hmmm. yep there's something about that moment when he/she arrives!
when My dd was born:love :bgbounce I was the happiest mama and I 'knew' it the whole pregnancy by my intuition. also, after 32 hrs and a horrendous c-sec in which I had to be put to sleep it was literally ---- waking up out of a strange dream and being told"she's here!!!" I will never ever ever forget that moment.
Lau

[PaMomx3]

We found out with all three of ours. Although, I *knew* what the baby was without the u/s. The next time I am pregnant will be a surrogate pregnancy and I will not find out. I always wished I had the patience to wait, it must be such an exciting moment to find out when you see the baby! I am practicing will power.....

[WickidaWitch]

I have to know!!!! I supose if her legs were closed and I couldnt find out I would get over it but if I can know, I have to.
I just cant see waiting 40 weeks if I don't have to,

[sagira]

Oh yes, I HAVE to know as well. With this pregnancy, my first, I wanted to see if I was right. I think I fall in the "can't wait I have to know right now" category anyway. For five months (before we had the U/S) I thought it was going to be a girl (dh thought so too -- we had dreams and everything), but it turned out to be (clearly) a boy! :D

This gave us time to be surprised and welcome the boy we thought was a girl. It got both dh and I used to the idea. His family is full of boys. In addition, my mom's heart was set on a girl, but in the last few months she's been really excited about having a boy grandhild, because it will be different for her. She only had one, me (a girl, of course!), and her brother was five years older and never close to her.

I think it's nice to be having a little boy -- I'm so excited! Everyone tells me they tend to be closer to their mommies than girls are. Is that true?

I do want a girl next, though so I can have one of each. Please don't jump on me! :run That's just my take on it. Of course I will be satisfied with whatever the heavens have in store for me :)