If you didn't know the gender of your child....

How did you do it? How did you make 40 weeks w/o knowing? Please give me some pointers. I don't want to find out this time I found out all 3 times and each time was special b/c I made the tech put the gender in an envelope and we opened it at a special time etc..

THIS TIME I WANT to be surprised. DH is not on board. I get weak easily and I'm afraid he'll break me down in finding out. Please encourage me and remind me why I want my last baby to be a big surprise in the delivery room. Describe the feeling you had when your DH/Dr revealed the sex of the baby....

I have time yet...but I want to be strong and solid w/ my decision from the beginning!

Thanks!!!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I didn't find out the sex with both my kids! My DH didn't want to find out either. I didn't stress over the clothes or the decorating because I knew the baby would be in my room the first 3 months so I had time then to get everything done.

I had c-sections and not knowing really helped me get through them, and when the Doctors yell out the sex for the first time, its such an emotional moment for my DH and I, its the greatest feeling in the world, its a build up of what you were wondering about for 9 months!

It was also exciting to hear everyone out in the waiting room screaming "what is it"?? to DH when he went out to tell them the news!!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I didn't find out for either of my kids. I wasn't planning on setting up the rooms or getting anything ahead of time so I didn't have to worry about that.

I really enjoyed going the whole pregnancy with both not knowing. My DH didn't want to know either.

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I didnt find out this time around.. and due sunday.. hopefully.

Everyone I know IRL and on here that is pregnant were finding out.. so it helped.. knowing what they were having helped curb my urge to know.

Once the Level 2 was done, it got alot easier.

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I can't even describe the feeling.
After 30 hours of "labor" (water broke, no contractions), induction, etc..I ended in a c section..I'll say going into the OR waiting for that surprise was a great feeling.

The suspense is awesome.
DH being the "Announcer"...He loved that job (and with DS he wanted to find out, I said "Im carrying this baby..blahh blahh blahh..LOL) and he agreed we'd wait...he was glad we did!

It's also fun having everyone around you guess, taking bets, etc.

I went this past week, the dr. said "I can tell you the sex"..I said "No Thank You" so quickly...LOL.

I got through my whole first pregnancy not knowing and 21 weeks of this one not knowing..Im looking forward to that "Surprise".

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

Posted by BabySammie

I didnt find out this time around.. and due sunday.. hopefully.

Everyone I know IRL and on here that is pregnant were finding out.. so it helped.. knowing what they were having helped curb my urge to know.

Once the Level 2 was done, it got alot easier.

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

For me, it was easy to wait. I just knew that eventually we would find out and for me, there are really not that many surprises in life anymore and this is one that I could really enjoy.

Although I did have very strong feelings during my pregnancy that we were having a boy, had a couple very vivid dreams, and we did have a boy!

Hearing the doctor tell me we had a boy was a wonderful experience for us because we got to see him right then and there and not have to wait another 20 weeks for him to come out!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

With DD#1 we were surprised, and I loved IT! I have to say that I was not tempted at all and DH was on the same page so it made it easier. It was the best surprise of my life!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

we just decided that we didn't want to know... as much I was DYING to know, we just stuck it out. And the longer we waited, the closer we got to finding out.

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I always figured whenever I had my first baby (haha first ) I wouldnt find out. and i'm glad I didnt. It was hard in the beginning especially everytime I had a sono done because I just wanted to ask what it was. but I liked when everyone would try and figure out what I was having. it made it exciting for me. I also know that when I had Hannah my whole family was outside just waiting on the edge of their seats because they couldnt wait to find out what it was and all secretly wanted a girl. I hear the stories of my mom jumping up and down screaming like a crazy person when she found out she had her first granddaughter. I think its all worth it in the end..

I am so fricken excited for you!!!!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I caved a few times when I was PG with G, but DH kept me in line

Honestly a lot of it had to do with the fact that there are so few surprises in life, and this one is a biggie. I kept playing in my head "It's A ____" and that helped me to stick with it.

This time we found out and I have to say it is a little anti-climatic for me. We had very specific reasons for finding out, and they seemed good at the time, but now I kind of wish I did not know. JMHO though. Not everyone cares about the surprise.

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

We just decided not to find out. When we went for sonograms, we just told them to tell us when they went down in that area for us to look away.

I knew we had plenty of time after the baby came to get clothes and things.

It was the best feeling to have that baby put on my stomach and them tell me it was a boy. DH LOVED telling our families afterwards. He even videotaped him walking out to the waiting room with all our family's faces peeking through the windows in anticipation. Then we have their reaction on film. It is awesome!!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

We found the stength to hold out by knowing that it was driving everyone else nuts... my mother had bought two seperate wardrobes for when he was born so i had stuff to bring home.. and as for bedding, ds was not in the crib for a month anyways so it didnt really matter.... the only thing that annoyed me was that the doc was so used to everyone knowing when he delivers that they didnt tell me what i had and i had to go looking... kinda ****** me off

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

Waiting wasn't that hard for me. I'm not a huge planner and I didn't mind getting gender neutral stuff, especially the big ticket items b/c we plan to use them with future children.

The excitement of finding out kept building throughout the pregnancy. I had a failed induction that ended up in a c-section. I think the fact that we were finally going to find out what we were having helped me get through the labor. DH was the one who told me we had a boy. It was such an amazing and emotional experience and I'm so glad we waited to find out. I definitely want to be surprised with future children.

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I was on the fence about finding out and when we had the level II I actually said I would wait and see if the tech offered the info. If they told us without us asking. then we were meant to be. If they asked, we would wait. The first level II they could even see everything so we took that as a major sign. When we came back to get the rest of the anatomy, the other tech was very pro-not finding out and she hadn't found out with her kids and she supported and encouraged us not to find out.

It was so exciting. Everyone took bets and got really into guessing and even though some of them complained because they wanted to start buying gender specific things they all liked the suspense.

To keep you going, think of this as the ultimate test of will power. It is really exciting. I can still remember after laboring for what seemed like forever and I finally got an epi so I could rest and continue to dialate, they woke me up when it was time to push and the first thing I thought of was that I would FINALLY find out who was in my belly. I got so excited I wanted to deliver that instant.

Do it! Do it! Do it! And if you feel the temptation to find out, write about it here and we will talk you back into blissful oblivion

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

Not finding out was awesome!! For me, it was hearing "It's a Boy" right after that last push!! Also...i loved holding the baby, being wheeled out of the room and screaming it's a boy to all family waiting outside...BEST memory!!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

I really wanted to be surprised and I was SO glad that I waited. I was convinced that we were having a boy so it was NOT the biggest surprise to DH and I but it was still nice. I always said that I would find out with the second (G-d Willing) but now I don't think I would want to. I was only SLIGHTLY tempted at the level 2 sonogram but after that I never even thought about it because I wanted the surprise of "It's a...." in the delivery room. Stay strong and don't find out!!!

Re: If you didn't know the gender of your child....

For me, I just always think that it's one of the only exceptional *true* surprises that I will ever have in my lifetime. It was so worth the wait the first time and it is worth it again!