Gender Gap: To Know or Not to Know?

To know or not to know? That is a huge question for expecting parents.

The majority of moms I know chose to learn the gender of their babies at the first opportunity.

Some parents even pay a good chunk of money for private ultrasounds just so can they know “boy or girl” a few weeks earlier than the sonogram with their doctor.

I understand the urgency.

It’s like this tiny creature living in your body is keeping a giant secret from you. We have the means to find out, so why not?

I couldn’t imagine preparing for a new baby without knowing the sex.

If you’ve ever made a baby registry, you know why.

Gender-neutral items are hard to come by. Everything is flowers or race cars.

Finding choices that work for a boy and a girl is no easy shopping task.

Expecting a second baby only increased my need to know.

Every item of baby clothing we own is pink or says “princess” somewhere on it.

I need to know if I should start looking for new pajama sets in case we have a little man.

A friend of mine chose to not know the sex with either of her two children. While it drove the rest of us crazy not knowing, she said it actually eased the pressure.

She knew she couldn’t change the gender, so what was the point in stressing over it?

The big reveal in the delivery room was also great motivation, she said.

All the nurses and doctors were so excited to find out, and she pushed that much harder because she wanted to finally hear her husband shout, “It’s a _____!”

I see both sides of the argument, but when that 20-week ultrasound rolls around, I don’t think I’ll be able to help myself.

Knowing that I was having a daughter helped me bond with my unborn baby the first time around, and I think I’d like that connection again.