I always knew that I didn’t want to know the gender of my future babies. It truly is one of the purest joys in the world. As a former labor and delivery nurse, I had the pleasure of witnessing pure love and happiness unfold before me. It was my favorite part of my job, being part of their story. It motivated me to take the plunge in the future and wait to find out with my pregnancies.
With my first, I had strong feelings I was carrying a boy only to find out, surprise! It’s a girl! The joy I had when my prediction was wrong was one of the best feelings. (The only time being wrong felt great!) No matter the gender, I always prayed for a healthy baby because that’s what truly matters in the end.
Currently pregnant with my second, I have no idea what the gender is of this precious baby! Of course, I have moments where I want to give in and find out the gender, but I always think back to the moment the nurse said, “it’s a girl” and convince myself that waiting is worth the wait.
So why should you?
4 Reasons Why You Should Wait to Find Out The Gender of Your Baby
Genuine Surprise: There aren’t many surprises left in the world. True surprises that is. When you wait to find out the moment your baby enters the world, you experience joy that doesn’t even compare to that of a shopping spree at Target! When I think of one of the happiest moments of my life, the birth of my daughter is one of my top 3. It makes you appreciate your mental and emotional strength to hold off and be present at the moment.
Avoid Other People’s Opinions: This can be frustrating. Especially when people say, “I was hoping you would have a girl/boy” or “Good luck, girls/boys are difficult.” Not exactly the type of statements any expecting parent wants to hear. Maybe they mean well, but it’s honestly not necessary. You can’t change the gender of your child, so when people start giving unsolicited advice on something you have no control over, it is the beginning of a messy relationship.
Less Stuff: The easiest gifts people turn to are clothes! Especially if it’s a girl! To stir away from the piles and piles of clothing, it’s best to keep it a secret or not find out at all! Green and yellow are just as cool as pink and blue. What is also frustrating is when gift receipts aren’t included! Not only do you have a house filled with stuff, but you also have a house filled with things you can’t return!
Motivation to Push: During the final moments of pushing, the anticipation to get baby out is high! Hormones rushing, people screaming PUSH, and you, using all your might to deliver this baby! When you don’t know what the gender is, it gives you extra motivation to push and finally know who the next love of your life is. They always say how to push and where to direct your strength, but when you have the added motivation of the unknown, it really puts more “umph”!
Does this motivate you to hold off? Or do you just NEED to know?
