Mama in the City

A blog about raising my family in downtown Vancouver

It's A Girl!!

I'm having a baby girl!! Well, at least that is what every single stranger, acquaintance and friend has told me. Apparently the reasons I'm having a girl, as per the people who love to wager a prediction; I'm glowing, my hair is lush, my skin/face is radiant, my tummy is shaped a certain way that just says girl. Funny enough I've never yet had anyone guess a boy. Even Ben is determined that a baby sister is growing inside of me.

The truth is, we are that couple who purposefully wait till the baby makes an appearance to find out if there will be another boy joining our family or if a baby girl will make an appearance.

I'm not one to have to have everything planned to the last detail before a baby arrives. I actually do not have a need to know who is growing inside of me to feel prepared and I truly have no preference with what I have. I just want a healthy baby and that is my bottom line. In most parts of my life I'm definitely quite an impatient person so it is a little refreshing that I can take it as it comes and just wait it out when it comes to planning for the arrival of our baby.



In my job I get to see both sides of things. I've met the couple who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their son Tyler and talk about him like he is already part of the family, complete with monogrammed blankets awaiting Tyler's arrival. I also get to see the reaction of families who wait to find out who is joining their family until the birth. From the work that I do, it seems that the people who wait to find out experience a different type of intensity and joy when hearing, 'it's a boy!'. The rush of birth hormones and that intense 'labour high' all combine to make the announcement a bit more intense. This is what I am excited about!

I don't think there is one right answer and I love that we get to have the choice about finding out or not. For now I relish in the guesses from all the people and love to flip flop between envisioning having another son versus having a daughter. I love to day dream and think about who is growing in my belly. I love buying sweet white sleepers and mocha coloured blankets.

So, what is your stance? Are you old fashion like me and choose to wait till the birth to find out who is joining your family or did you find out the sex as soon as technologically possible?


21 comments:

Lisa S. said...

With both our kids, we waited until they arrived to find out the sex.  The truth is, when we were pregnant with Sarah we really wanted to know.  But the ultra sound was inconclusive.  When she was born, it was the best surprise in the world.  When I was pregnant with Jack, we decided not to find out.  The anticipation was crazy.  I will never forget when I looked down at him and saw his twig and berries.  It was another best surprise in the world, especially since I convinced myself I was having another girl.

December 1, 2011 at 8:34 PM  
Shannon said...

We waited to find out...everyone thought we were nuts. And everyone thought we were having boy, but we have a little girl!

December 1, 2011 at 8:38 PM  

I love it! I keep thinking about how my own reaction will be to hearing either announcements. So excited!

December 1, 2011 at 8:45 PM  
kristin said...

One of the best surprises that could ever happen!  I waited for both girls to arrive!  Funny that I thought I was destined to be the mother of boys at one time!  

December 1, 2011 at 10:38 PM  
Kami said...

We didn't find out with both our boys and it's funny because before Jack was born, I couldn't imagine having anything but girls...and then when we were expected Kamden I wanted a girl so bad (I am not proud of that, but it's the truth) so when he was a boy...I was...surprised.

7 years later?  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Period.

December 2, 2011 at 7:11 AM  
Amanda said...

I NEEDED to know with Lilah, and I suspect that will also be the case with any future offspring we may have.  Hubs REALLY wants a boy next.  So I think we'd need to prepare him for a teeny bit of disappointment if it wasn't.

December 2, 2011 at 8:05 AM  
huntersprize said...

We are firmly in the camp of don't want to know until the delivery! It is fun to guess and daydream about! We are happy either way, although I do have many a vision for sweet baby girl clothes, but boys are wonderful in less frilly ways.

December 2, 2011 at 3:02 PM  

As you know we left our Bean's sex a surprise. We have no regrets and can't wait to find out what Bean is.

December 2, 2011 at 4:49 PM  

I sound kind of creepy but it's Molly from @infertilenanny

December 2, 2011 at 4:50 PM  

Thanks Molly! So fun to be the exact same week as you in our pregnancy.

December 3, 2011 at 9:12 AM  

I've been doing a little browsing on line and I have to say that the baby girl sleepers seem so sweet. I'm trying to pick up some white ones because I do love a newborn in white!

December 3, 2011 at 9:12 AM  

I have a friend who had two girls and she waited till the birth to find out each time. Now in her 3rd pregnancy she decided to find out because they were hoping for a boy and she wanted to avoid that glimmer of a second of feeling disappointed if they said it was a girl. It's a boy though!

December 3, 2011 at 9:13 AM  

I know right. You have the baby and they become your children and that is it. Plus we truly have no control over which baby we are making!

December 3, 2011 at 9:14 AM  

Oh, I totally thought all I wanted was a girl and then I had Ben and now I love love love being a mama to a boy. I'd be happy to have a second boy too.

December 3, 2011 at 9:15 AM  
Jenny Lutes said...

I had to find out as I'm a planner.... Ava told us the that baby is a girl right from the beginning. When the ultrasound confirmed this Ava was really irritated and said, "I told you it's a girl."

December 3, 2011 at 9:55 AM  
Kristen said...

We waited until all three of our babies were born to know which sex they were, mostly because we liked the surprise element, but also because we knew more than one family who were told that they were definately having one sex but in actual fact the baby was the opposite (that's a lot of pink clothes to take back!)

December 3, 2011 at 5:07 PM  
Marisa said...

I can still recall with complete clarity hearing my husband say "It's a BOY!!" just moments after J was born.  WOW.  One of my most favourite/awesome/unforgettable moments of my entire life.  I wouldn't trade that for all of the pink or blue outfits, decor and accessories in the world. 

December 3, 2011 at 6:52 PM  
Grumpy Grateful Mom said...

I think it's exciting that you're not finding out.  Though I am an absolutely need to know as soon as possible type of person.  I usually go to one of those fetal photo places in the mall and have an ultrasound at 13 weeks!

December 4, 2011 at 8:19 PM  
huntersprize said...

I don't have any white sleepers! Since I had Jacob and didn't buy pink and purple, I bought lots of bright colors but nothing white. I may have to check those out this time around. Although I will have a summertime baby!

December 5, 2011 at 10:14 AM  
Sarah M. said...

We didn't find out with Jack, but with Eric I needed to know, strictly for those exact feelings of being disappointed  at birth.  I am glad we found out, I had enough months to come to grips with another boy and in the end Eric is awesome, but  I don't think I know anyone else but myself who longs so badly to have a little girl.

December 5, 2011 at 1:48 PM  

I did find out the sex of the baby, but that was merely because I had so many friends offering me hand-me-downs and they were pilling up. I needed to move some to the storage and decided to do so by gender. It did not affect my judgment of preparedness per se. I was more relaxed about the whole thing that my husband.

I might go blind for the second one though.

December 7, 2011 at 5:54 PM  

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