Why I Wanted My Baby’s Gender To Be A Surprise

From balloons in boxes to candy filled cakes to cracking eggs on your forehead, there is no shortage of ways to announce the gender of your baby. It’s all super cute to watch and sometimes you even tear up. These couples feel extra prepared knowing the gender of their little one so they can “be ready.” When I found out I was pregnant I immediately started thinking about whether or not I wanted to know the gender.

There are very few times in life that we truly get to be surprised.

And here’s the thing, babies need the same stuff regardless of their gender. They all need a place to sleep and clothes to wear and toys to play with. Just because you are having a girl, doesn’t mean you need everything to be pink.

There are many gender neutral or even natural decor options that will fit any baby.

After speaking with an instructor of mine, it was decided. She told me she did not find out the gender of either of her kids. One of the best parts was people actually bought stuff off of her baby registry. When they know the gender they tend to get you clothes. I completely agreed. I get it, the little outfits are adorable and exciting to buy. But there is a reason mom-to-be took the time to put together a registry.

Getting ultra sounds was a little stressful.

I would tell every person in the x-ray department that I didn’t want to know the gender just to be safe. I would start almost every conversation with the doctor reminding her that we didn’t want to know though everyone was great about it. It wasn’t like I thought they would intentionally ruin the surprise I just felt like waiting wasn’t something people did anymore. I was afraid someone would slip up.

It wasn’t hard not knowing. I loved it.

Of course I secretly wanted to know. The suspense was not unbearable though. I think it was hardest for other people. Friends and family were regularly asking they could just know without me knowing. I wasn’t letting that happen either. They would all have to wait.

We went to the hospital with two newborn onesie options for our great announcement.

A blue one and a pink one, of course. We went in for a Cesarean birth as my little one still hadn’t flipped. Once the baby was out I heard the greatest 3 words. It’s a boy!

But it wasn’t those words that made my heart swell. It was the sound of my husband’s voice when he said them.

I have never heard him so vulnerable, so proud, or so happy as that moment. His voice shook as he made the announcement. I hope to always be able to replay that sound in my head. To this day it makes me tear up every time I think of it.

I was so glad we chose to be surprised and I would definitely do it again. It is one of the few times we can control whether or not we know something. It’s a great feeling that cannot be achieved any other way.