AIBU to book a gender blood test at 6 weeks?

[Dorothyspeaks30]

I have 2 daughters who are 3 years apart and I am desperately wishing my third is a boy. I have no pressure around me but I never grew up with brothers so wish my daughters could have a brother. I would be grateful either way and would still be happy to have a girl of course. Now that I’m pregnant, I don’t feel like I can wait until a private scan at 16 weeks and found out about the gender blood test and booked it! I know I probably sound insane but this third baby is most likely my last chance at having another child and I’m truly grateful no matter what.

p.s nobody knows I’m pregnant yet. I have been cramping so part of me wonders if I’ll even make it to 12 weeks! Please be kind, I’m very emotional and just need reassurance or to hear other peoples opinions on doing this.

I hate the blurring of lines between sex and “gender” as much as anyone, but I think in this (and only this) context there is a very long history of using the word gender to avoid associating that naughty S-E-X word with sweet innocent little babies.

I’m not for a minute suggesting it’s a good thing, but until health professionals stop doing it, we’re mostly fighting a losing battle.

I had a desperate need to know the sex of my baby after I'd had multiple miscarriages. I just wanted to know more about them, as if it would make them more real if anything happened.

I am but very uncomfortable about abortion because it is the wrong sex. I suspect most people would be?

And if she gets another girl she will maybe start claiming they were born in the wrong body and are a boy really.

Bit of a reach @anyolddinosaur

I think it's crazy and a waste of money, yes. As you say yourself you are so early in your pregnancy that the chances of a poor outcome are relatively high, but really I think the worst thing about it is that you are just feeding your own obsession with this baby's sex.

As one of the much older women on here, no scans in my day at all.
We used a wedding ring on a bit of cotton, if it rotated one way it was apparently a girl, if the other way it was a boy. How do you all fancy doing that.
If you really want to know without a scan, go to my daughters local dry cleaners. The lady in the window who does the repairs etc. has 100% rate for the right sex

I think it's lovely if people who had babies a while ago are nostalgic about not finding out the sex. It's a bit like how we used to ring up our friends on the landline.

But the fact is that things have changed today, and most people find out, because the technology is there, and because it's offered, and because everyone else does.

I don't think it makes much sense to compare, and it seems to be implying something about our younger generation (I'm not sure what!) that isn't especially supportive.

not really that high, between 6-8% at this point

I agree with you, but then other languages seem to manage just fine (French, Spanish, Italian, for a start).
It's something to do with anglo prudery, I reckon.

Not necessarily. Some people take hours, days or even weeks to feel that rush. It's a myth that it's a part of birth everyone experiences, and it makes people very worried when they don't get it.
Many people need a couple of hours to get their head around having just given birth before their brain lets in anything else.
But I agree with your point! I don't believe many people feel any "regret" about the sex once the baby is there.

It’s sex, not gender.

And just be grateful to have a healthy baby.

The sex/gender point has been done to death on this thread. It's not as if we don't all know perfectly well what OP means, anyway.

At 6 weeks' gestation, how do you know that it's a healthy baby?

Possibly because the more a word is used incorrectly the more likely it is to become the 'norm'.

And right now, differentiating between the two is quite important to a lot of women people.

Thank you to all the people who posted with kindness and graciousness, considering my feelings and true intentions.

Hope it went ok OP and you're not waiting too long. Did they say when you'd get the results?

I'm similar to you, I needed to know ASAP. Not for any nefarious reasons, I just needed to know, not really sure why. Just obsessed over it until I knew. Maybe cause then I could start thinking about 'it' as a real person/baby and start getting my head around that 🤷🤔

Hi there! I know exactly how you feel and that’s where I am exactly and why I would like to know. I went to the appointment yesterday but didn’t end up getting the blood test because when they did a scan, they couldn’t see anything - not even the sac! They think it might be too early and I could be 3-4 weeks so I will be doing the blood test in three weeks.

This. And I am a little sad for the baby if it’s a girl.

Hope you’re ok @Dorothyspeaks30

Hi, got my test results today. Ended up delaying the blood test. Took it on the day I was 6 weeks + 3 days (according to the dating ultrasound). I’m having another girl. I pray she’s healthy and I’m sure my little girls will be excited to have another sister. Husband is over the moon too. I’m not going to lie, I did get upset but I’m over it now. I have a name for her and can enjoy the rest of my pregnancy hopefully.

@Dorothyspeaks30 i wish you the very best. I would love three daughters, im very jealous! ❤️

You’re a sweetheart 💖 thank you so much for your kind and consoling words x

I always think that if you really have a strong preference for a particular sex then it’s maybe not a good idea to try to find out antenatally because all tests and scans have a chance to be wrong. Imagine how you would feel if you were told it was a boy at this blood test and then when you went for your 20 week scan they told you it was wrong. I’m a sonographer and have had some very upset women in my scan room that this has happened to.

Ooops, should have read the whole thread!

That’s a really interesting point and I did consider that I could’ve received a “boy” result, then get told it’s a girl at the scan. But I guess I can’t think of the reverse happening, in case I get my hopes up. I’ve accepted I might never have a boy, as most likely this is our last child.

I did want to ask you a question, as you’re a sonographer. Is it positive to date an early scan incorrectly? My bladder wasn’t full and she had to press quite hard. Plus when I calculated the date and worked backwards to the only days we were “unprotected”, it shows a small window of 4 days for conception and implantation to have happened , which seems unlikely to me!