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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Anyone else disappointed by gender scan? Feeling really horrid...

81 replies

Naisy · 16/05/2012 08:07

Feeling really ashamed of myself. Was looking forward to 20 week scan yesterday and was firstly disappointed by the scan experience. Didn't really get to see 'the baby' bar two quick glimpses. Everything is ok and the guy was very curt and focused on his job (fair enough) but felt like a big anti climax Sad

Then he said we were having a boy (we wanted to know gender) and then out in the hall afterwards my DP was so excited and I burst into tears Blush

Had of course said it didn't matter what gender, as long as the baby was healthy (like everyone else)- but I guess I wanted a girl. But on being told boy I feel really bereft - and ashamed of feeling this way Sad. We had planned to go and buy a few outfits and we did but my heart wasn't in it and I felt like I was performing for DP. Couldn't even look across to the girls section for fear of crying again.

Still feeling qiuite teary this morning and am frightened by my reaction. Can anyone offer me any reasssurance? I feel awful...

OP posts:
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sybilfaulty · 16/05/2012 08:12

Don't worry about feeling low. I had 2 DDs and desperately wanted a third, but at the 20 weeks scan even I could see the huge willy on the screen before they pointed it out! I was sad for a couple of weeks but then got quite excited. He's 3 now, and the happiest little soul you could hope to meet.

Boys are great - I find it goes more on the personality of the child rather than its gender. I am sure once you have come to terms with it, you will start to geel chipper about it.

Best wishes

Northernlurker · 16/05/2012 08:20

This happens to a lot of people and nearly always it is women feeling disappointed about having a boy. I've never been in your shoes but that's because dd2 was a girl - really did want another then. With dd3 I really was fine with either sex of course - although lots of people expected us to be gutted she was another girl Hmm
So what I'm saying is - don't feel you are doing something really unusual by feeling like this. It's very common.
Clearly you had a disappointing scan as well and didn't get to bond with your baby. If you can afford it I think it would be worth booking a private one for a chance to really see your boy. Look around you at the mother and son relationships you can observe. It's a fantastic gift. A healthy child really is all that maters and you know that. You just need a bit of time to adjust. You've done a bit of shopping but why not look to buy something for his room - a teddy or a picture or something? There's a lovely illustration from Winnie the Pooh which would be nice. I'll try and find a link. The other thing you could do is look on line at some of the brilliant boys clothes that aren't all blue. Try googling Toby Tiger.
Congratulations on your son Smile

Needingsomeadvice · 16/05/2012 08:20

Naisy, I know you wanted reassurance, and I know this may seem harsh, but here goes.
The 20-week scan is for checking for umpteen anomalies, and it is very thorough. While it is nice to see the baby, the sonographer is doing a very important job and I am guessing you would prefer that and a bit curt to friendly but unobservant.
Re: gender disappointment. I hear it's common, and a recognised condition. I am perhaps the wrong one to advise you there, having been to a scan with my first, a boy at 24 weeks because there was no heartbeat and they wanted to confirm that he had in fact died Sad. Since then every scan has been a case of me holding my breath until they find a heartbeat, searching for it on the screen. I went on to have another boy and a girl.
Be aware that my boy is not a stereotypical boy (placid, talkative, sensitive) and my girl is not a stereotypical girl (and tbh I relate to my DS more, much as I adore both). At both their anomaly scans I just wanted to find out they were ok. I know this is not helpful but believe me I am holding back a little.
Hope that helps.

goingmadtrying · 16/05/2012 08:24

i totally understand how you feel that was me when i found out about ds 1 & 2 i think id convinced myself he was a she so it felt like my world had ended, tramatic i know Blush but i wouldn't be without my boys and they are my world Grin they love you unconditionally and its amazing what you can teach them, my boys are so so loving can't say if a girl is different as don't have any yet! but the love between and mum and son is amazing. give yourself a few days and then im sure you will feel better :)

Northernlurker · 16/05/2012 08:26

Can't find the picture I was thinking of - it's Christopher Robin in his house with the others but it's not the one when he's dosing them with extract of malt. this is nice though and there are lots of others.

Northernlurker · 16/05/2012 08:28

May I just point out that the OP clearly feels crap about feeling like this and knows it's not how she should feel. I know this is an emotive topic.

milk · 16/05/2012 08:32

Completely normal!!! Plus its also partially your hormones that are to blame!

I think this is why they tell you at the half way point in pregnancy, so you have another 20 weeks to get used to the gender :)

My 20 week scan is tomorrow. Originally I only wanted a boy, but now I have been talking myself round in case they tell me it is in fact a girl :P

I already have a DS and he is the cutest thing ever!!!

belgo · 16/05/2012 08:38

I don't think it's completely normal in that it is completely abnormal to find out the sex of a baby before it is born. It is completely unnatural, and has only been made possible by advances in technology, in the last few years.

Our human emotions, in particular in women with all the pregnancy hormones, simply find it hard to cope with knowing the sex months before birth, because that is not the way we are designed. We are designed to have the rush of emotions and the bonding with our babies when they are born.

Having had two early miscarriages, I agree with Needingsomeadvice's post.

thefurryone · 16/05/2012 09:16

OP I think it is quite normal to feel like this, whilst yes at a very basic level we're not meant to see our babies or know the sex pre-birth, our emotions around this are shaped as much by the world that we live in as they are by our hormones. I don't for one moment believe that gender disappointment is a new phenomenon that only started with the advent of scans.

I had a similar experience with DS's first scan, although we didn't find out the sex, the way the scan was carried out was just really cold and clinical, it's a small thing I was really upset that they kept referring to my baby as the pregnancy. And whilst yes, scans are not carried out for fluffy reasons it doesn't mean that the can't also be made into a nice experience if all is well.

woopsidaisy · 16/05/2012 09:22

Naisy I think many women feel this way at some point, but are afraid to voice it. It doesn't make you a bad person, you can't help the way you feel.
And I disagree with belgo. I definitely was not "designed" to have a rush of emotions and bonding" with my baby. DS1 I felt absolutely nothing. Zip. At 3 months I knew that I was starting to love him, and by 4/5 months I knew that I loved him more than anything else on earth. But I grew to love him, as I would other people in my life.
Luckily I was not worried about feeling no love as I knew that it is perfectly normal not to feel this "rush" of love.
You have lots of time now to prepare for your little son. I have two, and a third on the way-but have decided to wait for a surprise!
Expectations are strange things...you will already in your mind probably have a vague idea of what the wee man will look like. Hair type, nose, eyes etc...and he will probably look completely different!
And one day when he smiles at you, his mummy....you'll realise that you wouldn't change a thing.

thefurryone · 16/05/2012 09:24

Sorry had to post as on phone and can't scroll but wanted to add that in terms of the way the scan is carried out, it's no different to being upset with any other HCP who is a bit off during an appointment. Although some people will try to imply that you aren't allowed to feel any negative emotions about your care during pregnancy and childbirth if your baby is healthy. Which in my view is one of the major factors that leads to so many women in the UK experiencing such shoddy maternity provision.

ThatllDoPig · 16/05/2012 09:25

This time next year you won't believe you ever felt like this. Everything will be ok, you will love your boy more than you can ever know. Hormones are powerful chemicals. Don't worry.

HeyMicky · 16/05/2012 09:27

Naisy I had really wanted a boy, found out last week we're having a girl. I was disappointed at first - but more intellectually, rather than emotionally, IYSWIM.

I went shopping on the weekend and it genuinely made a difference - bought just one very tiny, lovely dress and am excited about seeing her in it. Plus it's made name selection easier. All of this makes me feel more bonded, and I'm thrilled now. Give it some time, and don't feel too bad about what you're feeling - it will come

CockBollocks · 16/05/2012 09:29

I wanted to know the sex of my DC2, I had my beautifull son and hadn't been worried at his scan whether he was a boy or a girl - however with DC2 it was different.

I was really worried that if it was a boy I would be disappointed (and I would have been) at the birth and didnt want that when the baby was here iyswim thats not to say I would not have been greatfull and loved him, just disappointed.

So I paid for a gender scan so I could prepare and get used to the idea if it was a boy - as it was she was a girl so no problem there.

I'm just trying to say I completely get what your saying and you will get your head round it and he will be amazing!!

beatofthedrum · 16/05/2012 09:33

I think Needingsomeadvice's advice IS helpful. Sometimes you need a reminding to count your blessings. Fwiw I have a dd and a ds. The thought of a daughter being 'better' than a son only exists in people who don't have little boys. There is absolutely nothing more wonderful than your own gorgeous boy (equal with your own gorgeous girl obviously!)

CockBollocks · 16/05/2012 09:38

woopsi you make a good point, I did not feel that rush of love when I had my DS & I definately grew to love him (or adore him!!) I felt very abnormal but a close friend admitted she felt the same way.

I think with these things we are so afraid to say when in fact it is normal.

I had a friend who miscarried at the same time I discovered I was pregnant with DD we spoke about this and I said how awful I felt given her loss to be worried about the babies sex - she said everyone is entitled to their feelings and shouldn't be made to feel bad, she wanted her baby back whatever the sex but she also might have had a preference had her baby lived - it doesnt make us bad people or ungrateful for what we have.

wildstrawberryplace · 16/05/2012 09:42

OP I had the same thing - I thought I wasn't bothered either way and honestly had no preference but I was surprised to feel disappointed when I was told it was a boy. It was a weird experience, like you say, not least because of feeling really guilty for not just being grateful that the baby was healthy (as others have pointed out) and guilty that I was somehow letting my baby down by not being overjoyed right away, but you can't help instinctive reactions like that. Don't feel bad. It doesn't mean anything, it's just silly hormones getting the better of you.

I went out and bought some lovely P.O.P baby stuff and a navy and white striped baby blanket to confirm to myself that I was having a boy and it was good, the feeling disappeared quite quickly. I also started really concentrating on chosing a lovely name and thinking about the kind of boy he might be, imagining cuddling him etc.

Next time though, I'm not going to find out the gender (this time I have a real hankering for another boy, since having DS I feel like boys are just lovely and fun and girl are creatures from outerspace, which goes to show how silly the whole thing is!).

Hope you feel better soon.

Spiritedwolf · 16/05/2012 10:14

Oh Naisy, try not to be too hard on yourself, your emotions are heightened by your hormones at the moment. People on here have cried about all sorts of silly things because of hormones - and you are genuinely a bit disappointed, so don't feel bad about being a bit sad about it.

We decided not to find out the sex (am now 30 weeks). One of my reasons (besides being happy with a surprise Grin ) is that gender is only a tiny part of who our new child is. The world isn't seperated into two personalities based on gender (boy or girl). There a huge variety of things your child could be: cheerful, loving, loyal, energetic, quiet, determined, generous, gentle, bold, adventurous, sensitive... etc.

You are currently upset because your idea of what a baby girl is was a bit brighter in your mind than your idea of what a baby boy is. Its understandable that you have placed so much emphasis on gender, much of the excitement our society has around pregnancy and newborns is about the baby's gender. But that's only because its one of the few things you find out about a baby at birth or during pregnancy. It isn't really important. Those other things, those personality traits, are more interesting and fun to discover over the years than whether a baby has a penis or a vulva.

If it is still bothering you after the initial shock, then it might be useful to have a think about why having a boy is so different to having a girl in your mind. Are there things you wanted to do with a girl that you don't think a boy would be interested in? Because when you start to look at that stuff, you might realise that there is no guarantee that a girl would have been interested in them anyway, and nothing to rule out a boy being enthused by your interests either.

There are very few absolutes. Yes, you won't be able to hold your son's hand as he personally gives birth, but your daughter might not have had children. You won't have the exact same talk at puberty with a boy as you would have had with a girl, but he can still help you bake, might still enjoy cuddles, can still play with dolls. He could still grow up to be a primary school teacher or a nurse. Few things are determined by gender. It'll be down to his personality, and he'll only write off some things as 'for girls' if you and those around him have that expectation.

Read some feminist stuff... it'll make you angry about how much emphasis is put on gender.. Grin

As a girl who hated pink and ended up with dinosaur wallpaper for most of my childhood... I'm rather opinionated about this stuff. (My sister is more classically girly and into pink and clothes, so it is just personality).

Of course we all need reminding sometimes that the 20week anomoly scan isn't just an exciting chance to see our babies and maybe find out his/her gender, others have sadder experiences. Our sonographer was friendly, but very business-like about checking everything she needed to check for, we were glad that she was through and she was happy with the baby's health. If you are upset by your sonographer's manner, maybe you could put in a complaint? But someone else suggested a private scan for you to have a more gentle bonding experience now you know you have a healthy boy, if that appeals to you, go for it.

Blame it on hormones, there are some advantages to being pregnant.

Beans1977 · 16/05/2012 10:16

I've just had my 20w scan (am 22w) and I wanted to send a big hug and tell you not to beat yourself up about how you feel. Pregnancy is a difficult enough time sometimes without you being hard on yourself.

I was very frightened for the scan having had a previous late MMC - and even though our sonographer knew this so she was lovely and patient and explained everything (so seems very different to yours) I still found the scan a little strange and felt quite weird afterwards.

I didn't particularly enjoy it, I found I couldn't recognise any of the baby's 'bits' without having them pointed out, and at some points I even felt squeamish and uncomfortable. We found out we were having a girl which I was at first delighted with, but then I felt really sad and guilty that it wasn't a boy as I knew DH had a preference for this. I suppose what I am saying is that my emotions were all over the place afterwards - whose idea was it to give pregnant women scans like this when their hormones are all over the place? ;-)

However, two weeks on my emotions have really settled down and I am so happy and excited about the baby. I am sure that you will feel the same as you get more used to the idea of a healthy little boy being on his way to you - just give yourself time to process the news and get used to it a bit first xx

Beans1977 · 16/05/2012 10:18

PS Needingsomeadvice I am so sorry to hear about what happened to you and I really empathise. We found out at our second scan last time around that the baby had died and it was the worst thing ever. Now every scan feels like a date with the firing squad, so I feel for you xx

ShowOfHands · 16/05/2012 10:25

Congratulations, you'll be just fine. You're letting go of the child you won't have not rejecting the one you will. Come back in 20 weeks. The gender really won't matter. Promise.

MrsAmos · 16/05/2012 11:03

Don't worry - the feeling is completely normal and it will pass! I am 33wks pregnant with DS2 and when we found out it was another boy at 20wk scan, I too was quitebweepy. I am completely in love with DS1 and think it was more the worry about how I could possibly love another boy as much as him, that I dont want them to be compared to each other and the emotion that I may never have a girl etc. I was then overcome by such guilt for being upset, knew that I should just be grateful that we were having a healthy baby at all and within a day was really looking forward to having 2 boys. Good luck! Boys a such fun, they really do love their mummys and lots of people tell me that they are easier than girls anyway....

kirdy · 16/05/2012 11:11

My friend was the same she always wished for a girl never really thought of having a boy but her first baby was a boy which she was quite happy about she then fell pregnant again soon after he was born and she was really hoping for a girl went for her 20 week scab and she burst into tears when they told her it was another boy. But she is happy now and loves her two little soldiers to bits and is so greatfull she had them. So don't feel bad people react in differnt ways and if you think your having a girl and get excited about that you will be a little disappointed to hear your not. But you will soon get over it and be happy that your baby is healthy and that's all that really matters xxx

Kveta · 16/05/2012 11:20

You're letting go of the child you won't have not rejecting the one you will.

love this - it's what I was going to say in a much more longwinded format, so thanks for making it so concise Show :o

FWIW, I found out both time what I was having (although DC2 is yet to emerge). And both times, I burst into tears, was very weepy for a few days. Yet when DS was born, I couldn't imagine him being anything, or anyone, other than him. And before finding out his sex at the scan I knew I was having a boy. But being told I actually was, it felt kind of final, and so definite that the other baby I had imagined wasn't to be. I didn't care one way or the other either time - I still don't care about the sex of the child - but you imagine a girl or boy until you find out which it is, then you have to put one of your dreams away. This time I'm having a girl btw, and am more shocked by that than I was by DS :o It's all so exciting though, regardless!

(oh, and boys are AWESOME. :o so so much fun! it will all be wonderful :))

randomimposter · 16/05/2012 11:33

No great advice really. I also burst into tears at my 20 weeks scan on being told it was a boy, but this was more because I was convinced it was a girl, and my darling dad had died just 2 days before and I was overcome with the poignancy I guess. DS is nearly 4 and I absolutely love the pants off him.

It's been a long hard battle TTC#2; nearly 3 years and 5 MCs. My 20 week scan with this pregnancy is next week. The first few times I got pregnant, I really wanted another boy. Now I'm just {{ cliche alert }} just hoping for a happy ending.

TBH I'll be a bit sad either way; I really wanted 3 children, that won't happen now. So if I have a DD, I won't have another son, and if it's a DS I'll never have a daughter. BUT I know from meeting many women who have suffered MC and stillbirth that I am SOOOOOOOOOOO lucky.

You will love your son unconditionally, good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

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