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Pregnancy

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

Not finding out the sex of the baby

48 replies

KO80 · 17/04/2015 13:15

We decided not to find out the sex of the baby, i'm currently 10+5 days and have been looking at baby stuff on and off since before I was pregnant.

The trouble is finding anything nice that is unisex, the clothes aren't that great online, and when i opt for new born they have all sold out i know i have lots of time to get stuff and i'm not going to buy that much either as i know i will get lots of clothes once the baby is born, it's frustrating. Also the unisex stuff for baby's rooms are pretty naff as well.

Is anyone else not finding out and finding this well?

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AmandaTanen · 17/04/2015 13:34

We didn't find out either, I bought plain white vests and sleep suits and a unisex snowsuit. It was enough to see us through the first few days. We got lots of gifts, overwhelmed at how generous people are. I was also grateful not to have bought things, as my latest little one is strawberry blonde, and the current trend of neon and bright pink looks awful on her. Online shopping is your friend once your little one is here.

KO80 · 17/04/2015 13:43

that's what i plain to do, just stick with white, i guess most shops just assume that people find out.

My family was most put out we're not finding out the sex, they will be rushing to the shops once i've had the baby!

OP posts:
dillydollydarling · 17/04/2015 13:45

We're also not finding out. We've had a few gifts from parents in yellows, greens, greys and whites. Haven't bought anything ourselves yet as would like to go shopping after baby is here and we know the sex Smile

pinkie1982 · 17/04/2015 14:07

There isnot much choice about at all, so we have mostly white too

Skiptonlass · 17/04/2015 14:13

Thank for Swedish baby clothes! One thing I've noticed here is the almost total absence of the pink princess culture and virtually no division of tiny clothes into 'boys' and 'girls.' It's all just brightly coloured nice stuff.

It's a refreshing change!

seaoflove · 17/04/2015 14:16

It's not easy finding unisex stuff at all, but Mothercare have a decent selection online.

LeonoraFlorence · 17/04/2015 14:17

We didn't find out with any of ours and had a few white things bought and ready to wear but got the majority of clothes once they were born. As it turns out, they've all been girls so had plenty in the house to use anyway! My Mum bought one definite girl and one definite boy outfit each time for going home from hospital in and just returned the boy thing and swapped it for another girl outfit when each DD was here :)

FloraFaunaAndMerryweather · 17/04/2015 14:19

Boots has some green stuff in, it's quite cute and I like Nexts unisex stuff at the minute. H&M do some nice stuff that could be used for either.

mupperoon · 17/04/2015 14:22

We have a girl but buy whatever we like the look of from boy or girl sections. She looks great in blue hoodies and had a cool skull & crossbones tee from Tesco last year!

youngestisapyscho · 17/04/2015 14:23

I'm so happy to see that people DONT find out the sex of their babies!
I didn't with my 2.
I had just some plain white babygrows and baby towels. Once DD1 was born I received just about everything the local GAP store stocked in presents... then DH and I had a great day out with her, in her new pram for the first time, when she was about 9 days old and went shopping and picked all the things we liked.... clothes, cot set, etc..

IssyStark · 17/04/2015 14:31

I wouldn't worry yet!

Clothes: you'll get plenty and for the basics babygros, white looks adorable anyway. Mothercare used to do some excellent red/yellow/blue and green patterned stuff which was suitable for boys or girls. Quite a bit of boy's stuff is also suitable for girls, in fact I often wonder why it is labelled for boys at all. Also have a look at European labels as they are far less hung up on the colour divide, Vertbaudet springs to mind (they had some adorablt brown knitted stuff a couple of year's ago. They do all change for seasons so what they have now will change in a few month's time.

As for nursery, primary colours or black and white can be options. There's plenty of primary colour stuff out there. We didn't find out either and when for pale yellow walls, Miffy pictures and the curtains were made from material from Ikea, it wasn't matchy matchy but there's not much point as people also buy you things as presents and they have to fit in somehow.

marshmallowpies · 17/04/2015 14:40

I got some nice newborn stuff in John Lewis, stripes, grey & white and things with elephants on. I was also given a huge bundle of unisex stuff that was mainly beige - but beige is not really as nice a colour on babies as white, I thought!

We've had 2 DDs and virtually everything else we've been given is pink. It is hard not to dress a newborn entirely in pink and white when that's all you've been given!

HazleNutt · 17/04/2015 14:55

oh and we found out both times, but I hate all the gendered stuff, diggers and mud colours for boys, and only pink and glitter for girls, from the moment they are born. Can't babies be just babies?

OMC1 · 17/04/2015 15:47

Another team yellow over here, am currently 23 weeks and we didn't find out at our recent scan! I wouldn't dress baby in all pink or all blue anyway for the first few months so happy to buy all white/neutral.

Baby Gap and Debenhams have lovely unisex clothes, although obviously a little more expensive, and I've seen some lovely stuff in Boots and Mothercare.

Number3cometome · 17/04/2015 15:56

I know the sex of my baby, but have still bought white / cream / yellow / brown clothes. MotherCare have an excellent range.

I like blue, but OH doesn't particularly like bright colours.

d0ttyne11 · 17/04/2015 16:08

I'm 36 + 5 now and I haven't found out and yes, it's really hard finding unisex stuff - BUT... It's probably been a good thing as I haven't gone overboard buying much at all clothes wise though Frugi has been quite a good find or H&M stuff. I must admit, I've not bought too much white (as I can bearly keep my own whites clean and I am able to feed myself without spills etc Grin but I have gone for a couple of little packs of babygros / vests as thought coloured stuff can be layered over these. Like red, navy or bright sunshine yellow.

I would say that instead, it's been helpful to spread out purchases of things to help the baby sleep, feed & have nappy changed. So I spent a ridiculously long time looking at changing mats (as figured I'll probably see a lot of the little one lying on this!) and a feeding / nappy bag that both DH and I will be happy to use - Sorry I can't remember technical term for that big bag to carry nappies, wet wipes, bottles around Blush

Have picked up a couple of unisex (mainly jungle themed!) things second hand too like vibrating chair, activity mat etc.

Good luck and enjoy your pregnancy. Just watch out - I've found all this stuff does end up taking up a lot of room Confused but I couldn't help myself and wanted to make a start Smile

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 17/04/2015 16:08

I had lovely white, cream, yellow and green baby clothes. Go shopping in person and you will find plenty. Gendered baby clothes are unnecessary, really! And no nicer than plain coloured ones.

RedToothBrush · 17/04/2015 16:35

The trouble is finding anything nice that is unisex, the clothes aren't that great online, and when i opt for new born they have all sold out

It's not easy finding unisex stuff at all, but Mothercare have a decent selection online.

I'm sorry I don't get this? Do people search just for unisex stuff? Does it have to be marked unisex in the label? Or be a certain colour or not have certain motifs on or something?

There is TONNES AND TONNES of stuff out there suitable for both genders.

Personally I think boys stuff is often suitable for both. I sometimes find myself trying to get my head around why something is put into the boys/girls section and not the other anyway.

For example I'd be delighted to know why this sleeping bag by M&S is for boys specifically. I have spent some time trying to work out the logic of it.

I find a lot of Gap stuff quite unisex - although it may often be labelled one or the other. Likewise Boots.

I genuinely think the only way you can be thinking there is hardly any unisex stuff out there is if you automatically dismiss stuff because its in a certain section either online or instore.

I would also say with regard to a lack of newborn stuff, wtf? Everytime I go looking in store the sales have nothing but smaller sizes and rarely anything in older age ranges. You can save yourself a small fortune if you hit the sales at the right time and still pick up really nice stuff.

Blue and pink can be worn by either gender really - certain shades can pull it off better than others especially if mixed with other items. As can dinosaurs. Dinosaurs should be worn by everyone and made compulsory.

seaoflove · 17/04/2015 16:53

I'm sorry I don't get this? Do people search just for unisex stuff? Does it have to be marked unisex in the label?

Of course not, I'm not thick!

Or be a certain colour or not have certain motifs on or something?

Well yes, it does.

I wanted to buy some baby clothes in the Christmas sales from brands that are too expensive for me usually (Joules, Jojo Maman Bebe, etc) and really struggled to find even a simple babygro that wasn't overtly gendered in either colours or motifs. It was hard enough when I was pregnant with my first child four years ago, but it's even more difficult now.

And yes, I have opted for "boyish" colours and prints because they're more unisex than pink and fairies and flowers, but I'm still bemused by the lack of choice and how difficult it is to find baby clothes in nice unisex prints.

RedToothBrush · 17/04/2015 17:04

I wouldn't say anything we bought was particularly boyish. We didn't find out what we were having either, but didn't have a shortage of stuff. There is very little we have bought that I think either sex couldn't wear in the end, even after DS was born.

And no we didn't spend a fortune.

Genuinely still baffled as to how hard this is. Genuinely.

MellieGrant · 17/04/2015 17:06

It's so much fun finding out when they're born! I asked the midwife to let DH be the one to say and it was magical.

I like Frugi.

You'll be due around Christmas, won't you? Lots of lovely red things.

Artandco · 17/04/2015 17:15

I don't get this. There's stuff everywhere online

Surely isn't any colour that isn't pink or has loads of tractors on?

Grey/ white/ navy/ green/ red/ dark purple/ light blue/ yellow/ orange/ black/ cream

How can you not find anything?

Both ours are boys but we didn't find out, and even now eldest is 5 we don't buy him 'boys boys' stuff

H and m sells baby vests in 10 colours for about £2.99. All the way through to merino kids selling vests for £35. And everything in between

Best sites are organic based or Swedish and Norwegian for patterns. But basic plain or striped can be found everywhere. John Mamam has a lovely babygrow and hat set with ducks on

HazleNutt · 17/04/2015 17:19

"For example I'd be delighted to know why this sleeping bag by M&S is for boys specifically." - well duh, it isn't pink, therefore must be for boys. Wink

scarednoob · 17/04/2015 17:20

is there anything cuter than a baby in a babygro??