Those who waited to find out sex at birth... are you glad you did?

[Leleophants]

Desperately want to know but also want to protect it in a way and not having anything judging it. I want everything to be as non-stereotypical as possible!

For those who waited.. were you tempted and was it worth it? :D also did you secretly think you knew?

So glad I didn’t find out! Best surprise ever

I had the exact scenario Whisky2014 mentioned - after a VERY long, painful, exhausting back-to-back labour and emergency forceps I wasn't that interested in DS at all and couldn't have cared less if he was boy, girl or three-headed alien... I was just glad he was okay, and desperately wanted a sandwich, having not eaten for nearly four days.
However, everyone else loved that it was a surprise, so I'm not finding out for my current pregnancy either, in the hope that this time I'll be less delirious and will get the magical moment other people have mentioned!

Of course! Why would you regret waiting? Did not find out either time. We aren't meant to know in advance.

I waited. I didn't see the need to find out as i wasn’t going to “decorate the nursery” or buy any colour coded stuff. A boy would have been treated no different to a girl, especially early on.

As it was dd was touch and go at birth and I remember dh desperately asking if it was a boy or a girl, they were trying to rescuscitate and I was just thinking it doesn't fucking matter, lets get everything stable and then they can tell us the irrelevant stuff.

Still ended up awash with pink though. Every fucker bought us impractical crap like pink dresses, pink tights, pink skirts, pink bloody nike trainers. I took it all back for some red and cream sleep suits

Most definitely!!! We had so many lovely comments from people when we said we weren't finding out. Sometimes I think you can know too much too soon - it was a lovely reveal after all the contractions and pushing

I didn’t find out with dc1. Had a very traumatic birth and she was whisked away immediately after she was delivered as she had to be resuscitated. I didn’t know if she was a boy or a girl until I asked a bit later. It wasn’t special for me, I was too worried about her.

I therefore decided to find out with dc2 so that I had that moment.

I was so unwell at DD1's birth, I didn't really have a moment where I found out. It was a blur and didn't really register at first. With DD2 we found out at the anomaly scan, I enjoyed that moment finding out with DH. However, that was a much more normal birth, so I think the surprise at birth would have been enjoyable too.
I did enjoy teasing people during pregnancy with DD1 as everyone wanted to know but obviously we couldn't tell them! It was fun to keep guessing.

I was so unwell at DD1's birth, I didn't really have a moment where I found out. It was a blur and didn't really register at first. With DD2 we found out at the anomaly scan, I enjoyed that moment finding out with DH. However, that was a much more normal birth, so I think the surprise at birth would have been enjoyable too.
I did enjoy teasing people during pregnancy with DD1 as everyone wanted to know but obviously we couldn't tell them! It was fun to keep guessing.

Suprise for DS1 - and believed right up till about 2 weeks after birth I was having a girl. (Kept looking and thinking how can i have a son!).
With DD2 we found out - I think it helped DS1 get used to the idea of his new sister.
With DS3 it was just practicality - do I get out the girl clothes or boy clothes....

I found out each time and I plan to for the third. Like pp said, it’s a surprise regardless when you find out. Plus I want to prepare myself for whatever we have. Looking at names etc. And prepare the children as well. Dd wants a girl and ds a boy. So it will be nice to find out ahead and get them excited for whatever we are having. I’m sure they will be happy regardless.

It didn't even cross my mind to find out with any of ours, same with DH.

When friends have found out, and told me what they were expecting, it took a huge buzz out of the actual birth. It was a "what did you ha.....oh yeah, I know, a boy, right yeah, so, congratulations" type anti climax almost.

I was VERY glad I didn't know, I loved the anticipation. First time I fully expected a boy. Strangers in the street stopped me and told me it was a boy. We had a girl.

I totally don't get the finding out thing beforehand and I esp don't get telling everyone else beforehand too.

I found out at 20 week scan for both of mine. I couldn’t have waited I’m glad I did

Yes. The moment the midwife lifted the baby and asked “What have you got?” Was so special as I found out for myself.

I couldn't agree more with what @Hunkyd0ry said. I'm also pregnant again and we aren't finding out this time either as that was the only good best part of childbirth so I just don't think it will be the same to find out at the scan.

So glad I waited. With the second I found out as had scans every 4 weeks due to being high risk pregnancy and was very obvious that she was a girl.

I think waiting is special and quite uncommon nowadays.

Didn’t find out and was frustrated with dc 1 at about 38 weeks 😁 but was a great moment being told - dc2 didn’t want to find out as it wouldn’t have worried me either way (think first time round people always ask what you want and second they assume you want the opposite sex 🙄).

Dsil found out but dB didn’t want to know - she kept It a secret from20 weeks. They had huge problems conceiving so I guess she wanted to be prepared but dB happy not to find out.

Much respect to dsil for not giving it away!

I didn't have a choice with my first two, hospital policy meant they wouldn't tell you. The third was very obvious and the fourth I had to have CBS and the tell you the chromosomes so it's a bit of a giveaway!

Sorry- CVS

I did both.

First two dc, I didn’t find out.

Last one (surprise baby, after a large-ish gap) I did find out. I guess I knew t was my last chance to do it a different way from before. And tbh, I was fairly sure I knew anyway (and I was right).

I didn’t, however, tell anyone else. ExH knew, of course, but no one else. At all. Because I didn’t want any of the stereotypical stuff, or assumptions made about the baby before it was here. I felt very strongly about that (dc 1 & 2 are girls, dc 3 is a boy). And as soon as I had him, it all started - at literally 3 weeks old I had people telling me I would have to parent him very differently from my first two, that I’d have to get a whole load of cars and trains now (because assumption was I only had Barnier dolls and glitter), that I had better get ready for trouble because boys never sit still etc. All the stuff I knew would be coming, hence not telling anyone I was expecting a boy. I’m not sure if I’d have told anyone if dc3 had been a girl.

I liked waiting for a surprise (although I had guessed wrong for dd1 - I was totally convinced she was a boy!, and was also fine knowing with ds.

We found out each time at the scan (4th pregnancy) and I've got really special memories of those days, we had time to prepare their things and pick potential names, and I felt like I bonded with each of them before birth personally. Then at each birth, we had an equally incredible experience meeting them for the first time, the surprise was not lost because we knew their sex, their weight, length, date of birth and beautiful them were all wonderful surprises and those days albeit exhausting were not any less because I didn't have the midwife or my husband announce their sex. Very much, each to their own but for us finding out at the 20 week scan meant we had a wonderful surprise and celebration half way through and then a perfect reveal the day they were born. Do what you feel is right for you it'll be a wonderful moment whatever your prefence. X

We didn’t find out with our 3DC. I liked the anticipation. I remember holding my first (water birth, I lifted her out) and everyone waiting for me to tell them what it was!

Didn’t find out with either, and it was so brilliant that literally we were the first to know as he (1st) then she (2nd) appeared each time! Second pregnancy was identical to first and I was convinced she was a he, and it was just the best surprise. Especially as my siblings had all had boys - so DD was and still is the only girl! So a bit spoilt by all!

I honestly don’t understand why people want to know, and I hate it when a baby is named and everyone knows it’s name months before - it’s such an anticlimax!

We didn't find out either time. Always knew we'd have a surprise with our first. DS came quickly so I was in a bit of shock afterwards but I remember DP announcing 'its a boy' and I just thought 'yeah I know' as I'd had an inkling all along. Lovely moment though.

I'm 8 months pregnant with my second. I thought I might find out this time but as soon as I had a BFP, we both said we wanted another surprise. I had a very strong feeling in the first half that it's a girl but now I'm veering more towards boy. It's our last baby but neither of us care what we have. DP is also looking forward to being the one to announce it again.

Both families are happy we didn't find out either time and are having a lot of fun guessing (so are we). My brother and SIL are expecting a baby as well, we know the sex and name so although it's nice to refer to their baby but it's name, I do feel there's not as much excitement over the details except for the weight of the baby etc (I generally keep these thoughts to myself as it's obviously their choice).

Also I've found that all HCPs are pleasantly surprised when they find out we're having a surprise. Normally they ask 'are you having a boy or girl?' and when I reply that I don't know, they all comment on how lovely it is to wait.

For us, I'm glad we've waited until birth to find out, just makes its a bit more exciting (for us) and I'm finding its helping me get through the last few weeks and my anxiety of labour/birth as I'm trying to focus on who's in there :)

I waited until the birth the first time. I don’t regret my decision at all, but itself of it being the wonderful moment I’d envisaged, I was just too exhausted and only felt relief that it was over. I’m now pregnant again and found out at my 20 week scan. Again, I don’t regret doing so, but that also wasn’t a great moment as we’d been given worrying news moments before.

I didn't find out with either of mine.
My sons was a complex birth and I was relieved he was ok when announced after a ventouse delivery.
My second child's labour was lovely and relaxed until I gave birth. The cord was round the neck twice and as they were born midwife said come on little chappy then handed them to a resuscitation team so I thought ok 2 boys.
After a while I asked is it a boy and she said she hadn't looked. She asked the doctor and they said it's a little girl.
I'd wanted one of each so it was lovely to find out and she was handed to me just after.

Our first and third were surprises, we found out with our second at the 20week scan. I much prefer a surprise, it gave me something to really look forward to during labour plus I loved sharing the news with everyone once baby was here. Finding out with our second took a lot of the magic away for me.