The gender of a baby is detectable as early as eight weeks into the pregnancy via a blood test. Most people wait until the mid-pregnancy ultrasound to find out if that’s their wish. This is because at 16 to 20 weeks, the sex organs of the baby form enough to see them during a pelvic ultrasound.
The debate over finding out versus not finding out the gender of a baby will continue for as long as people can make this choice. In some cases, expectant parents have a difference of opinion between themselves on the subject, making for an interesting nine months. No matter what side of the argument you fall on, there are pros and cons of finding out the gender of a baby.
Pros of Finding Out
You can prepare
Knowing the gender of your baby will help you get ready to bring them home. Preparing for the newest family member takes some work, especially if it’s the first one. Setting up the nursery and buying clothes will become much easier with this information. It’s fun to decorate a room with a specific plan instead of neutral colors and toys filling the space.
Name selection
Picking out baby names is one of the highlights of pregnancy. Granted, you can do this without knowing the gender by making two lists, but knowing the gender gives you more focus. You’ll start paying attention to names that you never considered before. It also connects you to your family history by doing some research into past family members and their names.
It helps to connect
During pregnancy, it can be hard for the fathers to feel a part of it, for obvious reasons. Knowing the gender helps them connect to the baby. Instead of referring to “the baby” or “it,” they can say “my son” or “my daughter.” It helps them get more involved.
Cons of Finding Out
There’s no surprise
It’s fun to feel surprised, and in this age of instant gratification and spoilers, there aren’t many surprises left. For the mother, the pregnancy is a long nine months, so finding out what’s been kicking in her stomach for so long is a nice surprise.
Sometimes they get it wrong
Believe it or not, ultrasound technicians and doctors are wrong from time to time. They can misdiagnose the gender and have you believing the wrong thing. The child’s birthday is a momentous occasion, and feeling disappointed because you had the wrong information is a bad way to begin a new life.
Always keep in mind that the most important thing is that the baby is healthy with ten fingers and ten toes. And no matter what the gender is, your life will change in wonderful ways you can’t imagine until you are holding that beautiful baby for the first time.
