The Pregnancy Diaries: Week 22 – Should We Find Out The Sex?

Should we find out the sex of the baby? Well, if you’re looking for a subject that is surprisingly divisive, you’ve found it! Honestly, I was shocked when I realised how many of our family and friends held such strong views on the matter. On the ‘for’ side, you could argue that finding out makes planning for baby all that much easier. The name pool is significantly cut down and you can choose colours for baby’s room and clothing. On the ‘against’ side... well for one, in an age where information is just a click away, isn’t it nice to keep some things a surprise? Also, I’ve heard mums say that after the stress of the birth, this wonderful gift of learning the sex for the first time is really a source of strength and amazement. 'Why would you find out on your first?' is also a line I’ve heard over and over. Oh, and then there’s the ‘what if the doctor is wrong?’ argument. Apparently there are boys sleeping in pink onesies and (horror upon horror) girls sleeping in blue cots up and down the country as a result of wrong information handed out by the technician. The baby’s sex can be determined as early as week 14. During an ultrasound, the technician may be able to see the genitals. However, they could be hiding behind an arm or a leg so making that call isn’t always easy. We’ve been debating the decision for some time now and after careful consideration, we’ve decided to go for it and find out! However, ours is not for the planning aspect. We’re just too excited to wait another 18 weeks to find out. I know it sounds juvenile but it just seems so far away. After chatting with others about it, I’ve come to the obvious conclusion that the decision should be made by both mum and dad together. So, in a few days time when we go for our anomaly scan, we’ll proudly declare that yes we do want to find out what we’re having. I know there will be those that will frown on our decision but you can’t have it every way. It’s the right decision for us and wow is it a big week for us and our baby! Stay with us every week for more from 'Big Belly' as she continues her pregnancy adventure.