There is something about reaching the third trimester of pregnancy and then the 30th week of pregnancy that all of the sudden makes me feel like I’m in the home stretch. Even though I very likely have two months of pregnancy remaining, saying I’m now 32 weeks pregnant makes me feel excited and so grateful because it’s truly beginning to feel real. I’m slowly, slowly releasing some of my pregnancy-related anxiety and the amazing feeling of our baby rolling around in my belly fills my heart right up. Keep wiggling around in there all you want, little one!
Just in case you’re catching up, here are the past pregnancy-related blog posts I’ve shared on this blog so far about this pregnancy:
- A Miracle On The Way
- The First and Second Trimester (So Far)
- PBF Baby #2: Pregnancy Weeks 20-23
- PBF Baby #2: Pregnancy Weeks 24-27
- What I’m Going To Pack In My Hospital Bag
And you may also check out all of my weekly pregnancy updates from my first pregnancy on the Pregnancy page of this blog.
Let’s dive right in to the recap, shall we!?
PBF Baby #2: Pregnancy Weeks 28 – 31
- 28 Weeks
Flashback: 28 Weeks Pregnant with Chase
This week the light nausea I began to experience in week 27 of my pregnancy continued. It didn’t happen every day and was more common in the morning but every time it surfaced it caught me a bit off guard since I keep feeling like I am “past that stage.” And then I remember how much everything related to pregnancy can change day-to-day and sometimes, seemingly, hour to hour! My appetite is still fairly high but in the evening hours, I’ve noticed my stomach will often feel bloated and almost overly-stuffed despite lingering hunger. Eating a large dinner can make me feel incredibly uncomfortable so eating smaller meals spread out over the course of the evening seems better for me at dinner time.
- 29 Weeks
Flashback: 29 Weeks Pregnant with Chase
I had another prenatal visit this week and it went well! The midwife who delivered Chase let him control the Doppler and he was quite excited to hear the baby’s “boom booms.” While I still experience anxiety surrounding pregnancy from time to time, the anxiousness I feel waiting in the waiting room of my OB/GYN appointments seems to be lessening with each passing week and I attribute this to constantly feeling our little one move around in my belly… and a recent pep-talk from my doctor. I feel like a broken record in the evening when I tell Ryan how much our baby is moving, rolling and kicking and yet somehow the baby’s movements always seem to stop the minute Ryan places his hand on my belly. Go figure!
While nausea thankfully subsided for the most part this week, sleep was horrendous multiple nights until it finally wasn’t and I slept like a LOG (with the exception of mandatory bathroom breaks throughout the night). A few back-to-back nights of restlessness that kept me up for 2+ hour stretches in the middle of the night were a bit rough and followed by some exhaustion that typically kicked in during the late afternoon.
- 31 Weeks
Flashback: 30 Weeks + 31 Weeks Pregnant with Chase
Note: I missed recapping my 30th week of pregnancy, but many of the symptoms mentioned below surfaced during week 30.
Without a doubt the highlight of this week of pregnancy was a great prenatal appointment and our Babymoon to Kiawah Island and Charleston! Ryan and I have been dying to get away as a couple before our second little one arrives and spending some much-needed couple time together was fantastic, especially since I’ve felt a little out of sorts physically lately.
I briefly alluded to some of the not-so-fun aspects of pregnancy that I’ve been struggling with in this blog post but really, really hate to complain in any way because I’m so darn grateful to be pregnant again but I also want to be honest in this space. You guys were amazing and made me feel a lot better about sharing some of these challenges openly because while pregnancy is a HUGE blessing, it can be really hard sometimes. I’ve been experiencing insomnia (the inability to sleep until 3 a.m. or waking up for hours in the middle of the night followed by intense exhaustion the next day) and some serious nausea and it can really take its toll as I try hard to be a good mom to Chase and squeeze in work during any free moments I have during the day. I spoke with my doctor about some of my challenges and he recommended magnesium supplements for my calf and foot cramps and low-dose melatonin for nights when I struggle with sleep. I bought the melatonin but haven’t used it yet however I am really, really loving Natural Calm (a natural magnesium supplement) for both my leg cramps and winding down at the end of the day. Thank you guys for recommending this one to me as well!
One thing that’s also been happening to me this pregnancy is shortness of breath, specifically when I’m sitting in my car. I think this all has to do with the baby’s positioning when I’m driving and while it doesn’t happen every time I drive it’s definitely noticeable and I find myself focusing on better posture and occasionally stretching out my back at red lights to try to take a deep breath.
On the more fun side of pregnancy, this week was the first week I felt like I couldn’t go anywhere without people commenting on my belly. I’m definitely showing a lot right now and had a bunch of strangers stop me during our babymoon to ask if we were having a boy or a girl. When I said we were going to be surprised, every single one but one person predicted a girl with most commenting on the high way I’m carrying as an indicator. We’ll see! I’ve definitely noticed many differences from this pregnancy to my pregnancy with Chase, though I know that doesn’t say a ton about the baby’s sex. I’m craving sweets and carbs like crazy still and will often feel nauseated if I don’t eat some kind of bread-based carb with my meals. At my prenatal appointment, I learned I am up 27 pounds which I think is only a few pounds shy of what I weighed at the very end of my pregnancy with Chase. Ryan, my doctors and I are all thinking this little one is going to be a bit bigger than Chase’s 5 pound 10 ounces when he or she makes their debut!
Girl or Boy Thoughts (And Other People’s Opinions)
I addressed this briefly in my last pregnancy update but I am beginning to realize that I, somewhat subconsciously, think we are having another boy. I think it all comes down to picturing the moment I deliver and I simply cannot envision Ryan saying, “It’s a girl!” I realized recently I am fully expecting him to say, “It’s a boy!” and would be completely shocked if we have a little girl. Is this mother’s intuition finally kicking in!? I have no idea but I am just giddy (and tearful!) when I think about that moment and cannot wait to have our baby on my chest.
In my last pregnancy post, I had a few moms with multiple children of the same sex chime in and share some not-so-great stories about people’s reactions when they gave birth to a baby whose sex was the same as their first child. This makes me so incredibly sad because a baby is a true miracle and the biggest blessing. I’m not saying people don’t have preferences on the sex of their babies or that it’s wrong to want one sex but I would hope that the people in a pregnant woman’s life would only offer love and support and enthusiasm for this blessing.
Also, for some reason, it seems like people expect women to want a girl if they have a boy already and for men to want a boy if they have a girl. But here’s the thing: I’m the mother of a boy who initially thought she wanted a girl during her first pregnancy. And you know what? I LOVE MY BOY. He’s the best. He’s surpassed every single image I had for what my child would be like and he’s PURE JOY in a tiny two-and-a-half-year old body. Being the mother of a boy and going through the intense heartache that comes along with experiencing two miscarriages filled up my heart and changed my perspective on everything. There is ZERO part of me that feels like I’d be missing out on anything if we have a boy in June. That boy will be so ridiculously loved and cherished, just as a precious little girl would be if a little girl joins our family in a few weeks. We are just so excited to meet our baby – boy or girl.
The Name Game
Something about not knowing our baby’s sex makes it SO much harder to discuss names! Ryan and I have chatted on and off about names for a baby girl or a baby boy and I have an ongoing list in my phone. Part of me thinks we are going to show up at the hospital with the list on my phone and pick a name from our list of 5(ish) boy and girl names.
Because we were fairly certain about Chase’s name within weeks of finding out he was a boy, this is new territory for me! I never really understood how couples could have a baby and have no name for hours or even days after their baby was born but I TOTALLY get it now! I can easily see that happening to us but I’m hoping that meeting our little one might provide some sort of clarity on the whole name thing!
Questions of the Day
For those with multiple children, were your pregnancies similar or different? Did this cause you to think you were having a boy or a girl? Were you right?
When did you decide on your child’s name?
For those with multiple children of the same sex, did you experience anything similar to what I mentioned above regarding other people’s opinions about having multiple babies of the same sex?
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I have 2 kiddos – both girls. I always envisioned myself the mom of girls though, so it has always felt just right. Maybe because I grew up with that same dynamic (just me and my sister)? I don’t know. But the frugal side of me loves that we have been able to save so much on clothing! Though we are getting near the end of that mark, I think . . . starting at about age 3, #1 got pretty rough on her clothes. Haha! And my husband will tell you that he doesn’t feel like he is missing out at all. He loves having 2 girls! Y’all will love that baby no matter what sex s/he is!!
I love reading your posts, and following along in your pregnancy journey. I can’t wait to virtually meet your little rainbow baby, BOY or GIRL! I have 3 littles. My first pregnancy was rough, as I had unexpected fibroids (one was 2 + pounds once I had it removed!) I didn’t have much time to think about the gender, but we did find out it was a girl 🙂 My second pregnancy was totally different because I didn’t have any of the fibroid issues, so I thought maybe I was having a boy, but it sure enough was another girl. By the time I got pregnant with my 3rd, people had sooooo many opinions about “oh you must want a boy because you have girls” and youre husband must be rooting for a boy, or my favorite, if it’s another girl, will you try for a boy. Ugh, it was so frustrating and def. made me sad. We wanted 3 babies, that was it. It didn’t matter if they were boys or girls. Turns out number 3 was a boy, and once that was announced people said (and still do!) say things about you must be happy you have both now. My 3rd baby completes my family, and it would have no matter if it was a boy or girl (by the way, all my mothers intuitions were wrong, lol!) In terms of names, my first daughter was named almost immediately. We loved the name, Emerson Rose. Thankfully she came out and looked like and Emerson, and still does. My second daughter was not named for hours after she was born. It wasn’t until the nurses said they had to take her to the NICU, and they didn’t want to take her unless she had a name. We went with Natalie. She was almost a Charlotte, but turns out, we are glad we waited, because she is most def. a Natalie. The third (boy) was always going to be named Joseph William after his grandfather, and great grandfather. He was the last chance to carry on my Husbands name, so that was an easy one for us 🙂
I don’t have any children but lots of my friends do and one thing that seems like such an overstep is when people assume they will “go for a girl” if they have two boys OR if they have one of each, there has been odd judgement about why they would want a third child? It is so shocking to me that people would be so forward about others plans for their families when it really is not their place to say or assume such things!
So I had my second child 9 weeks ago and we also didn’t find out gender. I had no mother’s intuition at all the entire pregnancy but since I had a boy already, I too couldn’t really imagine having anything other than a boy. Whenever anyone would ask me what I thought the baby was, I honestly told them I had no idea! My 2.5 year old ALWAYS said boy when asked what he thought though. Well, about 2 weeks before the baby was born, I was convinced I was having a girl. So much so that I ordered a little girlie outfit for the baby. Up until then, I hadn’t really gotten anything except for a gender-neutral going home outfit with a hat for boy and headband for girl. So when the baby came out, I was so surprised to see boy parts when the doctor lifted the baby up for us to see! I was so shocked but so excited for my second boy! It was actually fun being wrong in the end because I was genuinely surprised at the delivery. Although most of my friends and family had guessed girl, luckily everyone was so happy that we had a baby boy. He’s really been the perfect addition to our family, and I know your baby (boy or girl) will be perfect for yours as well! So excited for you all to find out!
Thank you so much for what you wrote about finding out the baby’s gender. This is my first pregnancy and we are going to find out the sex of our baby in about two weeks at my 20 week ultrasound. At first, I always thought I wanted a girl and the moment I became pregnant all I cared about was having a healthy baby. It is really hard for me when people say to me if you don’t have a girl are you going to be disappointed? Like, NO! Are you kidding me? I could care less! As long as I am healthy and the baby is healthy that’s all that matters. You wrote about it is beautifully and took the words right out of my mouth.
We were surprised with both of our little ones gender, and it was absolutely my favorite decision. And, we experienced the opposite reaction when we had our second little boy! Many of my friends with a boy & a girl were jealous that we had same gender siblings. My boys are 3 years apart and I think are much closer than if we would have had a little girl. They share a room and love to wrestle and play together. I would absolutely not change a thing because I think they have potential to have a closer relationship later on in life as well. Of course, it’s amazing either way, but having two little boys has been absolutely amazing. If we were to have more children (which we’re not) I think I would start to have strong gender bias towards a girl, but I never did with the first two children. You are right – they are all amazing and you will be so thrilled to have that new little one in your family. It’s the best and will push you to grow in amazing ways as a mother. I got my real mama super powers after the second baby!!!!
I am SO HAPPY for you an Ryan. This is so exciting!! I have two boys and a girl, and after my second baby was a boy, I think my mom was slightly disappointed because she wanted me to have a girl. ha! I was thrilled to have another boy. Something inside me knew I wanted another baby, (girl or boy) and I ended up having my girl last. While pregnant with my last baby, EVERYONE would comment I hope you have a girl! Like that was my goal! All I truly wanted was a healthy third baby! Ah, well……can’t control the masses, but God bless you and your baby Julie!! Enjoy every minute!
We did it opposite to you – so we got surprised the first time around and then found out the second. Everyone, and I mean literally every single person, was convinced our first was a boy. I think I tried convincing myself it was a boy as well bc everyone seemed so sure. However, there was this gut feeling in me that it was a girl. I’m not sure if it’s because I wanted a girl that I felt that way or what, but we had a girl first. When we got pregnant the second time around, it was a different pregnancy in a lot of ways, but I attribute that more to me being healthier when I got pregnant that time than the first time. I was pretty sure we’d have another girl, but I think that was because it’s all I could imagine. I was floored when I opened our little card from the Dr that said “It’s a boy!!!” I love having both, but like you, I would have been super happy either way. I think the majority of the old wives tales are just that. The surprise is sooooooo incredible though!!! It’s such a special moment!
Hi Julie,
Any tips on how you dealt with the anxiety in the 1st trimester? This is my 3rd pregnancy with two prior miscarriages. All I’ve ever known with pregnancy is heartbreak and loss. I have my first Dr appointment on May 3 and I am so nervous. I’m hoping that appointment will ease some fears but right now I am scared to death and could cry at any moment.
My heart is with you April. I know this feeling all too well…. my only advice is to take time for yourself each day, deep breaths, and to know that you’re a mom today and always. <3
oh april, i am so thrilled for your current blessing but know the fear and anxiety you’re experiencing all too well. it’s crushing and so hard. i’m also so incredibly sorry for your losses. for me, the biggest help was honestly my faith. i’m not sure if it’s of interest to you, but i am happy to share some of my favorite resources (scriptures, worship songs, etc.) that helped me as i struggled. please do not hesitate to email me at pbfingers@gmail.com if you’re at all interested. <3
My husband and I struggled with infertility so reading your posts over the last couple of years has broken my heart and made me simply ache for you. You and your family have been in my prayers since you shared about your miscarriages and of course when you announced your newest little love’s soon-to-be arrival. Due to the fact, that we had difficulties getting pregnant I wanted my sole focus to be on the health of my babies (twins) throughout my entire pregnancy. I asked of all of our family and friends to put their prayer power to focus on two healthy tiny humans and whomever arrived would be what God believed we needed. Therefore, names were a bit of tricky scenario. Not to mention that my husband was deployed almost my entire pregnancy, though, thankfully he was home when we had our sweet babes! We actually talked about names when we were driving to the hospital for my emergency c-section (our twins were born a bit early at 35.5 weeks and so spent about 4 weeks in the NICU). It surprised me how quickly we came up with names for two boys, two girls, and a boy and a girl all in the quick 20 minute car ride to the hospital. Our (now) 2 year twins have long names (i.e. multiple middle names) though are called Ella and Jakey. Wishing you and yours a peaceful rest of your pregnancy and a calm, happy, loving transition from a family of 4 to a family of 5 (Sadie included of course)!
People keep asking me what I think it is and I’m only 14 weeks. I feel kind of dumb like uh I have zero idea! Ha ha I just keep saying whatever it is – “it was all my hubbys choice” (ya know cuz the sperm decides) some people laugh and soe seem a little disappointed by that answer… oh well 6 more weeks till we find out! ha ha
I have been a “silent” reader for years but I just had to chime in today! First of all, I am thrilled for you guys on your very soon-to-be new addition.
I am due with my second in just a couple of weeks. I wanted to add to the gender conversation. I have a boy in kindergarten and this baby is a girl. While we are so excited to be having a girl, it honestly hurts my heart when people comment about it, “Oh, you must be thrilled to be having a girl!” or “I’m so happy you’re having a girl this time!”. I know they probably mean nothing by it (and maybe it’s my hormones) but it makes me feel like they assume I wouldn’t have been happy with another boy. I love my boy with every ounce of my being and I would honestly have 10 more of him! Of course we’re happy to be welcoming a baby girl but I would have been just as happy with another sweet boy.
We were also in the same boat with the name. Our first came so easy and natural. This time around, we just decided on a name a couple of weeks ago!
And just for fun, I’m voting girl. My pregnancies have been so different and you’re current pregnancy sounds almost identical to mine right now! Either way, can’t wait to “meet” him/her!!
Due to my age I had non-stress test for the last few weeks. A fun game…we took our list of baby names and read them while they did the test. It was fun to see if the heart rate changed at all 🙂 T-REX had the biggest jump ..ha!
Then we didn’t settle on one until the day after he was born.
I’m pregnant with my second child (a boy) and my first was a girl, and the pregnancies have definitely been a little different. For one, I was MUCH more sick 1st trimester with my daughter than I have been with my son. I’ve also noticed that my moods seem to be much more affected this time around–with my first, my mood was pretty stable, but I feel like my aggression and crankiness kicks in quicker with this one. I think that’s so fun you decided to wait to find out what you’re having! We’ll all be excited to see 🙂
You are the most gorgeous pregnant lady ever!! We decided on a boy and girl name before we found out the gender, at 15 weeks. When we found out he was a boy, we asked each other if we still wanted to name him Graham, and we both agreed. It surprised me how easily we decided!
We only have one (so far!) but decided to be surprised! I am a petite person that grew incredibly large when pregnant, so literally everyone told me I was having a boy, and my husband told everyone we were having a boy even though we didn’t actually know 😉 It was fun to shock everyone when I got my wish and a little girl came along!
As for names, I think my husband was so convinced that we were having a boy that he easily agreed to my girl name suggestion…we argued all the time about boy names, and we didn’t pick one (which obviously we didn’t use) until we were in the delivery room!
I am currently 37 and a half weeks pregnant with our little boy, and we have a two and a half year old little girl. Because my daughter’s delivery was so dramatic, and she ended up in the NICU for a week (we weren’t sure if she would have cerebral palsy or some sort of neurological disorder – luckily she’s perfect!), when I got pregnant this time, all my husband and I were hoping for was a healthy baby. We were excited to find out it was a boy, but we would have been just as excited if it was another little girl. At the end of the day all that matters is that your baby is healthy!
It makes me so sad when I see people on Facebook say things like “oh now that you have two boys aren’t you going to try for your girl?” Or something like that. Healthy baby, all the way!!!
I’m so glad you talked about all of this! I recently had my second little girl a few months ago, and I am so surprised by everyones comments of “are you going to try for a boy” or “is your husband sad he doesn’t have his boy”. I sadly had a miscarriage in between my two girl’s pregnancies, and I it really made me a firm believer that we are just happy having a healthy baby! Boy or girl! I think it’s so fun you guys are waiting to find out the sex, and don’t have a set name yet. I’m crazy brained and had to find out sex, and drove my husband nuts for months trying to figure out a name for baby girl #2 before she was born!
I’ve been following along since you were pregnant with Chase, and I am just so happy for your cute family!
A woman in my mother’s group waited a full year to name her baby. They just called her baby and still do even though she now has a name.
I can’t believe you’re in the 3rd trimester! Love these recaps and will keep coming back to them as I continue along my own pregnancy. And about the sex of the baby – a friend of mine is also pregnant and told me “it better be a girl” or else she’d be disappointed. This was so off-putting to me considering I had a miscarriage last year and just being able to give birth to healthy baby, no matter the sex, seems way more important. i know it was harmless, but I guess that goes to show you really don’t understand it until it happens to you.
Wishing you a happy and healthy (and nausea-free!) next couple of months. I’m so excited to find out what you’re having and see photos of the little baby!! xo
Reading all of these comments about the sex of the baby, and people’s comments, makes me think of a family I know of. They had two girls, then were pregnant with a boy but he sadly didn’t make it past 18 weeks. Then they went on to have two more girls. So I think of them (cutest family ever!) walking around with their four girls and what people must say to them, “Are you going to have a 5th to get a boy?” or “Poor guy! Four girls” and how it must feel to them. I so wish that people would think before they speak and realize that every single baby is a gift, every single baby brings so much joy to their parents, boy or girl.
I am so, so happy for you Julie, and so, so happy that you are so real on your blog. The things you write about are so important and I’m so glad I found your blog years ago!
I think you’re having a girl, too! But of course it is not a perfect science and that’s just my guess. 😉 Your first and second pregnancies remind me a lot of my own. I also had major sweet and carb cravings the second time, carried higher, and gained more weight! I kept telling myself I was having a boy…but I’ll be totally honest with you. I told myself that and tried to get excited about a boy because I secretly always wanted a daughter. I’ve always longed for that mother-daughter connection, but not because I couldn’t love a second boy (and I totally would have loved a second boy, no doubt). I’m just a girly girl and dreamed of “mom and daughter dates” for the longest time. Well, I did get my baby girl and I was thrilled!!! So, yeah, I think you’re having a girl but you will be equally blessed and lucky with another sweet boy! Either way, your family will be perfect because it’s what’s meant to be. 🙂
Also, I follow your blog more so recently because Chase and my son are so similar! He was born smaller than expected and is STILL a peanut at three years old! Well, my daughter WAS a little bigger than him at birth! She was a bigger baby in general until 6 months but at 9 months, is now also a peanut! But not as much of a peanut as my son! He’s only 5th percentile in weight; she’s 15th and actually has chub on her baby thighs (chub my son has never, ever had! lol). Can’t wait to continue reading your pregnancy posts! I love them!
My second pregnancy was *totally* different from the first… and we were convinced we were having a girl, but (as you know) we ended up with the sweetest boy-child ever. Both times we had specific names picked out since the military (at that time) didn’t allow for any “extras” like more than one sonogram or even a sonogram that might look like something other than the light of NYC. Since our first pregnancy baby was “Katie/Drew”, it took a long time before we decided on “Sarah/Evan” for the second baby. Love love love being a boy mom and don’t feel like I missed out on anything… until I listen to my cousins talk about their daughters. XOXO
I have two boys and a girl. Since I already had two boys people (strangers) always seemed to think I really wanted a girl with my third (I honestly would have been happy with either ) when she was born people would say (again – mostly strangers) “ now you finally have your girl!” Right in front of my boys! I don’t think they meant anything by it – but I was glad my boys were young enough not to have hurt feelings by it. I thought it was rude of them to say it, though.
yes!! It is especially upsetting when comments like that are made in front of the kids!
I have 2 boys and my 2nd pregnancy was much different. I was shocked when we found out it was another boy because i was convinced it was girl with how different I felt. We had a really hard time coming up with a 2nd boy name and my husband and I didn’t totally agree. I never thought I would be that person to give birth without having a name picked out, but we were those people haha. As soon as he was born, my husband looked at him and then me and said his name is Miles – which was my top pick. :).
And yes now that we have 2 boys I get asked ALL the time if we are going to have a 3rd to try for a girl. We are done having kids but if we did decide to have another it would be because we want 3 kids not because I feel the need to try for a girl.
Count the Kicks is a great resource for tracking movement in the third trimester to monitor health. There is also an app to help keep track of patterns and trends – https://www.countthekicks.org/.
I have three little ones. My first two were girls, and the third was a boy. My pregnancies with my girls (and births) were nearly identical, and totally different with my boy! I definitely had a suspicion he would be a boy because of this. And I loved having two of the same sex right in a row, they are best friends! Of course, like you, it didn’t really matter to me either way… God has designed the perfect family for you. Blessings, Julie!
My boyfriend’s sister just experienced a miscarriage a few weeks ago. It practically devastated the family for quite a while, and it broke my heart to see them hurting. However, I don’t think moments like this should EVER allow people to lose hope about conceiving. I am so excited for you and your family to be expecting a new child! Chase is going to be an amazing little brother to his new sibling. Seriously anticipating the gender and the name of the baby as well, and I’m not even pregnant or a mother–heck, I’m not quite at an age where that is appropriate (almost 21 years-old!)!
We didn’t find out the sex of our second child either – we already had a girl and I would have been totally happy with another (I teach at an all girl’s school so I know how to ‘do’ girls, and i only have a sister and love it) but we were surprised with a boy, which has been lovely. But what annoys me is the amount of times I am told how ‘clever’ I am for having one of each! Like being clever has anything to do with it – its just dumb luck on my part! and then the assumption that because you have one of each you aren’t going to have any more, cause like, job done right? You can’t win lol people always have an opinion 🙂
We have a 2.5 year old boy (I found you during your pregnancy with Chase & have followed since). We found out our 2nd baby is a girl a few weeks ago & while I had no mother’s intuition, my husband & I were both shocked it wasn’t another boy!
Everyone thought our son was a girl during my 1st pregnancy. I experienced a little disappointment that we were having a boy, but that quickly faded once he was here.
I love having a little boy & have learned that a little person is so much more than just a boy or girl. They are amazing and so lovable to us as their parents.
I’m so exited for your family to welcome baby #2! 🙂
We did not find out the sex of our little one and I was so sure it was a boy- I had dreams it was a boy, everyone I knew who was pregnant at the same time as I was were having boys and just deep down I knew! I ended up with an emergency C-section and when they told me we had a baby girl I quickly replied WHAT? REALLY? I couldn’t believe it as I was so sure it was a boy!
As for names we had a list of boy names and girl names on my phone and it took a few hours before we decided on a name.
We are currently trying for number two and our plan is to find out the sex this time around- I don’t have a preference; all I want is a healthy baby!
Just had my second boy a week ago and my pregnancies were nothing alike! Yes. People are so rude about the sex thing! I actually wanted a boy and was excited to find out we were expecting another one , but was shocked by how many people said that meant we obviously had to “keep trying”. Hmmmm…What?! As if my family would not be complete unless I had a girl. It was pretty insulting. And yup! Totally didn’t land on a name until our last day in the hospital. Never thought it would happen to me , but it worked out. Lol.
I love having two boys!!! I think brothers are so special 🙂 Just as special as sisters, or having one of each.
It honestly makes me feel uncomfortable when people tell me that they hope for a girl or hope for a boy. I think it’s human nature to like the idea of experiencing having a daughter and a son. But when people share how much they want a certain sex, I always think that I wish that information was kept private between them and their spouse or their parents, etc. When it’s out in the world for their kids to read down the line (especially when people have two boys or three boys and make it clear they are desperate to have a girl) I always just wonder what their second or third boy will think one day if he realizes that his mom or both his mom and dad were disappointed by his sex. It just seems so silly to me. We can’t help how we feel but do we have to share those kinds of feelings? Even the recent articles about Kate Hudson and much she wanted a girl just rub me the wrong way. What would the reaction have been like if she was having a third boy? I think we have to consider our audience. There are many, many people who would love to have just one child and they’ve tried for years to have just one and they wouldn’t care if they had a boy or a girl. When I had been trying for a year to get pregnant, and experienced a loss, I had a friend who kept reminding me that she wanted a girl (after having two boys), got pregnant on the very first try, and had a girl. WHY was she telling ME this? It was so hurtful…I was not the right audience. I’ve never understood why people share if they get pregnant right away (and sooo many do) I guess I just wish that people would take other peoples feeling into account before speaking – about any subject!!
I had two pregnancies, both very different. I carried very differently in both. I KNEW my first was going to be a boy, just by mom’s intuition and I was right. I had no idea with baby number 2 – and I’m happy to say he was a boy. I adore my two boys (now 17 and 14!!) and wouldn’t trade them for a hundred girls. Enjoy growing your sweet family!
We found out we were having a girl and discussed names a bit but we didn’t want to pick a name until we met baby. I didn’t want to pick and love a name and then she come and not at all suit the name. The name we chose after her birth wasn’t even one we had ever discussed either.
All the best with the rest of your pregnancy 🙂
Thank you for this post!! It’s so helpful reading the other comments. I just had my second baby in February and we didn’t find out the gender. We already had a daughter and everyone told me I was having a boy, so I became convinced we were. Turns out she was a girl! Part of me was a little sad, simply because I had to let go of the image I had of our family. But I’m so happy that these two girls are so close in age and my husband couldn’t be happier. Still, I already get all the comments asking if we will try for a boy, as if your family is not complete without a child of each gender. Healthy and happy is so much more important than any preconceived notions about gender!
We had our first baby in November, and didn’t find out if it was a boy or girl until delivery. It was the BEST surprise EVER! I had a feeling it was a boy all along until the last week or so, and that’s what most people around us guessed. Well, we ended up with the most perfect baby girl! We decided on a gender neutral name early on because I like boy names for girls anyway. But we didn’t want anything too trendy or popular, and we wanted it to be unique but not weird haha! It was also easier agreeing on just one name instead of one for a boy and one for a girl. We decided on the name Colby (boy) or Kolbie (girl). And now that she’s here, Kolbie Kay fits her perfectly and I couldn’t imagine another name! I’m sure you’ll find the perfect name for your new little one! I’m so excited for y’all!
We chose not to find out the gender With all three of my pregnancies and we had boys each time! I definitely thought our last baby was a girl because everything about that pregnancy was way different than my first 2. My hormones, cravings, basically everything! I was surprised when the doctor said it was a boy but in no way was I dissapointed! But as soon as people found out we had a boy, they started asking if we were going to try again for a girl! I would have loved to have a girl but being a boy mom is amazing!
I love having two of the same sex (girls). But I am also a big sister to a little brother, and that was pretty awesome, too!
I will also say that I’ve been trying really hard to immerse myself in resources that will help me become an ally (and pass on some of that open-mindedness and kindness to my kids, who are growing up in a much different world than I did!) to both adults AND kids who may be gender nonconforming, or whose gender identities don’t necessarily match the sex that they were born with. And beyond that, even people who are born as “male” may not feel especially masculine, and same with those who are born “female.”
Don’t get me wrong — my heart goes pitty patter when my two kids ask to wear tutus and slip into my heels and tell me that they are princesses (because I always wanted a sister to do that with!). But it’s also OK with me if they draw mustaches on their faces and put on backwards hats and tell me that they are princes. And it’s OK with me if that changes day to day.
I think it all goes back to what you said in your post — we parents just want the best for our kids, and for the kids of the world. Not all approaches to parenting are the same, and not everyone has the same world view that I do. But if we can start to adopt a more welcoming “you are you and that’s awesome” attitude, I don’t see how we can go wrong. <3
I love what you said about becoming an ally and your desire to raise open-minded children. <3 I agree with this so much and think you are doing a wonderful job with your two girls!!
I have three kids-two girls and then a boy. We didn’t know the gender of our third and I got SO many comments while pregnant about whether me (and my husband) were “hoping for a boy” and then once he was born we received SO many comments about “oh you FINALLY got your boy!!!” And “Now you can be done having kids, since you got your boy!!” It upsets me every time because, as much as now I am thrilled to pieces to have my son, I would have been equally thrilled if our third had been another girl!! I LOVE having two girls and felt like a third would have just added to the fun!! 🙂
As for names, since we didn’t know that our third (James) was going to be, we had such a hard time going to the hospital with names!! Since we had already named two girls we couldn’t agree on ANY girl names!! I think the only reason my husband was secretly thrilled that our third was a boy was because he couldn’t decide on any girl name he loved so I had just told him if baby is a girl we would go with my pick (Eloise) but he was not sold on it at all!! Thankfully he didn’t have to worry about it and James was his pick (and I loved it as well!) for a boy.
We just had our first child 3 weeks ago. We also didn’t find out the sex in advance. We knew as soon as the pregnancy test was positive what we would name the baby: boy or girl; however, we just had a list of middle names. After 4 hours of pushing and one hour of crying over it, I had a c-section. In recovery, I was super loopy and my husband was sleeping on his feet, and there we were trying to pick a middle name all while people were hounding us to tell them the name and details. Ironically, we totally threw out the list and picked a name that my husband came up with on the spot! If we are blessed with a second, I will definitely still go with a surprise on the gender, but I can’t said I would go with the list option again for names. I would just warn that people get aggressive if you aren’t willing to share details until the name is final.
I’m loving the whole conversation about baby genders and names! I don’t have children myself but I have a lot of friends who are having their first and second children and we have a lot conversations related to this! One of my best friends decided not to find out the gender and that was a first in my group. I loved that they were fine with it being a surprise in the delivery room! You could tell they were just so happy to be having a child and either way he/she was a blessing.
I hope all goes well with the delivery and the remainder of your pregnancy! I can’t wait to find out what your little blessing will be!
OH man the boy girl topic is something my friends and I talk about all the time. Two of my good friends have 3 boys and they get told all the time ‘trying for a girl?” or oh you must be sad not to have a girl?!!! I’ve always wanted boys because I come from a house of 3 girls so I’ve been there …survived it plus I love my son …so I’d be so annoyed if people made comments like that, but once people realized we were trying again ( we just had our 2nd miscarriage too) everyone keeps saying ‘oh you need a girl.’ Like I just need a healthy baby at this point! lol Funny what lack of filter comes out regarding pregnancy!
Either way it’s a fun surprise at the end for you guys!