Managing Gender Expectations:
- When: Most people find out the sex of their baby at their ultrasound around 18-24 weeks.
- Why: Finding out early lets you begin to bond with your baby, especially if you have a preference in gender.
- What if: If you are disappointed, go ahead and admit it to yourself and your partner and know that it will pass with time. Don't feel guilty about your feelings; allow yourself to be human. Try to look beyond the disappointment and see where your opinions about boys or girls are coming from -- bad family relationships, out of control boy cousins, the fact that you were a tomboy.
- Dealing with others: When you get the comments from family and friends, try to let them roll right off your back, consider it practice for parenting. Conserve energy for things that really matter.
- How: Realize that your child will grow up in an environment that you create and you're not doomed to the exact same experiences.
About Abigail Tuller:
Abigail Tuller has 19 years of editorial experience ranging from music to sports and fitness and now parenting.
She has been the editor in chief of Pregnancy magazine since February 2006 and is thrilled to have just sent to print the premier issue of Mom magazine. She and her husband are happy parents of two active boys, Mason, 6, and Rex, 4. She lives with her family in San Francisco.
For more information, visit www.pregnancy360.com
