Hoping for a boy

I want to have a baby boy.

I know that’s socially unacceptable to say because you’re supposed to say something neutral like, “Oh, I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl as long as it’s healthy.”

I hate when women say that because those two things are not mutually exclusive. It’s not like a want an unhealthy baby as long as it’s a boy, or that I’d ever choose gender over health. But all things being equal, I would really like to have a baby boy.

I am pregnant with our second child, which will likely be our last biological child because of a heart condition that I have. In fact, we’re likely pushing it to even try to have one more, but that’s a blog for another day.

So if this is our last biological child, I would really like to have a boy. Of course I will be thrilled to have another girl and I will never, ever wish things were different if I do have a girl. That’s not even a question. But as a mother, I would like the experience of raising both a girl and a boy.

And no matter what women say or think they are supposed to say on this subject, I think most women have a strong gender preference. I know several couples (including us) who have tried all the timing and positioning tricks to get a certain gender. Some have even gone on special diets to increase the chances of a boy or a girl.

Now I know this may seem trivial to anyone who has suffered through infertility or miscarriage, but I believe there are lots of women out there who are silently grieving the loss of the idea of a daughter or a son that they never got.

Did you ever hope for a certain gender when you were pregnant? Or are you still holding out hope for a little girl or a boy to add to your family? Do you think hoping for a certain gender is silly, or is it a legitimate issue that some women go through?