Why You Should Think About NOT Learning Your Baby's Sex

There are two kinds of expectant parents: The ones who can't wait to learn the sex of their baby, and the ones who are equally curious...but choose to wait until delivery day to learn the big news.

Of course, the line isn't always so clearly drawn: Maybe you're dying to know if it's a little boy or a girl, but your partner would love it to be a big surprise (or vice versa!). Maybe you're tempted to rip into that envelope you receive post-anatomy scan...but are also contemplating just letting it sit there so your baby's birth can double as a gender reveal. Or maybe you're expecting for the second (or third or fourth) time and feel like you want to capture some of that excitement you experienced during your first pregnancy. And what better way to do that than let baby's sex be a surprise?

Whatever the case may be, there are some pretty great reasons to play for team green! Real moms who opted to stay in the dark until delivery shared their favorite things about the experience...and they just may sway you to do the same!

It gives your baby a blank slate

'I made my husband promise before we got married that he didn't care to know when we finally did have kids one day. I really liked not knowing the gender of my babies before they were born because it helped limit some of the preconceived notions about what our baby would be like. It was much harder to set expectations about what the new baby would be like when we didn't even know if the baby was a boy or girl. It also deterred us and others from buying too many unnecessary things we didn't need or want, particularly things that were gender-specific and would be harder to use again with subsequent children who were a different gender.' - Jen P., @honestlymodern

Finding out at birth can make for a beautiful moment

'With my first child, I had to know EVERYTHING. When I was expecting my second, I decided NOT to find out the gender. It was fun imaging that my growing belly may house a girl or a boy! I couldn't wait until the moment in the delivery room when I'd find out. The doctor let my husband 'call it.' He said, 'We have a little girl!' and his voice broke like I've never heard before. She's our princess!' - Jennifer W, @momcavetv

Your doctor may have fun surprising you

'I think there are just very few surprises left in this world and it was fun to leave that one a mystery. Someone told me once that it's more fun for the docs and nurses when they don't know the sex — I don't know if that's true or not. We did tell our OB that we'd name the baby Amelia if it was a girl and Paul if it was a boy. After a three day long induction, I was so wiped out, that when the baby came out and the doc said 'It's Paul!' I was like, 'What? Who?'' - Claire Z, @klarzulk

You'll have more control over your baby's wardrobe

'Clothing-wise I'm glad we didn't find out because it's so overwhelming to get baby clothes BEFORE the baby is born. turns out people inundate you with them after the baby is born anyway so it doesn't feel necessary to have the baby born into a world of blue or pink (or whatever.)' - Claire Z., @klarzulk

It's a bright spot in an otherwise stressful situation

'I find the whole birth stressful enough, the one thing I can look forward to is meeting my baby and finding out the sex! That's one surprise I love having at the end!' - Rebecca B., @orthodoxsunflower

Were you on team green? If so, tell us what you loved about it!