A tiny being, growing inside her mother’s womb.
Only five months old, but already with fingers, toes, a heart beat, and brain development.
Today’s the day Mom and Dad find out if they have a daughter or son.
The sonographer glides the probe over Mom’s expanding belly, checking many parameters of growth.
Dad waits impatiently for the anatomy to reveal a boy.
The sonographer concludes her exam and announces, “It’s a girl!”
And Dad’s heart sinks as his dreams die.
As I’ve rotated throughout ob/gyn, I’ve seen parents slightly disappointed about the gender of their new baby –in both cases, a girl or a boy. It’s understandable to want the other gender when you already have multiples of the same. But it’s inexcusable to not be happy if you don’t get what you want.
In the above (true) case, maybe Dad needs to realize his attitude will go a long way towards developing his new daughter’s sense of worth and self-esteem. Or that his 3-year-old daughter could misinterpret that she is not wanted since she’s not a boy. Or maybe he needs to understand that he’s the one who donated the X chromosome in the first place. Whether he’s having a daughter or son is completely determined by his sperm.
I’ve seen the damaging consequences of people having to live with their parents’ expectations that they would be a girl or boy when they were the other. It’s not a pretty sight. So, do everyone a favor and celebrate new life no matter what he or she is.
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