Boy or girl? Gender reveal parties are the fun new way to find out!

By: Jen Savadge Gender reveal parties are the hot new trend in pregnancy and a fun way to share your new baby news. When I was pregnant with my first child, my husband and I decided to go for the big surprise and not find out her gender until she announced it herself to the world. But when I was pregnant with my second child, we decided to find out the gender to better help big sister prepare. The three of us went to the ultrasound, found out the gender and then called friends and family to let them know. How boring! If I had known then about all of these fun new ways that couples are announcing their new baby's gender, I definitely would have been on board! Gender reveal parties are the latest trend in the baby world, embraced by couples as the fun new way to announce the exciting news. And the best part is that it's not the couples doing the announcing. More often than not, they are just as surprised as their guests to learn the news! The traditional color choice for a gender reveal party is pink or blue, but feel free to go with whatever two colors you choose to represent your baby's gender. Ask guests to cast their ballot by wearing one color or another or hand out pins, beads, leis, temporary tattoos, or hats to let them show off their choice. Then it's time to reveal the surprise... Here's how to pull off a fun gender reveal party that's sure to have a surprise in store for everyone. A sweet surprise. Gender reveal cakes, cupcakes, and cake pops are a popular choice for gender reveal parties. Ask your ultrasound tech or OBGYN to write down the baby's gender and place it in a sealed envelope. Then take this envelope to your favorite baker. Ask him to bake a cake that's gender neutral on the outside with a creme filling that matches the color you chose to represent your baby's gender. Floating on air. Take your gender-info envelope to your local party store and ask the clerk to fill up a dozen balloons of the appropriate color and box them up. This is a great idea for parents with other children. They will be more than delighted to open the box at the party and reveal the surprise! The clothes make the man? Another cute idea is to head to the baby store and pick out two outfits - one for a girl and one for a boy. I know it sounds like gender stereotyping, but it doesn't have to be a pink frilly dress and a manly three-piece suit. The outfits could simply include t-shirts in the colors you have chosen to represent each gender. Take the outfits to the cashier and hand her the envelope. Ask her to box up and wrap (in gender neutral colors) the appropriate outfit. Have you ever been to a gender reveal party? How did the couple share the news?

First Baby of 2014 Rings in the New Year- It's a Girl!

Tired and happy. That’s how Tracy and Chuck Amadori felt Wednesday afternoon at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Amherst, gazing at their new daughter. Lilliana Rose Amadori, named for her great-great grandmother, arrived at 12:56 a.m. New Year’s Day, the apparent winner of the unofficial derby among area hospitals for the first baby of 2014. She is the couple’s first child. Another baby arrived at 1:42 a.m. in Women & Children’s Hospital, according to Michael P. Hughes, spokesman for Kaleida Health. At 4:07 a.m. in Sisters Hospital, a baby girl was born. After her birth, three others arrived throughout the morning there. Like all new parents, Tracy and Chuck Amadori were content Wednesday to watch their daughter, snuggled in a blanket and pink cap, as she slept on her mother’s bed. Lilliana, born five days earlier than expected, weighs 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and she is 21¼ inches long. “I started having some contractions on Sunday night, but since I’ve never been pregnant, I went to work Monday,” said Tracy Amadori, an X-ray technician for Gates Vascular Institute. She was “up all night Monday” with contractions, and on Tuesday morning she went to her obstetrician, who sent her to the hospital. She gave birth to Lilliana via cesarean section. The Grand Island couple, who did not know the baby’s gender before she was born, had been convinced the child would be a boy. “We didn’t know. I don’t know why, I just had a feeling that it was a boy,” Tracy Amadori said. “I thought he would be like his father. My husband is big into comics and superheroes.” She said the operating crew let Chuck Amadori announce, “It’s a girl.” “It was shocking,” she said with a smile. But the new father, a supervisor at the Grand Island Post Office, seemed more than happy with his little Wonder Woman, named after her great-great grandmother. “I was very close with her,” Tracy Amadori said of her great-grandmother, “so we tried to modernize Lillian so it doesn’t sound so old.” Lilliana and all babies born at Millard Fillmore Suburban and Women & Children’s hospitals will receive a Buffalo Sabres blanket this year. The Sabres are continuing their “Buffalo Baby” initiative. The program was developed last year by team owner Terry Pegula, his wife, Kim, and Sabres President Ted Black to welcome the babies. The hooded blanket sports a “14” on it, to signify the year. “We are very excited to do the baby blanket program again in 2014, building on the success of last year, which saw us distribute over 7,000 blankets,” Black said. News Staff Reporter Lou Michel contributed to this report. email: bobrien@buffnews.com

Diet's Influence on Baby’s Gender

Could choosing your baby’s gender be as simple as changing the way you eat? According to new research, it just may be- though not every dieter will find it simple. A new study supports previous theories showing that a diet low in sodium and potassium and rich in calcium and magnesium can increase the chance of having a baby girl. The study also included timing of intercourse- three to four days before ovulation- as an additional factor increasing chances of conceiving a girl. So how does the pre-selection diet work? One theory is that it changes the mineral content of a women’s uterine environment (changing the consistency of the cervical mucus or some other environmental condition in the reproductive tract) which makes it more hospitable to one type of sperm or another. Similarly, other theories suggest that the “gender diet” can change the pH (acidity) in the woman’s body and therefore change the polarity of the egg. By ingesting the correct ratio of minerals, a woman can alter her uterine environment making it more conducive to attract either an x or y chromosome from the male’s sperm. The most recent study focused on the ideal diet and timing of intercourse to conceive a girl. Of the thirty two women in the study who combined the prescribed maternal diet with timing of intercourse, 81% of them conceived a female baby. The diet was started 9 weeks before planned conception and lasted until a pregnancy home test provided proof of pregnancy. It included ample amounts of dairy products- about 500 grams per day, which is equal to 17 ounces. One serving of milk is 8 ounces, cheese is 1 ½ ounces, and 1 egg is 1 ¾ ounces. These dairy products provide plenty of calcium and magnesium in the diet. Intake of potatoes was limited due to their high potassium content, and no salt was added during food preparation. This diet was supplemented by 400-600 mg of magnesium, 500-700 mg of calcium and 5-7.5 micrograms of vitamin D depending on the initial amount of these minerals found in the woman’s blood. - See more at: http://www.babymed.com/food-and-nutrition/diet-may-influence-baby-gender#sthash.lHfPWB02.dpuf

Basketball superstar Andrew Gaze tries Boy Diet!

Gender disappointment: Expectant mothers confess secret regrets

When second-time mom Nicole King walked into her 20-week ultrasound appointment, she sent a text message to her closest friends: “Think pink.” They all knew what that meant. Nicole and her husband already had a 2-year old son, and were clearly hoping their second baby would be a girl.

“This pregnancy felt completely different from my first,” said Nicole. “At one point I thought I had food poisoning because I was so sick. This never happened with my son.” When the ultrasound technician announced that Nicole's second child was a boy, she wanted to cry. “I was really disappointed. I think everyone in my family was disappointed too, except for my husband. It’s hard because you want people to be excited when you tell them the news, and when you think they’re unhappy, it becomes less exciting for you, too.” Some women feel a momentary twinge of sadness when they find out the gender of their baby. For others, the disappointment cuts deeper, and can even turn into depression. This phenomenon, known as “gender disappointment,” is rarely discussed yet common among expectant mothers. “We assume gender disappointment is quite a hidden experience, yet extremely common especially in certain cultures” says Dr. Louann Brizendine, a neuropsychiatrist at UCSF and author of The Male Brain and The Female Brain. “As many as 1 in 5 women express at least some disappointment about the sex of the child they are carrying.” One couple recently took the risky step of finding out their baby's gender live on TODAY; judging from their reactions, "It's a boy" was good news, especially for dad. But not everyone has the same experience. Jamie Crosier, mother of three, believes every expecting mother has a preference on gender whether they admit it or not. “Every woman is on one side of the fence or the other, even if you say that all you want is a healthy baby.” When Jamie was pregnant with her second child, she felt like she was just getting the hang of being a mother to her daughter. “When I discovered that I was having a boy, I was shocked at my disappointment. When I was in the ultrasound room and the technician told me it was a boy I actually cried. After the appointment I called my parents with the news and cried again. Hormones are nuts!” Dr. Brizendine says that many mothers feel guilt and shame over feeling disappointment about their baby's gender, so they suppress their sadness and keep it to themselves. “We had a gender reveal party, with a cake to reveal either pink or blue frosting inside,” shares Amy, a San Diego native who asked that we only use her first name. “When we finally cut into the cake and saw the pink frosting, I felt sad. Honestly, I think I would have felt sad either way. It was almost like I had to mourn the loss of the potential boy before I could celebrate the actual girl. I was really surprised by my reaction and totally faked the 'yay!', then went into the kitchen to be by myself for a few minutes. It really only took several moments away from the party and another day or so of readjusting to our news before I was excited about our little girl, but I was surprised it took any time at all.” It's a ... girl? Sometimes the "gender reveal" can reveal more emotions than a mom-to-be expected. For Nicole King, a random encounter with an acquaintance helped her start to see the benefits of having two boys. “My friend has a boy and a girl that are extremely close in age. She told me that in her experience, when siblings of different genders are so close in age they have less in common. It got me thinking about things differently.” This coping mechanism, known as “active reframing,” is the most common approach to dealing with gender disappointment. “When a mom finds out she’s having the opposite gender desired, she starts telling herself little stories about why this gender is going to be a good thing. Like how, if they’re having a boy and they wanted a girl, they get to avoid the dreaded teenage years” explains Dr. Brizendine. “It’s called active reframing and it starts immediately. If there is any real disappointment, it often barely rises to the surface and the woman doesn’t even realize it’s there.” With hormones raging, feelings of gender disappointment mid-pregnancy can feel heightened, but may be even worse if you leave the gender a surprise until delivery. “These days, only about 10 to 20 percent of my patients keep the sex a surprise,” says Dr. Laura Cha, a New York City based OB/GYN. “But for those patients that have a very obvious preference, I tell them to find out their baby's gender as soon as possible. The last thing you want is a patient who has spent the last nine months convincing themselves they’re having a boy, only to find out they’re having a girl.” Most of the time, Dr. Brizendine says that any sort of gender disappointment disappears once the baby is born. But if you find the disappointment lingering, before or after delivery, there are healthy ways of dealing with your emotions. “First, try to get to the root of why this issue of gender is particularly important to you,” suggests Dr. Brizendine. “Then, talk to another woman who has gone through the same experience. If you continue to struggle, make three sessions with a therapist to help reprogram the news of the gender so it’s not so disappointing to you.” When Jamie Crosier’s son Cash was born, the disappointment over wanting a second daughter disappeared immediately. “The moment my son was born I was totally in love with him and never had a second thought about it. He's such a momma's boy and I just love it!” Nicole King knows this will be the case for her, too. “Now that I know I’m having another boy, I’m not disappointed anymore. I know with all of my heart that once I hold our baby for the first time, I’ll love him just as much as I love my first son.” Morgan Brasfield is a television producer and freelance writer. She lives in San Francisco with her husband Tyler, 11-month old son Ben, and furry-child Cooper. http://www.today.com/moms/gender-disappointment-expectant-mothers-confess-secret-regrets-1C8144610 Tags: Babies, pregancy, Babies, Health, gender

Gender Preferences- What if my baby isn't the "right" gender?

We all want a healthy baby. There is no question about that, so it's rarely even a spoken question, just an assumption. The real questions start to come when you discuss the sex of your baby. Do you want a girl or a boy? That is certainly a loaded question. Some would argue that we all have a preference, even if we don't admit it. Others openly say that only sometimes does the preference surface, for example if you already have a boy and this time you'd like a girl or vice versa. Is it ever a problem to desire one sex over another? The mother of four boys might say that her desire to have a baby girl overrides the reality that the statistics are against her. Will her desire for a baby girl impact her relationship with her sons? For most of us the answer is no. We simply grieve the loss of the dream of the sex we had hoped for and move on. Though there are some women and their partners who actually experience more than a passing depression over the sex of their baby. For these people, counseling to explore their feelings is a must, even if they feel that it does not effect their relationship with their child. The feelings will come out, even if in small ways. There are also couples who choose to do sex selection techniques to ensure the sex of their next baby, like MicroSort®, Shettles Method, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), etc. Finding Out Before Birth The case for finding out the sex of your baby before birth is largely based on claims of prenatal bonding, selection of a name and preparation for a new baby. Some mothers feel that it would be easier to deal with a less than ideal sex or even an out right disappointment prior to the birth of their baby. So that knowing ahead of time actually allows them to work through their grieving process during the pregnancy, rather than in the immediate postpartum period. Though ultrasound is not perfect. Heck, even genetic testing has its limits. Mistakes are made and heart are unnecessarily broken, even if just for a little while. Let's not forget the expense that could happen if the baby turns out to be of the opposite sex. This can lead to a different depression after bonding with your baby boy or girl, only to find out that your baby is the opposite sex. Waiting to Find Out Waiting to find out the gender of your baby at birth also has advantages. First of all there are no mistakes made. No names picked out and labeled. No rooms are painted. And no gender specific clothing purchased. Families and moms who chose to wait say that even if they have a strong preference for a girl or a boy, waiting is beneficial for them. One mother explains it as being caught up in the moment. "I really, really wanted a baby girl. When they handed my son to me and said, 'It's a boy!' I just cried, he was perfect and I was very happy. I didn't even think about a girl at that moment." Later she admits to thinking about the differences in her previous preferences, but says that it wasn't really a factor and did not cause depression. The hormones of labor and birth can help with that, though not always. What if your baby isn't the "right" sex? That's a tough question. The first part of the problem is going to be admitting that your baby is different from what you expected or desired. Today's society, despite everything it claims about being supportive and pressuring women to have preferences, is not very forgiving when you hold a healthy infant and claim to be sad because it's not a girl or a boy. This can lead to many women not admitting that they are disappointed. Bottling these feelings up can lead to even more disastrous results, including full swing depression. Find a friend or a counselor, talk to them about your preference. Being able to say, "Hey, I love my baby, but I'm still disappointed." is good for you. It is not impossible be happy that you have a healthy baby and be disappointed. Being disappointed doesn't mean not loving your baby or being a bad mother. It means that you had an attachment to a dream of something specific and the end result is great, but different than how you had imagined it to be. This doesn't make you ungrateful. It makes you a realist. Take the time to grieve the loss. Acknowledge that it is the loss of something special to you. This will help you heal and move forward. Love your baby and talk it out with someone who will listen without belittling your feelings. The majority of women find that within a few weeks they laugh and can't imagine that they ever wanted something other than what they got, it just takes a bit of time to realize the gift they have.

Boy or girl? Couples make announcements at gender-reveal parties...

A gender-reveal party is a trend that has been growing for about five years. Instead of learning a baby’s sex in a sterile medical room, parents-to-be are delivering the envelope from the ultrasound technician to, typically, a baker who creates a treat that will reveal the news via pink or blue frosting. “In the last year, gender-reveal cakes have become more popular,” said Jasmine Clouser, owner of The Couture Cakery in Camp Hill. Even before orders started coming in, she was familiar with the concept from the party-planning websites that she frequents. The most popular cake-reveal method is a layer cake with colored frosting between the layers. The cake is covered in a neutral frosting. The couple cut the cake together to reveal their baby’s sex. Some opt for cupcakes filled with pink or blue frosting and guests are invited to take a bite simultaneously and find out the news together. There’s nothing like the thrill of opening that envelope. “It always hits me that I know the sex of the baby before the parents do,” said Clouser, who added that she can’t help checking twice to make sure she gets the frosting color correct. Planning and etiquette Gender-reveal parties are a new trend, so there are no firmly established rules. Clouser said some of her clients do know the sex, and the reveal is for friends and family, but most wait to find out at the party. Though occasionally couples will reveal the sex of a baby at a baby shower (typically when close family and friends live too far away to attend multiple events), gender-reveal parties are for celebration and fun — there is no expectation of gifts, though certainly some guests will not be able to resist. Christy Beane of Duncannon never heard of a gender-reveal party until her mother-in-law told her about it. “We liked the idea immediately,” she said. “If you are planning on finding out anyway, why not do something fun?” From balloon launches to a double-cake reveal, three local couples have embraced the growing trend and hosted gender-reveal parties. Adam and Hope Pankake, Camp Hill The Pankakes have been busy. Not only are they expecting twins, but at the time of their party, they were in the midst of a move. That didn't stop them from holding one last soiree in their old home. "I read about gender reveals on various websites and a couple friends had them, and I thought it was something special," Hope Pankake said. The couple hosted a casual lunch with close family and friends for both ease and economy. It was one of those occasions where dessert first worked. "We waited until everyone was there, cut the cakes and then had lunch," she said. The reveal: Double cake cutting Theme: "Who will they bee? Baby A and Baby B" Party: Lunch buffet It's... two girls! Due Nov. 4. Randall and Jessica Hughes, Dillsburg The Hugheses anticipated waiting to learn the sex of their baby, but in the ultrasound room it "was blatantly obvious that he was boy," said Jessica Hughes, who waited to reveal the gender at the shower when she was 36-weeks pregnant. "The reason we did that was because I have a lot of family and friends from out of town," she said. One caveat for those considering rolling a reveal into a shower is that shower gifts will be gender neutral. The Hugheses didn't mind, and it made the shower that much more memorable, she said. "It was so much fun to have that moment together." The reveal: Balloon launch Theme: Hot-air balloons Party: Shower/gender-reveal combo It's ... a boy! Gabriel was born May 25. Jeff and Christy Beane, Duncannon View full sizeSubmitted photoBig-sister-to-be Addison helped parents Jeff and Christy Beane cut the cake to find out what the gender of her new sibling would be. "We liked the idea of having everyone in the family find out at the same time," Christy Beane said. "We have a huge family, who do you call first?" Instead of calling anyone, they threw a catered dinner for their family. They had a cake that read "Pink or blue, we love you!" and decorated with pink and blue balloons. "It was a low-key, fun, family event," she said. "I'm glad we did it. It was definitely something I'd do again, and I'd recommend it -- any opportunity to celebrate those little events in life is important." The reveal: Cake cutting. Big-sister-to-be Addison helped. Theme: "Pink or blue, we love you!" Party: Catered dinner It's ... a boy! Due Oct. 26. CREATIVE REVEALS A cake reveal is the most popular means of imparting the news, but it's by no means the only method. A quick search on Google, Pinterest, party-planning sites or blogs will turn up dozens of fun ways to reveal the baby's sex. Here are a few: •Balloon launch: Craft a box for the party and have a family member or friend fill it with helium balloons in the appropriate color. Open the box to reveal the sex of the baby. •Confetti: Entrust a friend or family member to order black or opaque balloons filled with a bit of pink or blue confetti. Pop a balloon to reveal the sex. •Pinatas: Purchase a pinata and have a friend or family member fill it with pink or blue candy. •Wrapped outfit: Give the ultrasound results to a friend or family member and have them choose an appropriate outfit and have it wrapped Ñ in gender neutral paper, of course! -- and open it at the party. •Fortune cookies: Ask a friend or family member to order custom fortune cookies from a site such as myowncookie.com with "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" inside. -- Written by Anne Burkley for Body & Mind