# Lengths some go to to find out sex



## ambreen359

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## Kess

I'm not aware of any risks of ultrasound? Have you any links to studies?


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## sam#3

As far as im aware there are no 'documented' risks of having ultrasounds - i think its just personal preference.
I think some people want to find out the sex of the scan due to practical reasons - im finding out early as i need to get the builders in to do a loft conversion if we are expecting a girl!!!

I dont think there is any right or wrong in wanting to know its just personal choice.


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## rachiedata

What is the effect of coke supposed to be? I'm one of those people who has said (and was told myself) to drink Coke to get baby moving. It worked and baby is healthy, are you saying there is a risk to drinking it? Just curious. Drink a fair bit of the stuff myself, fizzy pop addict.

It is important not to get hung up on the sex though. Baby didn't want us to know at first either, although we wanted to, you do have to accept that sometimes an ultrasound just can't tell anyway. It comes down to personal choice and your individual interpretation of the risk. Knowing I'm having a boy has definitely helped me bond and like I say, each to their own.


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## MrsK

The effects of drinking more than 3 cups of coffee per day have been documented (to cause miscarriages during the first trimester)... but I can't imagine a single can of coke seriously harming the baby. 

OH is also afraid that exposure to several ultrasounds may cause harm (though there is no real evidence yet), but we decided that a single gender ultrasound will be alright, and will help us bond with the baby. We're buying all large items gender-neutral, but would still love to know what we're expecting so we can pick a name and stop calling the baby "it".


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## ambreen359

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## indigo_fairy

ambreen359 said:


> for those interested in info re ultrasounds read (Unsound Ultrasound)
> for those that dont know risk of coke to general health there is an abundance of information on web and if coffee is got even a small risk there is caffeine in coke
> 
> When somebody drinks a Coke watch what happens
> 
> In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You dont immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.

Just out of curiousity, but is this the same for Coke that states zero sugar or no sugar etc...? or just the full sugar variety?


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## ambreen359

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## MrsK

Ambreen, I agree that coke or any soda for that matter is not good for anybody's health.. I hardly ever drink any, and if I do, then it's just a sip or two. I just meant that, if someone who doesn't usually drink coke were to drink half a can before going to the ultrasound to ensure the baby moves around a bit-- well, I can't see the harm in that. But to each his own, to each his own.


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## kellyb

Just to add on about the coke zero or diet crap--they're even worse, considering they have artificial sweeteners--bad, bad chemicals! I could be wrong, but maybe fruit juice could get things moving as well???


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## indigo_fairy

I know the risks/effects of artificial sweetners on cells, particularly aspartame. I was wondering if what you posted was relating to them too regarding the same sugar *effects*? :)


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## hayley x

Is it not up to the parents whether they want to find out the sex, a majority of people wait until the 20 week one when they are being scanned for anomaly checks anyway! I have had and will continue to have further scans with my consultant, I was scanned very regularly with my daughter and was not once told by any consultant that it was bad. They have done research into it and the only affect that was picked up was slightly smaller birth weigh, but not enough to be concerning! x


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## Eliza_V

I think that people shouldn't be slammed for wanting to know the sex of their baby; after all it's their choice and no-one elses outside of the pregnancy.

Same with whether they're drinking caffiene. When someone had the audacity to shout at me for drinking a Diet Coke, I cheekily replied "at least I didn't put the vodka in it this time" to shock them into realising that their opinion wasn't welcome - not to mention that there are a lot worse things that I could be doing. The midwives/sonographers encourage you to drink a caffienated drink to encourage the baby to move around during the scan NOT just to find out the sex, but to get other essential measurements (for mine, it was because the baby was facing the wrong way to check for spina bifida and I had an increased risk). 

Once again, what the mother decides to eat/drink is HER choice. Why does anyone else have the right to comment and throw narrow-minded views in their faces? Would you do that to someone who's not pregnant? Does someone who works on a checkout have the right to tell an overweight woman not to buy that pack of doughnuts, and then thrust "studies" in their face telling them that obesity is bad? :dohh: Whatever happened to autonomy?

Worrying every two minutes about what they should/shouldn't be doing, as well as what people think of them, just increases stress levels (which no doubt some other nosey person would take great pleasure in pointing out that's bad too).


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## MrsK

Completely agree, vixiepoo! It's good for people to be informed of possible harm-- but we can't avoid it all completely! 

If we would REALLY care for the well-being of our babies, we would have to stay away from microwaves, cell phones, and anything else that might transmit waves which could "possibly" harm our children :)


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## amymarx

vixiepoo said:


> I think that people shouldn't be slammed for wanting to know the sex of their baby; after all it's their choice and no-one elses outside of the pregnancy.
> 
> Same with whether they're drinking caffiene. When someone had the audacity to shout at me for drinking a Diet Coke, I cheekily replied "at least I didn't put the vodka in it this time" to shock them into realising that their opinion wasn't welcome - not to mention that there are a lot worse things that I could be doing. The midwives/sonographers encourage you to drink a caffienated drink to encourage the baby to move around during the scan NOT just to find out the sex, but to get other essential measurements (for mine, it was because the baby was facing the wrong way to check for spina bifida and I had an increased risk).
> 
> Once again, what the mother decides to eat/drink is HER choice. Why does anyone else have the right to comment and throw narrow-minded views in their faces? Would you do that to someone who's not pregnant? Does someone who works on a checkout have the right to tell an overweight woman not to buy that pack of doughnuts, and then thrust "studies" in their face telling them that obesity is bad? :dohh: Whatever happened to autonomy?
> 
> Worrying every two minutes about what they should/shouldn't be doing, as well as what people think of them, just increases stress levels (which no doubt some other nosey person would take great pleasure in pointing out that's bad too).


You are sooo spot on!! I completely agree with you. Although I have cut coke out of my diet completely (only because it keeps me awake at night) there is absoloutely nothing wrong with drinking it! My SIL drank about a litre of coke a day and her little girl is just fine!!! 
If your gonna complain about something then make it something worth complaining about like smoking or drinking. Hospitals all over the world wouldn't carry out ultrasounds if they were 'bad for your baby'!!!!!!
I got went private to find out the sex of my baby for personal preference. I don't think any pregnant women deserves to be criticized for wanting to know the sex of there baby and I personally think that the people who are dishing out the criticism need to keep there opinions to themselves!!!


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## kellyb

You guys are right in the sense that as mothers we do have the right to make a variety of choices, but it's so important to remember that the choices we make ARE affecting our babies. So, we should be making the best choices possible. While an occasional can of coke is no big deal, there are other options available. Coke isn't the greatest thing in the world for you--I think we can all agree--the sugar content is incredibly high, and it's very acidic. And don't get me started on the diet varieties, as aspartame has been linked (in just about every bit of research) to cancer and other diseases in lab rats (poor rats!). 

Amymarx--you stated that "Hospitals all over the world wouldn't carry out ultrasounds if they were 'bad for your baby'!!!!!!" This isn't really true. There was a time when hospitals regularly performed x-rays on pregnant women, thinking it was ok. What a shocker when they realized how dangerous it actually was. Just because they are hospitals, or doctors, or whatever, doesn't make them right all the time. It's our duty, as mothers, and just as intelligent civilians to do our own research and examine the conflicting opinions and viewpoints, then come to decisions about ourselves and our children. Having a differing viewpoint from the mainstream does not make someone "narrow-minded." In fact, the opposite just may be the truth!

As far as opinions and criticism, this IS a forum--a place for people to get things out, whether they are rants, raves, or questions. Communication is a great thing, and we are all entitled to our opinions, whether they seem critical or not. As a public speaking professor, I would hate for anyone to censor themselves. Just my two cents...


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## Bournefree

Dont think we should let this get too out there and emotive. Afterall this is the friendist place on BnB!
Xx


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## MrsK

Bournefree said:


> Dont think we should let this get too out there and emotive. Afterall this is the friendist place on BnB!
> Xx

true, true.. and I definitely don't mean to bash anybody's personal opinions. I think so many of us feel like books, media and people around us are constantly judging us for the smallest "risk" we might be causing to our unborn babies that it's easy to get too defensive. We all want the best for our little ones, and nobody wants to be told that they're a "bad" mother for getting an ultrasound or drinking the occasional coke. But it's definitely important to remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and nobody should feel like they have to censor their thoughts just because others might not agree.


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## Chocciebutton

The hospital wanted to find out the sex of my baby at my 20 wek scan as I have gestational diabetes and my last baby boy was 4 weeks early and a whopping 10lb.......
The hospital warned me that if I got gestational diabetes again...and I have, then if I was having another boy it was likely it would get even bigger than my last because apparantly boys get bigger each pregnancy when the mother has gestational diabetes....and after 2 boys I am having a girl! phew...didnt fancy a baby any bigger than 10LB


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## ambreen359

Kellyb you said what i was thinking so eloquently Thank you


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## ambreen359

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## rachiedata

Home & Natural is definitely the best place on BnB to 'agree to disagree' :thumbup:


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## Jess_Machine

Drinking too much caffeine every day is not a good idea, but one coke every now and then? Sheesh, there is this thing called moderation. The risks of a soda every now and then are NOT "well documented". Most of the studies on caffeine in pregnancy are done on lab mice/rats. I gave up caffeine when we started NTNP but it IS an addiction, just as real as cigarettes, which most people have a hard time giving up. I don't blame someone for having a hard time getting off coke. 

Besides, when you're told not to gain weight, your only options for drinks are diet sodas or water. (You realize juice has as much sugar as a regular coke, right?) I already feel sick most of the time, I'm not giving up the one thing that still tastes good, caffeine free diet dr pepper. My midwife said no sugar and recommended diet sodas since I hate drinking water. 

As for your other "complaint", knowing the gender is important to most people. It can make the whole thing seem more real. Right now for us it's "the baby" or "it". Once we know, not only can we start saying he or she, but we can start using the baby's NAME. Maybe they don't like using green and yellow on everything. We already picked out a lot of stuff and while it does tend to have a more masculine look, we went with green & brown colors so I think they will still work for a girl. 

Most people find out the gender when they're doing other tests. If you don't want an ultrasound fine, but maybe it's not your business if other people are doing what they think is best for their baby.


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## PeanutBean

Hm. This seems to be an anti-ultrasound thread in disguise.


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## maisiemoo

Putting the gender issue aside, I wish I had done more to get my daughter moving for her scan as she was born with a very serious congenital abnormality, which required multiple operations. It wasn't detected antenatally because they couldn't get all the measurements during the 20 week scan. Since everything else was ok, it was assumed all would be fine. 

Although having the information about her problem wouldn't have changed much, it would have ensured I gave birth in a hospital with appropriate facilities instead of my poor baby being driven hundreds of miles for treatment.

Anyways, the moral of the story is get a decent scan and if a can of coke helps, then do it.


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## syntaxerror

I'm glad this thread is here.

I'll have a Coke before our 20 week scan -- hadn't even occurred to me that that might persuade baby to move. Our 13 week scan for Trisomy 18/21 took 2 hours because baby wouldn't move. (Except for hiccups.)


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## Bournefree

Ice cold drinks also work just as well for me - doesn't have to be coke or the sugar hit to get baby moving. They also have to be ish-still for some of the measurements. You can always come back.
XxX


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## RaspberryK

Um I had to jump up and down and have a cold drink to get baby to move to get measurements and check everything was OK and nothing to do with the gender. I think you may have the wrong end of the stick on some of the threads you have read. 
x


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## syntaxerror

I care so much about finding out baby's gender that I won't hesitate to drink Coke to encourage movement.
Granted, I can't drink an entire Coke because the bubbles make my tummy hurt.
But I don't think that's some evil, terrible thing.


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## Jenniflower

PeanutBean said:


> Hm. This seems to be an anti-ultrasound thread in disguise.

:haha: I was just about to post that! 

I had a kit kat and a coke before going for my gender scan (In truth, I probably would have had it regardless of the scan :lol:) Alright ladies... smack on the hand cuffs. :winkwink:


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## ambreen359

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## PeanutBean

That's a strangely defensive post ambreen. In this section all we do is consider and research and question. But that doesn't mean we all necessarily come to the same conclusions. Our past experiences colour our interpretation of the data and research as well as our opinions of current medical practice.


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## ambreen359

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