The best live TV ever

It’s a _______ ‘insert gender here’!

Some couples want to know in advance. Others expressly don’t. Some jurisdictions in Canada will tell those couples who want to know. Other health authorities will not.

Halifax is one of those jurisdictions that just happen not to tell and we’re one of those couples that felt we wanted to know. The first time around we didn’t go in for it but that may be because no such private sector service was available.

Yesterday was the big day. My in-laws were with us for the unveiling so to speak. My parents had accompanied us the previous week for the public sector health care ultrasound. The truly miraculous viewing has been getting shared about.

Yesterday’s star billing was on a big screen TV in a tastefully appointed room. Mom was comfortably reclined on a plush table type device with Dad right next to her. The in-laws had plenty of room on a sofa that shouted out, “relax, sit back and enjoy”. Big brother at 22 months was deep in snoozeland as much in his own world as his sibling to be in the womb. Just the popcorn was missing.

Our MC for the event, the entrepreneur slash nurse slash technician whose deft maneuvering of the magic wand pulled our baby into focus and brought to the fore those developing body parts perfect in their imprinting and awesome in their fragility, has truly found her vocation. Her enthusiasm, her engagement and colour commentary swept all of us along on this journey of discovery. Not that we really needed the sweeping but it was so welcoming and affirming to have her serve as our tour guide. She knew what to say and how to say it.

After some in uterus acrobatics – we have a call in to Cirque de Soleil – and very talented sleight of hand, now you see me, now you don’t, we were introduced to the unmistakable, no coyness, tell all genitalia.

Round about mid-November, we’ll be welcoming a brand new little girl into our arms, into our hearts, into our family. Now after having seen her twice, it’s so much harder to wait to have her with us, to shelter, nurture and love.

We celebrated with fish and chips on the Halifax waterfront and purchases of little baby girl clothes at Frenchys, the best place we know of for kids’ clothing. If you live in Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick these are retail outlets where you get phenomenal value, a real opportunity to stretch your dollar.

If you can’t find out the gender of your child through the public health system check to see if you have the option of a private service. It worked well for us.

Prior to yesterday's appointment, we were told that the Halifax children’s hospital no longer offers this service because of litigation that ensued as a result of an incorrect gender determination. We haven’t been able to sort out if this story is authentic or if it’s another apocryphal urban myth.

We were told yesterday though that one of the reasons that sexing is not routinely done in some venues is due to the amount of time it can take and the fact that strictly speaking it is not necessary from a health perspective. But as a childless good colleague recently said to me, "you've got to let your friends and family know - that way the gift buying can begin in earnest." I guess it's time for us to share the results of our TV babyland screening with her.

If you want to know, UC Baby could be a possibility for you.