Planning a gender reveal is one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy, and gives you a unique opportunity to get your loved ones together to celebrate your tiny (but significant!) addition to the family.
But before you order that cake and pop those invites in the post, there’s an important question you need to answer first. When should you host the event? It’s not as simple as you’d think, surprisingly.
When You Can Find Out the Baby’s Gender?
It seems silly to make the point, but that baby brain you’ve got just now can make you a little forgetful! Before you can even announce your baby’s gender, you need to know yourself first.
The earliest you can find out is at around 9-10 weeks, with a noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT). But these are usually done for the purpose of genetic screening, analyzing fragments of the baby’s DNA to gain valuable insight into possible chromosomal conditions. The gender result is often not included as part of the results, especially in a public healthcare setting.
Most parents find out the baby’s gender during the anatomy ultrasound, which happens at approximately 18-20 weeks (and everyone gets one). This scan provides very reliable results, and indeed forms part of the standard testing process during pregnancy.
When to Plan Your Gender Reveal Event
Okay, so you already know the ultrasound will happen at around 18-20 weeks, which means you can start planning for the week just after, right? Again, don’t rush, hold your order for pink/blue confetti for now.
You need to wait for confirmation first. It’s rare, yes, but scan results can be unreliable or even inconclusive. You will then need to book another appointment to make absolutely sure, and you won’t always know when the next one is available.
Make tentative plans for week 21+, should it be possible to be a little fluid with dates. If you can’t, go for the later weeks. By week 24, you should be in the clear, so fixed plans should be safe for then.
Ideally, plan for a weekend celebration, as that means most people will be able to hit ‘yes’ on your invite. Some people tend to get a little overexcited, planning for the day after the scan, only to realize it falls on a Wednesday and no one can get it off work, oops.
And make sure your most important people will be available for your gender reveal, call or message early. Don’t take it for granted even if your baby is super important to your loved ones, as calendars can fill up very quickly.
Practical Planning Tips for Your Gender Reveal
For your gender reveal, it really does pay to plan in advance, where possible. Not because the event has to be ultra complicated or expensive, but you don’t want to deal with a lot while you’re carrying an extra little person.
Also, just remember that not every reveal has to be Pinterest-perfect or an Instagram story for the ages, focus on what feels right. It’s easy for social media to influence you a little too much these days, but it’s not at all necessary (unless that’s what you’d like to do, of course!).
As far as the theme, we recommend choosing early, so you can start buying what you need for the event. Plus, it gives you the chance to buy something here and there as you, giving you little moments of joy and making it all less stressful. Whether it’s a creative theme where you pull out all the stops or your classic pink-and-blue, pick a style that really shows it’s you.
Finally, don’t forget to consider your mental health during pregnancy, as you may feel a little wobbly as many mums-to-be do. If you start feeling overwhelmed, hit pause, and ask for help.
No Stress, Just Joyful Celebration
Your gender reveal should be a celebration, not a race against an oppressive calendar. It doesn’t need to happen at week 10, rushing through a NIPT you don’t need, or even right after your ultrasound at week 20.
No, give yourself the time and space to plan at your pace. Remember, it’s not just about getting the result of pink or blue, it’s about celebrating a new life that will be joining your family, together with your closest people.