Abstract

At the risk of not being quite fair, let me start with an admittedly heart-wrenching story told by a mother of three boys: “I dreamed of a daughter since I was 9 years old. I even started keeping a journal for ‘her’ when I was 10. Somehow it never occurred to me that I would ever have a son. But as destiny had it, my first three children were all boys. Although I love them to pieces, I still longed for a daughter. When I got pregnant with my fourth child I was convinced it was going to be ‘my baby girl.’ I ‘felt’ it in my bones. And then the ultrasound. I saw it before I was told. I was having yet another boy! I didn’t want my husband to see my disappointment and I fought back my tears. I waited for him to leave the room so it was just me and my mom. I cried. And I cried. I said, ‘Mom, I am heartbroken.’ She held me as I knew she understood. We are so close and I just wanted a little girl to share that with. I cried all day. A bit the next day. A little less the third day. I started to come to terms with having another boy by fantasizing about how soon I could get started on having my girl.