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If throwing a gender reveal party is exciting because you get to share big news with loved ones, attending it is also a lot of fun. But what if one of your relatives already knows if you’re having a boy or a girl, and they end up sharing the secret before your event even takes place?
TikTok user Hope Barnes shared a video of her sister blurting out the sex of her baby ahead of her planned gender reveal. Her sis had her hand on Hope’s pregnant stomach when she felt the baby move. “He’s moving a lot,” she blurted out, before slapping her hand over her mouth, because she had just spoiled the news. Hope wrote in the caption, “Tell me how she did this 3 times and no one heard it each time.” That wasn’t exactly the plan… But, as Hope explained in a response to a comment, her sister lives with her so she kept hearing Hope and her husband talk about the baby’s sex.
One user commented, “That would be me,” and, yes, same. I can keep a secret when a close friend asks me to, but I can see how this baby news would be too exciting not to share. Another user said, “My ultrasound tech accidentally said ‘look he’s smiling!’” and they acted like they didn’t know because they were having a gender reveal party.
When I was pregnant with my daughter in 2023, I was eager to learn the sex of the baby. However, when I went to a local clinic for my 18-week anatomy scan, there were signs plastered all over that said no information would be shared, including the sex. Then, halfway through my scan, the technician said she would tell me. What a rollercoaster! Sure, I get the desire to have a fun reveal party and learn the news there, but it was still an emotional moment. I’m also not sure how people make it to their baby’s birth without finding out their infant’s sex considering every time I got a scan, a new tech confirmed I was having a girl. You really would have to be on top of that!
As for the TikTok user who agreed they couldn’t keep their sister’s baby news a secret, it looks like a fair number of people would have been able to stay silent about it. According to Civic Science, 40% of Americans “sometimes” keep a secret and for 55%, it’s “always.” The publication explained that adults 55 and older tend to be better at this than Gen Z. I’m willing to bet that if people were surveyed about keeping quiet about their own baby’s sex or a family or friend’s, they wouldn’t be able to stop themselves from saying something.
A 2023 Columbia University study found that you will “feel alive” if you keep a positive secret. This is particularly true if you plan to share it with someone at some point. This research was a big deal considering the fact that people look at secrets as bad things. Dr. Michael Slepian said, “Some of life’s most joyful occasions begin as secrets, including secret marriage proposals, pregnancies, surprise gifts and exciting news.” See, Hope’s sister just couldn’t help but let this wonderful news out into the world.
Some might say that waiting until birth to find out your baby’s sex is one of life’s greatest surprises. But I’d argue that life with a newborn is shocking enough, so it makes sense that many want to find out beforehand. Knowing the sex makes picking a name easier… but maybe don’t share that secret with a family member!