Gender reveal ideas

Pregnancy can feel like a very long road, so it’s nice to break it up into milestone moments – like the day you find out whether you’re expecting a boy or a girl. For some, of course, this doesn’t happen until the day the baby arrives, but around 70% of pregnant mothers want to find out ahead of time. Most will have the opportunity to do this at the 20-week scan, where (if your baby is in the right position!) your sonographer should be able to tell you the sex of your baby.

Gender reveals are all the rage on social media platforms, but what are your options for a fun gender reveal and is it right for you?

Creative gender reveal ideas

Gender reveals tend to revolve around one key concept: colour coding. Blue for a boy. Pink for a girl. This shows up in smoke, cake, confetti, clothes, and even – in one video too strange to promote with a link – adults in inflatable baby costumes taking part in some kind of wrestling match. (To save you the trouble of Googling, the ‘baby girl’ won.)

While the colour choices may feel a little old-fashioned, the gender reveal is a modern invention, originating in the US in the 2000s. It’s important to state here that you shouldn’t feel in any way obliged to put together some kind of elaborate gender reveal party, complete with videographer. You can enjoy the surprise just as much if you keep it simple. That being said, we have compiled a list of ideas for you to explore.

The classic gender reveal cake option

What better way to celebrate your new arrival than with cake? You can pass the magic envelope from the sonographer to a bakery – or a cake-making friend – and let them prepare the cake accordingly. Or, if you already know the sex but want to surprise friends and family, make your own cake and let them take a bite, revealing the colour-coded sponge.

HiPP mum Laura tells how she and her partner shared their news: “We found out the gender at a private early scan; we were just so excited to know! It was so lovely finding out with my sister joining us too; such a special moment. For all of our friends and family we then got some cupcakes made with pink icing inside. We visited everyone separately and watched them bite into the cakes! It was really nice to share that experience individually rather than with an audience at a gender reveal party.”

Gender reveal balloons

Search ‘gender reveal ideas’ on YouTube and you will come across a whole host of balloon-popping parties. The balloons are usually neutral tones, black or white, and filled with coloured confetti – so when the happy couple bursts the balloon, the baby’s sex is revealed to all! This is particularly lovely when natural confetti products are chosen, so you don’t spend the rest of the party picking up tiny pieces of plastic!

The mystery gender reveal paint

‘Mystery’ spray paint, used to create art, paint clothes, or furniture, is another lovely idea for a gender reveal that has the added benefit of leaving you with a keepsake of the day. You’ll need to enlist help from a trusted friend or family member to arrange the spray cans of pink or blue paint, and take care not to inhale the fumes!

Sports-themed gender reveals

Taking the balloon idea a step further, you can also buy various sports balls prefilled with coloured powder. Hit a baseball, or kick a football or rugby ball, and shower your friends and family members in blue or pink paint powder to find out whether you’re expecting a girl or a boy.

Fireworks and coloured smoke

Smoke bombs, confetti cannons and – if you have a big budget and a safe space - fireworks are also popular choices for gender reveals. Why not gather your loved ones for a party to celebrate your big announcement?

Combining baby shower and gender reveal

If you’re not sure about having a gender reveal party, but you would like the announcement to be special, why not combine your gender reveal with your baby shower to get the best of both worlds? You could play gender reveal games, encourage your guests to guess one way or the other, and serve up the gender reveal cake at the end to let them know who guessed right.

If you’re also daunted about the idea of traditional baby shower games, or you prefer to keep your baby shower party an inclusive affair (i.e. not just the girls), this can also be a way for you to take control of the party and steer it in the direction you’re happy with.

For gender reveal stationery, we recommend Poppy Forrest, one of our BabyClub Partners. They’re a family run business selling personalised cards and stationery for life’s special moments, including adorable gender reveal cards. Plus, if you join our free BabyClub you can get an exclusive discount to use on their website!

What if you don’t want to find out the sex of your baby?

Some people like to find out the sex of their baby, and some people don’t. You should do what feels right for you and not feel pressured one way or the other.

HiPP dad Ian says, “For us, finding out the baby’s sex was about building a bond – and we didn’t want to keep saying ‘it’. We didn’t do a big gender reveal, though; we just told people if they asked.” For some parents, finding out the sex of the baby is something they want to save until the baby arrives – like HiPP dad Scott, who says: “We wanted it to be a surprise.” And in other cases, finding out the sex of the baby can feel daunting. Though parents want to bond with their baby, they are also afraid of becoming too attached and being disappointed.

HiPP mum Kirsten shares her experience: “I felt like I would be jinxing it if I found out the sex. I was terrified of losing our baby based on prior experience.” She also points out that sometimes people end up bringing presents before the baby arrives – which itself can feel like tempting fate – but that they often also bring a present once the baby is born. “I didn’t want people to buy twice.”

If you’re on the fence about finding out the baby’s sex, here are a few pros and cons to consider: Benefits of finding out baby’s sex:

1. If you would like to plan the nursery or wardrobe around typically gendered colour schemes, finding out the baby’s sex gives you a head start
2. It makes it easier to narrow down the list of names
3. It can help you picture what your baby (and life as a parent) might be like
4. If you particularly want either a boy or a girl, knowing in advance that you are not getting your first choice can help you adjust
5. You don’t have to wait as long!

Benefits of waiting to find out the baby’s sex until the day they are born:

1. You can avoid choosing/receiving gender-specific colours ahead of the baby’s arrival (though you will undoubtedly receive them at some point!)
2. Choosing gender neutral baby ‘stuff’ (e.g. buggy, nursery décor, toys, etc.) means you can hand them down more easily
3. You get to prolong the excitement of finding out, and a lovely surprise on the day of your baby’s arrival

However you find out your baby’s sex, it is sure to be a special moment. Better still, it’s just the start of getting to know your little one and who they will become.