Can siblings get gender dissapointment?

[beansbeans!]

I think they can. When i was pregnant with dd3, the big girls had their minds set on what they wanted. One wanted a boy and of course the other wanted a girl!
Anyhow, I spent a fair bit of time explaining to them that we didnt get a say in what gender the baby was. In preparing them for a boy, I kept on saying how it would be nice for dh to have another boy round the house, that a boy means they can look after them when they are bigger etc. Also having a brother means that they would have had a prince to play with when they were playing their princess games. My girls were never keen on looking at boy clothes, but I think that is because they couldnt relate to wanting to wear the boy clothes.
In the end though, it didnt matter whether they got a brother or sister. They got a cute little baby, who was theirs to love and be little mummies too. Any disappoint was quickly thrown out the window.
I wouldnt worry about it too much now, try and brace her for the prospect of having a baby brother. But I would be focusing on how she can help you and the baby when it arrives. What her role is going to be and how important she is going to be to her baby sibling. That may shift the focus enough that she wont mind what the gender is.

[Freya]

Absolutely. You should have heard the outcry from my elder two boys when we told them they were getting another baby brother. My 6yo still brings it up that he is sad I am the only girl in our family. Its taken a long time for him to even talk about the baby in gender specific terms I feel really horrible but I try to validate his feelings while explaining that once the baby is here he truly will not care. It can be difficult for them to understand that gender of baby isnt a choice and that sometimes people get all one gender of sibling. My eldest often asks why everyone else (and Im sure it feels that way!) gets brothers AND sisters but he only gets brothers; and 3 at that!

[Kazzo]

Thanks for your replies ladies and some for some of you and your LO.

Freya and Willow, you will both be able to report in on your LO reactions very soon. Good luck ladies, I hope everything goes well for you both.

Beans, thanks, I have told her how much she can help me but she says she will only help if the baby is a girl. She says if it is a boy Daddy can look after it. I am hoping like you said that just that there is a baby will be enough and she will forget about what sex it actually is.

Schonell, funny how kids think to just send it back. Glad you DS is happy.

~TT40~ I actually thought about finding out at my scan last week just so I could tell DD1 and help her get use to the idea but DH really wants the suprise and so that is what it will be.

OP, I am glad your DD is happy with her brother. Gives me some hope.

I am hoping that if the baby brings along some sort of Barbie present that it will win DD1 over with that. I did not want to do the present from baby to siblings (just siblings to baby) thing but if it will help then I will.

[Kazzo]

I may have DD1 on side if baby is a boy now. We told her the name we will call the baby if it is a boy. The name is also DH fathers name so DD1 calls the baby 'Little Nanu' (maltese of grandfather) now. She is excited now that it might be a boy, She still says she wants another sister but a brother will be okay too

[willow5]

Well done Kazzo