Yes, I think that knowing the sex of the baby gives "it" more of an identify and probably allows you to embrace that child as a daughter or son.

Like you, I also feel glad that I was able to give birth to Nicholas. When I found out he had died my immediate reaction was that I wanted a caesar to get him out of me, for a while I flatly refused to go through labour - I don't know why I reacted that way, I think maybe I just wanted the whole nightmare to be over with. The midwives and OB explained to me why it was best to give birth naturally but I was absolutely terrified, I felt like they were trying to torture me or something. They convinced me to go through labour by telling me they would make it "pain-free", they lied! After 12hrs he arrived and looking back now (not that it was that long ago) I feel grateful they talked me into that, the one thing I could do for my precious baby was give birth to him.

Mel