Mom of Twins Left Feeling 'Ashamed' by Her Reaction at Gender Reveal

Many couples dream of having a daughter and a son, and one woman hoped this would be the case when she was told she was pregnant with twins.

But when the two balloons were popped, blue confetti dropped out of both, and Katie Bunton's emotions were caught on camera. The content creator was reluctant to share the big reveal as she was initially disappointed with the results.

She told Newsweek: "We took the video in hopes of sharing it with our family and friends on social media as our big gender reveal, but I originally actually fast-forwarded and cut up the clip so you couldn't see my negative reaction!"

The 31-year-old recently shared the moment she found out about her sons, Oscar and Brooks, on Instagram. So far, the clip that shows her reaction, followed by a montage of clips of the boys showing their wild side, has 299,000 views. This is a lot fewer than the first time she posted it on TikTok.

Bunton, who uses the handle @whenkatiemetharry,initially racked up 29.4 million views back in October 2022.

The original caption said: "When people asked if I had a preference, I would say, 'I hope it's a boy and a girl, but my second choice would be two girls because I think two boys would be a lot to handle,' and I was right, but I wouldn't change it for the world. These two little boys keep me on my toes and laughing all day."

It turns out it isn't uncommon for parents to feel this way. Figures show that men would prefer a boy and women would prefer a girl. A Gallup poll previously found that women show essentially no preference, but 31 percent of 1,020 participants said they'd prefer a boy and 33 percent preferred a girl.

The results also found that 49 percent of men favor a boy over a girl, so it's not surprising that husband Harry, 39, has a huge smile on his face after seeing the blue confetti.

Gender reveal
Two screenshots from the viral gender reveal showing blue confetti all over the floor. In the right image, Katie can be seen tilting her head back with a disappointed expression on her face. Katie Bunton/Instagram/@kthillier

Now, two years later, Katie has been able to laugh at herself and advises other parents not to punish themselves if they respond in the same way.

She told Newsweek: "In hindsight, I actually found it very funny, and of course, I love my two boys more than anything, and it was all just me being worried about two wild boys—which I did actually have a really good point.

"I was able to accept the news very quickly and become excited about the prospect of raising not only boys but twin brothers. I knew it would be a blessing, and they would have the strongest, most beautiful bond.

"My advice to other parents would be: don't be ashamed if you have gender disappointment; I promise it will fade much quicker than you realize and no matter the gender, you will love that baby as fiercely as any other!

"Don't be afraid to feel your feelings, and then move on and be over the moon about your new baby boy or girl!"

It turns out Bunton isn't alone, as many people have commented on the resurfaced Instagram clip, explaining they reacted the same.

One user said: "As a boy mom, I had the exact same reaction when I found out I was having a boy, but now I wouldn't change it for a thing!!"

"Exactly my reaction when I found out my twins were both boys. Maybe # 5 will be a girl," said another.

If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Lucy Notarantonio is Newsweek's Senior Lifestyle and Trends Reporter, based in Birmingham, UK. Her focus is trending stories and human ... Read more

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