Ten Old Wives’ Tales for Predicting Baby’s Gender…
Obviously, the best way to find out the gender of your baby is during the 20 week ultrasound scan (although they don’t always guarantee 100% accuracy). However, not everyone chooses have the surprise revealed at this stage. If you’ve decided not to find out whether your bump is a boy or a girl, then you may well be driving yourself mad trying to guess (or other people are, by offering their opinions on the matter!).
Guessing the sex of your baby can be fun though – you could even start a competition between family and friends to see who’s right. Here are ten old wives’ tales, said to be able to predict baby’s gender (Please note: these have little or no basis in science and there are absolutely no guarantees of accuracy here!):
- The shape of your bump
Many people say that if you’re carrying your baby high, then it’s a girl. If your bump is lower, then it’s a boy. Likewise, if your bump is all out to the front (as though you’ve swallowed a beach ball!) then people often say it’s likely to be a boy, while girl bumps are said to be more spread out around your middle. - Feeling sick?
Some people claim that morning sickness is worse if you’re expecting a girl. Sailed through pregnancy without even a hint of queasiness? Then you might be having a boy. - In a spin…
Tie your wedding ring to a piece of string and dangle it over your bump. Don’t interfere with the motion and watch how the wedding ring swings. If it moves from side-to-side like a pendulum, it’s said to be a sign that you’re expecting a boy. If it moves in a circular motion, it’s rumoured to be a girl. - Acne attack?
Another old wives’ tale claims that if you’re having a baby girl she’ll steal your beauty (?!?) so if your skin is suffering during pregnancy and you find that you’ve got more than your usual share of blemishes and acne … could it be that you’ve got a little girl on the way? If you find people are commenting on how well you look and you’ve got a definite pregnancy ‘glow’, then perhaps you’re expecting a boy. - Getting cold feet?
Not in the sense that you’ve changed your mind…you can’t do that! However, it’s claimed by some that cold hands and feet during pregnancy are a sign that your baby will be a boy. If your extremities stay warm and toasty throughout pregnancy, then you might be carrying a girl. - In a heartbeat…
Can baby’s heart rate can give a clue to its gender? If it’s below 140 beats per minute then it could be a boy, while a heartrate over 140bpm is said to indicate a girl. This may sound like a simple enough way to predict baby’s gender…but sadly there’s no evidence to back it up! Still, there’s a 50/50 chance that you’ll guess correctly!
- Could the clue be in the cravings?
If you suddenly can’t get enough of crisps, crackers, chips, popcorn and anything salty, then your bump could be blue. If it’s chocolate, cake and sweets that you crave then you could be expecting a pink bundle of joy! - Bad hair day?
If your hair becomes thick and glossy during pregnancy then it’s claimed to be a clue that you’re carrying a boy. If, however, you’ve had nine months’ worth of bad hair days and your tresses are dull, limp and lacklustre, you could be preparing to meet your baby girl. - Chinese astrology
Chinese astrology claims to be able to predict baby’s gender by using the mother’s Chinese lunar age at conception and the lunar month of conception. Want to give it a try? Work out your lunar age and see the chart here: http://www.yourchineseastrology.com/calendar/baby-gender-predictor.htm - Follow the line…
It’s usual to develop a dark line (the Linea Nigra) down your belly when you’re expecting, but could the length of this line provide a clue to baby’s gender? If the line goes to your belly button but not beyond, then the baby in your bump is said to be a girl. If it extends beyond your belly button towards your ribcage, then you may be having a baby boy.
Of course, none of these will give you a definitive answer – you’ll have to wait to meet baby for that – but you can have some fun trying them out! Do they all arrive at the same conclusion or do you have a mixed bag of answers? Did any of these old wives’ tales correctly predict the gender of your baby? Have you heard of any other weird and wonderful gender predictions? We’d love to hear your stories!