Life
11 Old Wives Tales About Gender Prediction That Are Beyond Untrue
When you're expecting, the one thing almost everyone wants to know is whether you're having a boy or a girl. Unlike the women of previous generations, ultrasound technology allows doctors to determine the sex of your baby with almost complete certainty before they make their big debut. But even if you choose to keep your baby's gender a surprise, you'll probably hear at least one of these old wives tales about gender prediction that are crazy untrue from friends and relatives who put more faith in urban legend than in actual science.
The position of your bump, the foods you crave, and even your complexion are just a few of things that have been passed down for generations to determine the sex of a pregnant mother's baby. The fact that these superstitions have a 50 percent chance of being accurate only give their believers more "proof" that there is some truth behind them.
While trying to determine your baby's sex with these wives' tales can be a fun distraction from the rest of your pregnancy anxieties, the truth is that none of them have been scientifically proven. If I were you, I would take all of these gender predicting myths with a grain of salt — just don't tell your grandma I said so.
1Carrying High vs. Low
Some will tell you that if you're carrying high, you'll be welcoming a little girl. Unfortunately, the reality is that where your bump sits has less to do with your baby's gender and more to do with how many times you've been pregnant. According to Parenting, the muscles that hold a mother's uterus against her spine can stretch with each pregnancy, causing your baby bump to sit lower each time.
2How You Sleep Matters
One wives' tale suggests that the way you sleep can be a predictor of your baby's sex. Parents notes that if you sleep on your left side, you're believed to be having a boy, while the right side means you're having a girl. But what happens if you sleep on your back, or change sides throughout the night? I guess we'll never know.
3What You Crave
According to some Today's Parent, the food you crave while you're expecting and how much of it, can give you a clue to your baby's sex. There has been some evidence that women who crave more food during their pregnancy give birth to boys, but as Huggies points out, this is often attributed to their higher comparative birth weight.
4Walking With Grace
Whether expectant mamas move like a graceful ballerina or a drunken sailor has also been used as a gender predictor, according to Parents. If you find yourself gliding gracefully through your pregnancy, some believe you are having a girl. But if you're stumbling about, a boy is on his way.
The truth is that the sex of your baby really has nothing to do with why you may be losing your balance. According to What to Expect, a mom's growing belly affects her center of gravity, which can make it difficult for her to stay on her feet.
5The Pendulum Test
If you need to know your baby's sex so you can pick the perfect name, Parents suggested you try swinging a pendulum in front of your belly to help. If it swings back and forth, you're having a boy. If it moves in a circle instead, you'll be having a girl. But don't take this to the bank. You could end up with a different result each time.
6Sick To Your Stomach
As WebMD mentioned, some people believe that morning sickness can be an indicator of your baby's gender. Moms who suffer from sever morning sickness, are thought to be carrying a girl. But the reality is that doctors are unsure of the exact cause of morning sickness, but believe that it could be the result of the body's reaction to the pregnancy hormone (hCG) or stress, according to WebMD.
7Look At The Calendar
In ancient Chinese and Mayan cultures, it is believed that the calendar can help you predict your baby's gender. If both the year you were born and the year you conceived are even or odd, you are having a girl. If one is even and the other is odd, you can expect a boy. While this test is a lot of fun, I would give it as much credibility as a fortune cookie.
8The Shape Of Your Face
If your pregnancy is causing your face to swell, don't be surprised if some people use it as an opportunity to weigh in on your baby's sex. According to Babies Online, some people believe that the shape of your face can indicate the sex of your baby. But for both of my pregnancies (one boy and one girl), my face was pretty round and fat the entire time.
9The Drano Test
This is by far one of the grossest wives' tales around. Legend has it that by mixing a little Drano with your urine, you can determine your baby's sex, according to WebMD. But if I were you, I'd leave this one alone. The chemicals in Drano can be harmful to expectant moms. It's just not worth it.
10Take A Look In The Mirror
Do you want to know your baby's sex before you can get to the doctor's office? Look in the mirror. Your complexion may hold the key to your baby's gender, according to Today's Parents. If your skin is breaking out and looks more like your freshman year high school yearbook photo, you could be having a girl.
In reality, the acne can actually be blamed on those pesky pregnancy hormones again. According to What to Expect, progesterone causes an increased production of oil in your glands, leading to clogged pores and of course, acne.
11Listen To Your Heart
Legend has it that you can use your heart rate as a predictor of your baby's gender, according to the Disney Baby blog. Some people believe that a faster heart rate (above 140 BPMs) means a baby girl is on the way. While a slower heart rate (under 140 BPMs) indicates that you're having a boy.
Unfortunately, there is no scientific proof that this test actually works. In fact, a baby's heart rate has less to do with gender and more to do with their level of activity at the time, according to Huggies.
