Here's Why Your Sweet Cravings May Not Necessarily Mean You're Pregnant With A Girl

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was hungry all the time. Those probably aren't unlikely words out of most pregnant women's mouths at one point or another during their pregnancy, but what I did find unusual was the thing I craved the most — and it wasn't of the pickles-and-ice-cream sort you might be imagining. Instead, I was always ravenous for fruit. I even went in so far to feel slighted when I couldn't find nectarines in the midst of an East Coast winter. Was it odd? I mean, what do you crave when pregnant with a girl?

According to Parents magazine, old wives' tales say cravings for something sweet, like ice cream, chocolate, and candy mean you're having a girl. So, perhaps, there was something to my whole I-need-fruit-all-the-time M.O. during pregnancy. Citrus could also be a sign that you have a female bun in the oven, the magazine noted. On the other hand, Parents noted that potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn point at the possibility that a little boy is on the way.

Of course, if the thought, sight, and smell of food has you running for the toilet during your first 12 weeks of your pregnancy, then legend has it you are having a girl. But I can attest to this one and say it's not true. In fact, I was convinced I was having a boy because of this myth, but it turns out my zero morning sickness had nothing to do with the sex of my baby.

Other old wives' tales that point at you having a girl include carrying high, faster fetal heart rate, breakouts and oily skin, and wild mood swings, according to Healthline.

When it comes down to it, experts say there isn't a whole lot of logic behind why pregnant women crave certain things. There are, however, some cravings that might be your body's way of telling you it needs something you are lacking. For example, Dr. Andrei Rebarber, associate director of the division of maternal-fetal medicine at NYU Medical Center in New York, told WebMD that a desire for pickles or processed cheese might be your body's way of asking for more sodium. "That aching for a Big Mac and a plate of fries may be your need for more protein, sodium, or potassium," he says. "The burning in your belly for a double helping of chocolate double latte ice cream may be signaling a need for more calcium or fat."

If you are curious about a reoccurring craving, then check in with your doctor to see what they have to say about it.

Of course, the only real way to discover your baby's sex is by undergoing an anatomy ultrasound around 18 to 20 weeks, or waiting until your little one makes their way out of your belly around 40 weeks.

“Normally, at this stage of pregnancy we can determine the baby’s sex, but not always,” Dr. Elizabeth Pryor told Parents of the five-month mark in pregnancy. “The position of the baby during the ultrasound is the most important aspect in our ability to tell the baby’s sex, and there’s no way to influence that.”

Less scientifically-backed methods include the Ramzi Theory, which asserts that the location of your placenta can determine the sex of your baby (right for boys and left for girls). You can also always try the pendulum test where you dangle a chain with a charm over your belly or palm, Parents noted. If it swings back and forth, then you’re having a boy, and a circle means you are carrying a girl.

Which, I have to say, is another myth proved to be untrue in my case. We tried the pendulum trick and it swayed back and forth despite the fact that I was growing a sweet baby girl in there.

Truth? Sex prediction is not an exact science until a doctor uses, well, science to reveal if your baby is a boy or girl. But it doesn't mean you can't have some fun with it in the mean time.