Prediction Baby Gender – Old Wives Tales Fact or Fiction?

Prediction Baby Gender – Fact or Fiction? This post was written while I was a pregnant woman carrying our second baby referred to as Pip throughout this post. You know superstition and all that we didn’t want to name the baby before it arrived. While pregnant I went through the old wives’ tales and tested them and wrote next to each one whether the result indicated if baby’s sex would be a baby boy or a baby girl.

When we had our first baby, Charlie. We did not think about gender at all. In fact, we did the complete opposite when compared to the second time around. I did everything I could to avoid finding out whether he was a boy or a girl. Even when we had a 4D scan I specifically asked not to find out the gender. I really didn’t care. But when we fell pregnant again I really wanted to find out. Those first few weeks before we could have the scan it was all I could think about. I think this is because I had a preference the second time around. 

Of course, it wasn’t until we had our 20-week scan and asked the ultrasound technician about the baby’s gender. That we knew for certain Which I have revealed at the bottom. The gender ultrasound scan was right… but were the old wives’ tales?

Prediction Baby Gender – Fact or Fiction

Here are some fun ways you can work out the sex of your baby

Heartbeat

You may remember that I made reference to Pips heartbeat being 145/150 beats per minute in my 16-week check-up with the midwife. The baby’s heart rate can be a baby gender predictor. A fetal heart rate of over140 would generally indicate a Girl.

Food Cravings or Pregnancy Cravings

Generally, craving sweet things would indicate a girl over sour foods indicating a boy. Now I’ve struggled with food so this isn’t the best indicator for me, plus I have a sweet tooth anyway. However, in the first trimester, I definitely had a sweet bias towards chocolate, sugar and randomly Bakewell tarts. I have also fancied cheese, carbs and Caprese salad, so where does that leave me in working our the baby’s gender? I think because I am craving the sugar more I am opting to mark this one as a Girl.

Chinese Gender Predictor Chart

Also known as the Chinese gender calendar. It is often consulted as the oracle it considers the mother’s age and the month of conception to determine if you are expecting a boy or a girl. This is the one that turns up in the search results the most if you google gender predictors. Trust me I know. I did it frequently to see if any other golden nuggets or indications would appear. In fact, a whole group of us tried this one as it is one you can do historically. With so many of us doing it, it was interesting to see the outcome. I won’t spoil it for you. But let’s just say. I would probably put this one near the top of the list if you are looking for reliability. If you want to try it out for yourself the Baby Centre has one here. My result came out as Boy.

Skin

If your skin is not behaving itself and you are getting more spots than usual you are thought to be carrying a girl. The theory behind this is that a baby girl steals her mother’s beauty. Charming. I think you have to be wary of this one. As we all know that early pregnancy is one huge normal imbalance. Therefore I am not sure how much emphasis you can place on blemishes determining the sex of the baby. As my skin was definitely more problematic than usual. But not a breakout as such, so I would say a Boy.

Wedding Ring Test

Place your wedding ring on a chain and dangle it over your pregnant belly. Depending on what way the ring swings will determine baby’s sex. If it swings round and round in a circular motion then you have a little girl, back and forth is a little boy. Mine went in circles so a Girl.

Morning Sickness

If you have little or no sickness then as the old wives tale goes then you are expecting a boy. If you do have sickness and it continues then likely to be a girl. I had no morning sickness with Charlie. In fact, I did wonder what all the fuss was about. Many of my friends have had bad morning sickness but I didn’t seem to struggle at all. No requirement for dry crackers here. That was until baby number two this time round I suffered late morning and late afternoon initially. Looking back I think it was related to when I was hungry and working full time in London with early mornings and late nights took its toll. The queasiness didn’t go until around 16 weeks of pregnancy. So for this reason I have marked this one as a Girl.

Extra Weight

If your weight gain is on your belly then it’s a boy, if you put on weight around your bottom and thighs it’s a girl. Now I have had a very definite bump up front but I am still (at 22 weeks) 2 kilos lighter than when I conceived. Apparently, the shape of your bump can also be an indicator. If it looks more of a basketball shape then it is likely to be a boy. Whereas a watermelon shape would indicate a girl. My bump is definitely more basketball-shaped so I think that equals Boy.

Cold Feet

If your feet are colder than before pregnancy then you are carrying a boy. I am not sure the reasoning behind this one. It is difficult for me to tell as I am on a blood thinner called herpin. This means that I am generally colder anyway, plus it is Winter so I am in my slippers every day. Making this old wives tale very subjective. I think this is a hard one to call but let’s go Boy.

Baby’s Nub

Looking at the 12-week scan if you can get a clearer enough photo to see the nub between babies legs this can help in determining gender. If the nub points upwards by more than 30 degrees it’s a boy. Now try as I might I could not see or tell! But there are lots of pictures on google which claim to show it clearly. For me, this didn’t work at all. I am not sure I believe this method for prediction baby gender.

Wonky Breasts

Now if you have breastfed then the chances are you are no longer even anyway! However, the test goes that if your right breast is bigger than the left side then you are having a boy. If it’s the other way round then it’s a girl. In this case, then it is another vote for Girl.

Movement

A chilled out baby is more likely to predict a girl over a boy, as some say boys move more. Charlie lived up to this kicking all over the place at the 12-week scan. Whereas Pip was very lazy and hardly moved. In fact baby did nothing and I had to wriggle up and down to get it to move so we could do the checks. This means it has to be a Girl.

Hairy Legs

Apparently, if you are carrying a girl then the hair on your legs grows less or the same as before. If it is a boy it grows quicker. I can only think this is down to the increased levels of testosterone. Obviously subjective testing here, however, I am not needing to shave as often so Girl.

The outcome of Gender Fact or Fiction

Girls 7, Boys 4, one undecided, but what was the result of our 20-week scan?

Not exactly conclusive and many of them can be swayed by how you are feeling on the day. It does however I can ignore the fact that more than half are indicating it could be a little girl… but it was… 

Gender Fact or Fiction Conclusions

This is all a bit of fun. Ultimately my concerns are all about making sure Pip is healthy especially after everything we have been through to get to this point. During this pregnancy, I am considered high risk due to a blood clotting disorder that I have seemingly developed. Between having Charlie and now being pregnant again.

So my focus is very much on getting through the next 18 weeks and I carrying full term (which I did). However, I am enjoying knowing this time around especially with the Christmas sales on. Charlie is also very happy as he has a preference for a baby brother over a baby sister. And knowing left me free to try and find big brother, little brother t-shirts and to consider baby names.

Have you tried to work out the gender of your baby before it arrived it would make a great idea for an activity during a baby shower. I am sure many pregnant women think about it. Have you used a gender prediction test or gender prediciton tool to determine the gender of the baby? Let me know your experiences in the comments below. Maybe we can find a way of confirming before the 20-week scan if we all put our bumps together!

Related posts you may find useful:

• Planning a baby shower
• 4D Scan what to expect
• 20 Growth & Anomaly Scan

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