Interesting old wives' tales about gender prediction (no scientific basis though):-
Cravings
If pregnancy has left us desperate for salty crisps and ham sarnies, we're said to be carrying a boy. However, if we've developed a sudden sweet tooth and can't get enough of chocolate and lollies, we're apparently expecting a girl! Unsurprisingly, health professionals have dismissed cravings as having no relevance to gender and are simply the body's response to changing nutritional requirements during pregnancy.
High or low? front or back?
The way that we carry a baby is one the most popular methods of predicting the sex and you're likely to encounter plenty of people who'll give an accurate gender diagnosis based on the position of your bump. It's generally believed that if we're low and out front, it's a boy but if the bump is high and we're visibly pregnant from the back, we've got a girl. Again, scientists have put a damper on this belief, citing that the way we carry is a result of muscle tone and the position the baby has adapted in the uterus. Spoilsports!
Next time you listen to your baby's heartbeat, make a note of the speed. According to old folklore, if it's under 140 beats per minute, it's a boy, anything above that? Definitely a girl! Your midwife may humour you if you choose to believe this one, but will probably feel it her duty to inform you that heart rates have no relevance until labour and birth when a girl's will generally beat faster than a boy's.
If we suffer from nausea and general sickness during the first twelve weeks, we're supposedly carrying a girl. But if that nasty sicky feeling strikes a little later, it's most definitely a boy. People also believe that the timing of our sickness is a clear indication of our baby's sex with boys making us sick in the morning and girls in the evening. Several studies have been carried out to find a link between sickness and gender, with no conclusive results. Hence, it's probably best to wait till baby arrives before splashing the nursery walls in pink or blue!
Another fun belief is to monitor our baby's activity in the womb. If we have a particularly energetic tot, it's most likely to be a boy whereas a more chilled foetus indicates a girl. As good as this theory is, it's generally perceived that expectant mums detect their babies movements depending on their own daily activity. For example, a mum who spends the day at home with her feet up is likely to feel a lot more kicking and rolling around than one who's rushing about all day.
It's not only our body shapes that change during pregnancy but our face and looks too. Some believe this is an indication of gender, with boys promoting shiny hair and rosy skin and girls causing dull hair and the odd pimple or two. However, experts would insist that outbreaks are merely a result of the various hormonal changes our bodies are undergoing and that women who usually suffer from spots are likely to have further outbreaks in pregnancy, irrelevant of their baby's sex.
Other gender prediction tales and beliefs:
The ring trick: Tie your ring to a piece of string and hold it gently over your bump. If it swings from side to side, you're having a boy but if it adapts a circular motion, it's a girl.
Your breasts:If your right breast looks bigger than the left, it's a boy - vice verse, it's a girl. If they're both the same size, then the myth is either complete nonsense or you're having one of each!
Chinese gender calculator: This is one of the most popular gender prediction tests and many women find it scarily accurate. It works by calculating your age at conception with the number of the month you conceived in. If the resulting number is odd, you can expect a boy, if the number is even - it's a girl.
Acne: If you suffer from acne during pregnancy, you will have a girl.
Palms: Ask the mum-to-be to show you her hands. If she shows them palms up, it's a girl; palms down, a boy.
Sources: various baby sites
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