Is it true that there is no sure fire way of knowing the gender of your child without either getting testing or waiting the long haul for the ultrasound? Many mothers insist that they can tell based on a few old wives tales that have been passed down throughout history, although many seem to have nothing to do with a baby at all! Personally, I know that my mother is convinced she can tell by how high or low someone is carrying a baby. Is there any science to this? We shall see!
Sleeping Position
Well according to this wives tale you can guess the gender of your baby based on what side you sleep most on during your pregnancy. If you sleep mostly on your left you are having a boy, if you sleep on your right its a girl. The issue then arrises that it is the new recommendation to sleep on your left side while pregnant to avoid having the baby squish any vital organs or arteries that are supplying them with what the need. Personally, pregnancy and sleep don't mix well with me so I like to sleep in whatever way makes me comfortable which could be switching sides every 10 minutes! This pregnancy I have a pregnancy body pillow that helps a ton, and because of the shape of the pillow I sleep facing right. No science.
This predicts : GIRL
Morning Sickness
The rule of thumb is that if you are more sick you will be expecting a little lady rather than a little man. There seems to be a little more science behind this one, however of course I have heard of many woman being extremely sick with their little boys! There was a study that was conducted by the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Washington where they studied 2110 pregnant woman that were hospitalized for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), and 9783 woman without HG. The study showed that woman who became severely ill did in fact have a 50% increase in the chance of having a girl. (Click for Source) Why this is? We have no clue, but unless you are hospitalized for morning sickness there is really probably no sure fire answer. However, with Carter I didn't experience a single day of feeling anywhere close to sick, this pregnancy I was sick as a dog for about 13 weeks.
This predicts : GIRL
Soft or Dry Hands
Easy. If your hands are soft expect a boy, if they go dry expect a girl. Why this makes no sense.. because I have never suffered dry hands in my lifetime. Unless they went dry for the very first time I will remain unconvinced this one holds any truth.
This predicts: BOY
Food Cravings
This one has ran deep in our history and this is probably what I get asked about most often. I would be interested to know if there is in fact science behind the theory itself however there's more science against the theory all together. If you are into sweets (sugars, fruits, candies) its a girl, if you crave more meats and salts it is a boy. With Carter all I ate (and this is everyday of his ENTIRE pregnancy) was deer sausage and deviled eggs. With this baby I couldn't look at meat or eggs if I wanted to, I have had to invest stock in fruit and learn to shop around my cravings, taking things that were once on my shopping list off in order to satisfy my deep deep desire for fruit. All day every day. The science here is that the body craves what it needs most to provide for the baby. If you are low on something it will crave it in order to get you back to a healthy place, why I need so much fruit, who knows?
This predicts: GIRL
Acne
The theory is "If you have an acne ridden face your little girl has stolen your beauty, if not its a little boy".. well.. I think I have a beautiful little boy so pish posh! However with Carters pregnancy I didn't get acne faced at all, this time I have.
This predicts: GIRL
Graceful or Clumsy
This is an interesting one.. I have no thoughts on how this could be accurate or not but this pregnancy I have fallen twice where as with Carter I never took a tumble. Maybe I was more cautious with him?
This predicts: BOY
Face Weight Gain
I think everyone is bound to gain a little in the cheeks with all this extra blood flow! I gained in the face the last 2 months of Carters pregnancy, which technically meant that I was having a little girl and he is all boy. I expect to gain in the face again towards the end however I have yet to gain any weight at all!
This predicts: BOY
Mood Swings
If you go by this theory, if you are one moody pregnant lady expect a little girl in your future. Now if you ask my husband (who thoroughly believed in this theory with every inch of his being) what he thought Carter was he would be quick to scream girl. I was SO moody and miserable that he was convinced on this myth alone that I MUST be having a girl. Extra estrogen.. extra moody? He has said many times over that this pregnancy has been a breeze (for him.. the one who isn't puking) because I have been so delightful and happy!
This predicts: BOY
High or Low
The idea is that if you carry high it is a girl, if its low it is a boy. Wouldn't this depend on body shape and current fitness status rather than the gender? Who knows. With carter I carried low, and sure enough he is a boy. This time around I am carrying much much higher.
This predicts: GIRL
Where is the Weight
It is said that if you carry the weight only in front it is a boy, and if it is all over than it is a girl. I gained so much with Carter (based on previous bad eating habits!) that I couldn't help but gain everywhere! This time I have yet to gain anything so I would assume that means that I am carrying in front?
This predicts: BOY
Toddler Advice
If your toddler shows interest in your growing belly expect a little girl, if not it must be a boy. Well.. Carter loves this belly and gives kisses and hugs all day long. He is now interested in his own belly and even sleeps with his finger in his belly button. I'm not sure that he could accurately predict the gender.
This predicts: GIRL
Chinese Calendar
A long long time ago people crated a calendar that could predict the gender of your baby with ease, lets face it they have a 50/50 chance of getting it right. It takes your age and month of conception to decide on a boy or a girl. They were wrong with Carter! This time around it says again that I am having a girl, however.. for the entire year of being 21 (which is how old I was when the baby was conceived) the only month I could have conceived a boy is Januray. The rest of the year I would be bound to be having a girl according to the charts, this baby was conceived in February.
This predicts: GIRL
Heart Rate
This theory has plenty of science to deny its legitimacy, however it's still a fun one to think of. If the babies heart rate is over 140 beats per minute it is a girl, if it is under than it is a boy. This baby? The heart rate is exactly 140. The science that ruins it is simple, when you first conceive the heart rate is likely in the 170's and stays high until about 10 weeks when it starts to drop to the more comfortable 120-140 range where it will remain throughout the rest of the pregnancy. So naturally the heart rate will slow down so the accuracy of this theory is unknown.
This predicts: EITHER WAY
What AJ and I "Did" about Gender
We found a theory called the "Shettle's Method" created by a Dr. Shettle himself and decided it was worth a shot. The idea behind the theory is all based off of when you do the deed in comparison to when you ovulate (when your body releases the egg each month). According to Shettle's, Y chromosome bearing male sperm are quicker than X chromosome bearing female sperm BUT female sperm can outlive the male sperm by a few days. Theoretically if you do the deed within 3-5 days prior to your known ovulation date than by the time ovulation occurs many of the male sperm have died off giving you a greater change of conceiving a girl. Likewise, if you do the deed on the day of ovulation the male sperm who are much quicker are more likely to reach the egg first and win the race. While AJ and I truly don't "prefer" one gender other the other we decided to swing for a boy thinking that boys are simply what we know. We love raising boys. I would love to be a boy mom and have two boys close in age to be buddies!
This predicts: BOY
If we sit back and tally all the results we get boys at 6 and girls at 7.. so truly there is no edge one way or the other. This only makes things even more fun for us as we wait until birth to find out, and while I knew in my heart that Carter was a boy I can say that this time around the block I truly have no idea. The unknown is fun for us and this baby will truly be a surprise to us all.
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-T
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