Throughout your pregnancy, friends, family member and even strangers will attempt to determine the sex of your baby. You will hear a variety of strange theories regarding the gender. Although guessing is a lot of fun, most of these old wives tales have no scientific basis. With my own pregnancies, I’ve heard both girl and boy, depending on the myth or who is doing the guessing.
There is a theory regarding your breasts and the gender of the baby. The theory is that if your right breast is larger, the baby will be a boy. If your left breast is bigger, the baby is a girl.
Some people will guess the gender of the baby based on how you are carrying. I hear this one all the time. If you’re carrying low, the baby is said to be a boy. If you’re carrying high, it’s a girl. I have three daughters and will soon have a son. I carried each of my girls differently: one high, one low and one right in the middle.
The shape of your pregnant belly is said to be another clue. If you are carrying all in front, like a basketball, the baby will be a boy. If you carry out to the sides as well as in the hips and buttocks, the baby is said to be a girl.
The next myth can be a little insulting. Some people will try to guess the sex of the baby by how pretty you look. If you look pretty, the baby is supposed to be a boy. Girls are said to steal your looks. While you are looking at your face, do you have acne? If you do, some believe this indicates a girl is on the way.
The shape of your face during pregnancy is another myth regarding the gender. A fuller face is said to mean you are expecting a girl. A slimmer face is thought to indicate a son.
There is a theory about the baby’s heart rate and the gender. Even some doctors actually believed this one. Maybe a few still do. The belief is that girls have a faster heart rate than boys. A heart rate of under 140 beats per minute is said to be a boy. A faster heart rate is thought to be a girl. I admit I believed this when all my girls had heart rates of about 150, but then so does my son.
You may have heard about the Chinese Gender Prediction calendar. This one is all over the internet. The method uses the month of conception and age of the mother at conception to predict the gender of the baby. Some people use this to try to conceive a specific sex. Beware of this method. I’ve found a few different versions of the chart. Each gave a different gender for this baby.
Another theory links the baby’s movement to the gender. This theory says that a more active fetus is a boy. This is linked to the belief that boys are rowdy and boisterous. Since girls are believed to be more quiet and reserved, a quieter baby is thought to be a girl.
These are just a few of the common myths I’ve heard over the course of my four pregnancies. I’m sure there are many, many more. While it can be fun to try to guess, keep in mind there is no evidence that any of these are reliable methods of determining gender. Have fun playing, but don’t be disappointed if it’s wrong.