Mirror Mirror On The Wall

Since gender determination and Gender Reveal Parties have grown in popularity, it is becoming more uncommon for a couple to wait until birth to find out the gender of their child. Although there is no 100% proven way to determine a baby's sex (with the exception of a blood test or an ultrasound), many women claim to know the gender of an unborn baby by the following Old Wives Tales.

MORNING SICKNESS

Since every pregnancy is different, some women experience morning sickness while others don't. Legend states that women who experience severe morning sickness are carrying girls and those with less illness or none at all are having boys.

CRAVINGS

An old wives tale claims that the type of food a woman craves may be able to predict the gender of that baby. Women who crave sugary or sweet foods are said to be pregnant with a girl (Sugar Spice And Everything Nice) while women craving meats or salty foods are thought to expect a baby boy.

BIRTH CALENDAR

Some women use a 700-year-old Chinese birth chart to predict the sex of their baby without the help of a medical professional. The Chinese birth calendar can be used to predict a baby’s gender by determining the date when the women convinced. According to the calendar, women who conceive on any given date have a pre-determined gender of their baby. The calendar is used by some women to determine what day of the week they should conceive if they are hoping for a particular gender.

POSITION OF THE BUMP

Sometimes you might hear an older woman say "You are having a boy, for sure, because you are carrying low." The old wives tale states that women who carry their babies high are thought to be having girls and those that are carrying low are thought to be having boys.

ACNE

Acne and other skin problems are a common symptom of a pregnancy. While there is no scientific evidence to back this up, an old wives tale claims that a woman who is pregnant with a girl will develop pimples because the baby steals the mother’s beauty.

RATE OF HEARTBEAT

At Womb With a View, we hear this one almost every day. Some women believe the speed of the baby’s heartbeat can be an indication of the gender. Babies with a heartbeat of one hundred and forty beats per minute are said to belong to a girl while a heartbeat lower than one hundred and forty is said to be a boy.

DRAINO TEST

Draino is a chemical product that is used to clean pipes and drains. Some women claim that taking the Drano test can help determine the sex of their baby. Women are advised to urinate in a small cup and then add a tablespoon of Draino to the mixture. If the urine turns to a green color, it is said to be a girl. If the mixture changes to a blue color, it is said to be a boy. If you decide to do this test, remember to use extreme caution and safety.

BALANCE

Any time a person gains weight, their center of gravity changes which can cause them to be more unpoised or naturally off balance. That being said, the old wives tale states that a woman’s poise and elegance is said to determine the sex of her baby. A graceful pregnancy means a girl is on the way and a woman who stumbles around a lot and is clumsy is said to be carrying a baby boy.

RING TEST

The ring test can be performed standing or laying down and either with help or without. The wives tale says to use your wedding ring, but if it won't come off due to swelling then either your spouse's ring or another one will work. The ring is to be held in front of the woman's pregnant belly via a string and a steady arm. If the ring sways in a circular motion, the mother is said to be carrying a boy. However, if the ring moves back in forth in a straight line, she is said to be pregnant with a girl.

DREAMS

This is another Old Wives Tale that we hear a lot. Some dreams can be an indication of what is yet to come, but an old wives tale states the exact opposite is true of childbirth. Some people believe that a woman who dreams about a boy will have a girl and when she dreams about a girl, she will end up with a boy. The dream reversal theory can be thought of as a sign that children are unpredictable and cannot be wished to be anything except what they are meant to be.

HAND DIRECTION

This Old Wives Tale is most interesting and one you don't hear often. The direction in which a woman displays her hands after being asked to show her hands is said to be a certain giveaway of her baby’s sex. If a person is facing the mother-to-be and they ask her to show her hands, pay attention to the direction she chooses. If she exposes her palms facing up, she is said to be having a boy. When she reveals her hands facing downward, she is expected to be carrying a girl.

BREAST SIZE

Breast size is known to increase during pregnancy in preparation of a woman’s mammary glands filling with milk to feed the baby when he or she is born. An old wives tale states that a woman’s breast size may be an indication of her baby’s gender. If a woman’s left breast is larger than her right, she is said to be carrying a baby boy. If her right breast is bigger than the left, then she is allegedly carrying a girl.

GARLIC

Garlic is nutritionally one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties that would be beneficial when added to anyone’s diet, especially a pregnant woman’s. An old wives tale suggests that a pregnant woman should eat garlic to determine her baby’s sex. If after a few hours the scent of garlic leaks from her pores, she is having a boy. But if she remains scent-free, she is carrying a girl.

ASK A TODDLER

Legend has it that babies and toddlers can give an accurate prediction of the gender of a pregnant woman’s bump. While they may not come out and state the sex of the baby outright, an old wives tale says that if a baby or toddler boy shows interest in a pregnant woman’s bump, she will have a girl. If a toddler boy does not show interest, the woman is thought to be having a boy. Likewise, if a baby or toddler girl shows interest, the bump is said to contain a boy. If she shows no interest, it is probably another girl.

KEY TEST

Legend has it that a pregnant woman’s questions about her baby’s gender can be answered by using the key test. To take the key test, have another person intentionally drop a key in front of a pregnant woman without her knowing. If she bends over and picks up the key by the pointy end, she is having a girl. If she picks it up from the other end, she is said to be having a boy. The goal is to avoid telling a woman when she is participating in the test to avoid influencing the way she picks up the key.

Though all these methods are interesting and some are full of fun, Old Wives Tales are just that. Keep a sense of humor when well-meaning people try to tell you what you are having. Short of an ultrasound or a blood test, these non-traditional methods are fun after-conception fortune telling.