Gender Prediction - Old Wives Tales

Tom and I considered moving when we found out we were expecting, but can’t seem to find a good rental. We’re happy in our current place, just a bit concerned about noise (not just from our downstairs neighbor but what sort of noise we’ll cause if the baby is a screamer!). Since we’re most likely staying where we are, we’ve started doing a lot of cleaning/arranging of the garage and closets trying to make room everything. Last night, Tom started creating a pile of things for Goodwill. I noticed there was little box and picked it up – It was basically an electronic Magic 8 Ball. You just turn it on, ask a question and a little red light stops on an answer. I asked it, “Will I have a boy?” and received “Definitely.” I then asked it, “Will I have a girl?” and received “Not Likely.” Tom was thrilled! We really don’t care if we have a boy or a girl (clearly just hoping for healthy!), it’s more of a fun, ongoing battle we have- He fears the dating years with a girl, and I fear that I’ll never have a girl and have 3-4 boys. Not that it would be a bad thing… Just that if I have a girl NOW, I will know if the next 2-3 are boys, I’m set with the one! Anyway, after receiving these obviously accurate results, thought it would be fun to find some old wives tales- Here are the interesting ones I found:

Gender Predicting Old Wives Tales

If you are carrying extra weight around your hips and butt, then it is said that you are having a girl. If you are carrying your baby high, then it is a girl. If you are carrying your baby lower, then you are having a boy.

If the hair on your legs is growing faster than it did before you got pregnant, then you are having a boy. If your hair on your legs is growing at the same rate as it did before, then you are having a girl.

If your face is round then you are having a girl, long and narrow means a boy. Along with that some believe that if your nose starts to grow or widen then you are having a girl because daughters “steal” mom’s beauty.

If your feet are colder when you are pregnant, then you are having a boy. If you feet are not any colder than before you are pregnant, then you are having a girl.

Direction of the Ring
In this test you hang your wedding ring from a string over your belly. If the ring swings back and forth your baby is a girl. If it swings around in a circle then it is a boy.

Fast Heart Rate
If the baby's heart rate is above 140 beats per minute, then you are having a girl. If it is below 140 beats per minute, then you are having a boy.

Drain-O Test
Some people are told to put a tablespoon of Drain-O in a cup and pee into it. If the mixture turns green you are having a girl. If it turns blue you are having a boy.

Cravings
If you are craving sweets and fruit, then you are having a girl. If you are craving salty foods and meats and cheeses, then you are having a boy. (No cravings yet…)

Do You Smell Like Garlic?
There are people that swear that the garlic old wives tale is true. They say that if you eat a clove of garlic, and the smell comes out through your pores then you are having a boy. If no garlic is detected then you are having a girl.

The Mayan Tale
If you are Mayan then you may follow their beliefs and use numbers to determine the sex of your baby. The Mayans take the mothers age at conception and the year of conception and add them together. If the result is an even number then mom is having a girl. If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way! The Chinese have a similar way of determining the sex of a baby. (My number is 2037!)

In the Philippines
If the mother gets acne, then she’ll have a boy. A baby girl represents beauty to the mother. If the mother “went ugly” during pregnancy she’ll have a boy, and if mother turns out to be looking young and happy, she’ll get a girl.


All these are pretty interesting and definitely amusing! In a study that asked women with no previous knowledge about their baby's sex, the moms-to-be correctly guessed the sex of their baby 71% of the time.

On August 7th we have an ultrasound appointment in which we can find out the gender. We’re not going to and the nurse better not accidentally tell us! I may hurt her if she does. But my guess? A girl. What’s yours? A poll is on the right-hand side of the blog… Once we get closer we’ll do something more official and have family/friends guess the baby’s sex, weight and date of birth! Winner gets to name the baby! Kidding…