Do you want to know the gender of your baby? There are a number of old wives tales that claim to be able to predict the gender of your child. But which ones actually work? In this blog post, we will explore some of the most popular old wives tales and reveal the truth behind them!

Shape of Moms’ Belly

It is believed that a woman carrying a girl will have a large and round belly. In the same way, if her belly is smaller and sticking straight out, she is carrying a boy. Having a baby is not influenced by a woman’s sex, but by the type of body she naturally has, when she is not pregnant.

Direction of the Ring

There are many people who believe in the old ring test to determine the sex of their baby. This test involves hanging your wedding ring from a string over your belly. Your baby is a boy if the ring swings back and forth. Swinging in a circle indicates a girl. A pregnancy test like this isn’t very good for determining whether you’re having a boy or a girl. The truth is that if you hang your ring over anything or anyone, it will swing.

Fast Heart Rate Tale

Some people believe that if your baby has a fast heart rate, near 170 beats per minute, then that means you are having a girl, and that if your baby’s heart rate is closer to 150 beats per minute then you are having a boy. This also is false. You baby’s heart rate will get faster and stronger during the first trimester as he/she grows. Then the heart rate fluctuates in speed during sleep and active times for your baby, just like an adults. So depending on when you listen to your baby’s heart rate, it might be faster or slower than it was the day before, or even earlier that same day.

The Shape of Moms Face

Some people believe that the shape of your face determines the sex of your baby. If your face is round then you are having a girl, long and narrow means a boy. This is just a myth however because where a woman stores fat and water during pregnancy has nothing to do with the sex of their baby. 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. While this sounds like something out of a fairy tale, it is simply an old wives tale.

The Key Test

Then there is the key test. Some say that if you can tell your baby’s sex by picking up a single key. If you pick the key up by big, round (top) part then you are having a boy. If you pick it up by the narrow part on the bottom then you are having a girl. Then, as if it isn’t detailed enough, if you pick the key up by the middle you are having TWINS!

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 a 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.

Drain-O Test

There are so many people who believe this old wives tale, which is completely untrue. Pee into a cup containing a tablespoon of Drain-O and a tablespoon of Drain-O. You will have a girl if the mixture turns green. You are having a boy if it turns blue. In theory, something in the mom’s urine mixes with Drain-O, causing it to change color and determine the baby’s gender.

Acne Myth

Acne during pregnancy is caused by hormones, not the sex of your baby. However, many believe that if you have an increased amount of acne during pregnancy then it means you are having a baby girl.

Cravings

This one sounds good and can be an “explanation” for many of moms’ cravings, but is it true? Some people say that if you crave salty food while pregnant it means you are having a boy and if you crave sweet food while you are pregnant it means you are having a girl. Does this mean that baby girls are sweet and baby boys are salty?

Do You Smell Like Garlic?

The question should be, “Do you WANT to 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. Who really wants to find out THAT bad though?!

Ultrasounds Are Always Right

This one is definitely false. We have heard many stories where a woman has received an ultrasound, and sometimes more than one ultrasound where the doctor claims that she is having either a boy or a girl. The mother buys everything she needs for her little son or daughter, and when the day of delivery comes she is surprised with a baby of the opposite sex. Most of the time the ultrasound technician gets it right, but that is not always the case.

These are just a few of the popular pregnancy old wives tales that deal with the sex of your baby. To see other pregnancy related old wives tales click here.