Since women have been having babies, there are always people who will try to guess if you are having a boy or girl based on certain signs that they see. Whether you believe it or not, it can be fun to read about and try to guess what the sex of your baby is. I’ve put together a list of what some people believe to be ways to tell if you are having a boy or girl early on in pregnancy.
Genetic Blood Test
The Journal of the American Medical Association conducted studies that showed that genetic blood tests could detect small pieces of fetal DNA that are present in a mom’s bloodstream during pregnancy. The tests are shown to be 95% to 99% accurate. There are screening kits that you can purchase for around $25 that will look for the presence of the male Y chromosome in your blood. Gathering of the blood is as simple as a small finger prick. If the male y chromosome is present, you are having a boy, and if not, it’s a girl.
The Height of Your Bump
Old wives tales can be fun to talk about and apply. But they are just that, tales. It has been passed down through many generations that women who carry high will give birth to a girl, while women who carry low, will give birth to a boy.
The Shape of Your Bump
An old wives tale says that if your bump is shaped like a ball, then you are carrying a baby boy. A wider bump that is more oval shaped means that you are carrying a girl. So play along today if you want. Is your middle section shaped like a ball or an egg?
How You Sleep
You may wonder how you can analyze how you sleep if you are, well asleep. Some believe that when you wake up, check to see which side you are sleeping on to determine the sex of your baby. The old saying goes that if you wake on the left it’s a boy and if it’s on the right you are carrying a girl. It can be fun to ask your spouse to take notes on which side you sleep on the most.
The Color of Your Urine
Since you’ve become pregnant, you are probably very used to peeing in cups. I remember having to do that every time I had a doctor’s appointment while I was pregnant. Next time you pee in a cup before you turn it in to be analyzed, do some of your own analyzing. A dark color is supposed to equal a boy while a cloudy and light color means you are having a girl. Keep in mind that there is no science behind this, but some people do swear by this method.
Wedding Ring On A String
When you are pregnant, you may need to take off your wedding ring if your hands are swelling up too much. If you need to take it off anyways, or if you don’t mind taking off your wedding ring, next time slip it on a string. Hold the ring and string over your belly. If the object swings in a circular motion then it’s a girl. If it swings in a pendulum-like movement, it will be a boy. This is one of the most popular passed down fun ways to guess if you are having a boy or a girl.
Morning Sickness
If there is one thing that women shared with me the most while I was pregnant, it was about their morning sickness. Each woman had a story about how sick she was with each of her children. Some swore that they knew if they were having a boy or girl based on the severity of their morning sickness.
The old thought goes that if you are really sick, then you are having a girl. If your episodes of morning sickness are minor, then plan on a little boy.
Cravings
Some say that if you are craving sugary food then start buying the pink. Savory and salty means you better start buying blue. If you want to remember this, just think of girls as all sugar and spice while boys can be a little salty.
Key Test
So this one is fun, though there is no rhyme nor reason to it. Have a spouse, child, or friend drop a key in front of the pregnant woman. If she picks it up by the round part, it’s a girl. The narrow part means you are having a boy. And what do you think happens if the woman grabs it in the middle? She better start doubling up on the diaper buying. If picked up by the middle, it means twins!
Analyze Your Hands
Some people believe that you can tell the sex of your baby by looking at your hands. Hands that are dry and cracked mean that you will be having a son, while soft hands mean a daughter is on the way.
Your Face
Some believe that if you have lost your good facial looks while pregnant, then you are carrying a girl. If you have kept your good looks, then you will be having a boy. The reasoning is that your daughter has stolen your beauty. This one makes me laugh.
Mayan Myth
A Mayan tradition says to look at the year of conception and then look at the mother’s age at conception. If both numbers are even or odd, then it’s a girl. If one number is even and one number is odd, it’s a boy.
Fetal Heart Rate
Women for many generations have handed down the belief that if your baby has 140 beats or more per minute, then you are having a girl. Below that means it’s a boy. Doctors say there is nothing to back this thinking.
Final Thoughts
I’ve gone over some fun ways to predict early on in pregnancy if you are having a boy or a girl. All of these methods, with the exception of the genetic blood test, are fun and there isn’t any science behind them. However, if you are willing to wait until about 20 weeks of gestation, you can get an ultrasound that will be very accurate in determining the gender of your baby. One other way is to wait until the doctor says, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” In the meantime, these other ways can be a lot of fun to talk about with family and friends. Let us know the gender of your baby in the comments below!