Are you pregnant and wondering if you’re having a boy or girl? These are the best gender predictions that people swear by.
If you’re anything like me then you want to know immediately if you’re pregnant with a boy or girl. It’s probably my type A personality but knowing the gender of my baby means I can start shopping for the nursery and doing all the things to get ready for baby.
I totally respect that some people choose to wait to find out the sex of their baby but I think it would just about kill me to wait for nine months to find out…
This post is full of old wives tales gender predictions, so many gender prediction tests you can try, a gender chart for gender prediction, gender prediction quiz and so much more! Plus, it contains information about the science based ways of predicting baby’s gender and how far along in pregnancy you need to be for the gender prediction ultrasound.
This post is all about gender predictions.
Gender Predictions
Old Wives Tales vs. Science
Have you ever heard of old wives tales to predict if you’re having a boy or a girl? Ultimately, all any mom wants is a healthy baby. But knowing what the baby’s gender has its pros.
Benefits of knowing the baby’s gender can include:
- You can plan ahead more with gender specific clothes and nursery decor (if you choose)
- You can cut your list of baby names in half
- Some women find it helpful for bonding with baby
- You don’t have to wait or worry when you go to ultrasounds
The majority, if not all, old wives tales are not based in science at all. But they are a fun way of predicting baby’s gender before your doctor officially confirms it. Plus, you are probably already going by some of the tests when thinking about your baby’s gender without even realizing it.
On the other hand, science is pretty much facts with no guessing behind it. But when it comes to gender predictions, an expectant mother usually has to wait longer to find out the gender of her baby. It all depends on the method she uses for gender prediction, which we will discuss later in this post.
So what are some of the most popular old wives tales for baby gender prediction? Let’s take a look.
Old Wives Tales
Heartbeat Test
This gender prediction test is based on the baby’s heartbeat. Your baby’s heartbeat will be measured during all ultrasound appointments as well during your prenatal appointments with your doctor.
Although there is no science backing this old wives tale, a lot of people go by it in the early stages of pregnancy.
- If your baby’s heartbeat is over 140bpm, it’s a girl.
- If your baby’s heartbeat is under 140bpm, it’s a boy.
Ring on a String Test
This is definitely a pregnancy myth with no science backing it, but it sounds pretty cool. Plus, it’s a fun pregnancy prediction game you can play.
Here’s how it works:
- Tie your wedding ring or any other ring to a long piece of string.
- Lie flat on your back.
- Have your partner or friend dangle the ring inches from your stomach.
- Watch the subtle movements of the ring.
The results:
The specific movements of the ring reveal the baby’s gender.
- Back and forth movement – it’s a boy.
- Circular motions – it’s a girl.
Where You’re Carrying the Weight
Again, there is no science backing this test as a legitimate test of gender predictions, but it’s one that many people talk about. It’s so well known that you will probably get a few comments from strangers or coworkers about it too.
- If you’re carrying the weight high – it’s a girl.
- If you’re carrying the weight low – it’s a boy.
Truthfully, there are specific reasons why you might be carrying your baby high or low. These include:
- Your body’s natural shape
- The baby’s positioning inside of you
- Your posture and postural muscles
- The strength of your pelvic floor
Acne
Acne is a cruel but very common pregnancy symptom that occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy. Despite this, it is used by many for gender predictions.
- If you have acne – you’re having a girl.
- If you don’t have acne – you’re having a boy.
The truth is, your pregnancy hormones are going crazy during the first trimester and you are susceptible to pregnancy acne no matter if you’re having a boy or a girl. The best thing you can do is to stay hydrated and eat as many nutritious foods as your body will tolerate.
Morning Sickness
This has to be one of the worst parts of the first trimester of pregnancy. For some women, morning sickness is mild but for others it is more severe and causes daily vomiting.
The old wives tale says that:
- If you have severe morning sickness – it’s a girl.
- If you have mild morning sickness or none at all – it’s a boy.
Science tells us that production of the hCG pregnancy hormone can cause morning sickness. But what it doesn’t do is differentiate between boy and girl.
Every woman and every pregnancy is different. It’s possible to have morning sickness regardless of the gender so looking at just this factor doesn’t guarantee one gender or another.
Related: 14 Essential Tips To Achieve Morning Sickness Relief
Pregnancy Cravings
You probably think of ice cream, chocolate and pickles (among other things) when you think of pregnancy cravings. Pregnancy cravings stem from hormonal changes occurring in your body and may be an indication of what nutrients a woman needs.
Despite this, pregnancy cravings are used to make gender predictions:
- If you’re craving sweets – it’s a girl.
- If you’re craving salty foods – it’s a boy.
Gender Prediction Quiz
Another way to try to predict the sex of your baby is with a gender prediction quiz. This is essentially the same thing as the Chinese gender prediction chart that some people swear by.
The gender prediction chart is simple. It takes the mother’s birth date and baby’s due date and converts the numbers into the mother’s lunar age at conception and the lunar date of conception.
From there, the gender prediction chart or gender prediction quiz tells you if you’re having a boy or a girl.The quizzes usually involve entering your age when you conceived and due date.
Click here to take a free gender prediction quiz.
The Best Way To Confirm Gender Predictions
If you want to skip the gender predictions and confirm the gender of your baby with certainty, it’s better to stick to a blood test or ultrasound.
While the old wives tales are fun, there isn’t much science backing them so it’s just a big guessing game.
Plus, I can tell you from experience that my two pregnancies carrying boys were completely different from each other. Minimal morning sickness with one but all day nausea with the other, sweets cravings with one and no cravings at all with the other, and a high heartbeat with the second despite being a boy.
Blood Test
There is an opportunity to know the gender of your baby early on in pregnancy if you choose to do genetic testing. As part of the genetic testing, the blood test looks for male chromosomes.
- If Y chromosomes are detected – it’s a boy.
- If Y chromosomes are not detected – it’s a girl.
Your doctor will explain all the details and options but make sure you understand if the genetic testing is covered by your insurance. Not all of them are so it’s good to understand your coverage before taking the test.
Another option is an at home DNA test like SneakPeek. SneakPeek can be taken as early as 7 weeks pregnant and is 99.9% accurate.
You purchase the kit, collect the blood sample at home and mail it back. The test searches for Y chromosomes and you are emailed the results within a few days.
I chose to do the SneakPeek test with my second and can say it was 100% accurate in my case. It’s a good option to have that’s affordable, especially if the genetic testing through your doctor’s office isn’t covered by insurance.
You can purchase a SneakPeek kit here.
20 Week Ultrasound
Another option to determine the gender of your baby is the 20 week ultrasound. You can also choose to not find out the gender of your baby, but if you’re reading this then you probably want to know.
This is typically a much more detailed and thorough ultrasound and can last anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes or more. The baby is big enough that the ultrasound technician can visually see if your baby is a boy or girl.
It is possible that your baby is uncooperative and doesn’t move in such a way that gives you and the ultrasound technician a clear view of the baby’s anatomy. So just know that this is also a possibility. But changing positions on the table or even having a little juice can sometimes help make the baby a little more active.
This post was all about gender predictions.