Old Wives Tales

Moms have always been curious about the sex of the child they are carrying. In the days before ultra sounds were available, women used all kinds of weird and wonderful methods of defining the sex of their child. Here are a few Old Wives’ Tales…

“If you carry the baby out front then you will have a boy. If others can tell that you are pregnant when looking at you from behind, then you will have a girl.” According to the mirror, my back side looks the same.

“Have the mum-to-be pick up a key. If she picks it up by the round end, it will be a boy. If she picks it up by the long end, it will be a girl. Should she pick it up at the middle, twins are on the way.” Ok that is a little ridiculous; of course, I am going to pick it up by the head so that I can use it. But if I had known that picking it up in the middle meant twins then I would have picked it up differently.

“If the mother's age at conception and the year of conception are both even or both odd, the baby is a girl. If one is even and one is odd, the baby is a boy.” When baby E was conceived in June of 2008, I was 28.

“Hang a gold pendant (preferably one the mother wears often) over the palm of the mother’s hand. If the pendant moves in a circular motion, it will be a girl. If it swings back and forth, a boy is on the way.” My gold necklace made a circle then started swinging back and forth.

“If you suffer from acne during pregnancy, you will have a girl.” I have always had pretty faultless skin until July. Since then my skin has been blotchy and red with a few bumps, but nothing too hideous.

“What side does the mum-to-be lay on while she's resting? If she lies on her left, it's a boy; on her right, it's a girl.” I sleep on both sides. I am a bed hog!

“If young boys (pre-school age) show interest in you while you're pregnant, it will be a girl. If they ignore you, expect a boy.” Small children love me that’s just the way it has always been.

“Ask the mom-to-be to show you her hands. If she shows them palms up, it's a girl; palms down, a boy.” Palm up.

“If you dream of girls, you will have a boy. If you dream of boys, you will have a girl.” I dream of both.

“If the baby is very active, you're having a boy.” Our baby likes to dance around or kick the ultra sound machine.

“If you're craving sweets, you're having a girl. If you're craving salt, you're having a boy.” I love food and I have a little bit of an obsessive personality so any time I get something yummy in my mind I have to have it or I am not satisfied. In general, I crave potatoes of any kind which are not normally part of my diet. I also crave ice cream on a daily basis…but then again I have craved ice cream since the time I could lift a spoon to my mouth.

“A heart rate of less than 140 beats per minute means that you're having a boy, while a heart rate of over 140 beats per minutes means that you're having a girl.” At our eight week appointment, baby E had a heart beat of 165. At twelve weeks, it was at 156. At our last appoint around 16 weeks, the baby’s heart rate was 145. It kind of freaked me out until my doctor said that was normal. She also said that boys tend to have slower heart rates than girls.

So what so you think…will it be a boy or a girl? Only time will tell...lucky for us we only have to wait a few more days. In the mean time, make your predictions on the sex of our child by voting in our poll. Tune in Friday to find out if you were right!