You’re staring at a grainy ultrasound image or maybe just a positive pregnancy test, and suddenly, everyone is a scientist. Your neighbor swears it’s a girl because you’re "carrying high." Your mother-in-law is convinced it’s a boy because you’ve been reaching for the pickles instead of the ice cream. These old wives tales about baby gender have been around basically forever, and honestly, they’re hard to ignore even when you know they’re probably nonsense.
It’s just human nature to want to solve the mystery. Waiting twenty weeks for an anatomy scan feels like an eternity. So we look for signs. We swing wedding rings over our bellies and peer into the toilet after mixing our pee with baking soda. It's fun. It's a way to bond with the bump. But let's be real—most of these are about as accurate as a coin flip.
The belly shape myth and the "carrying" debate
The most famous of all the old wives tales about baby gender is how you’re carrying the weight. If that bump is out front like a basketball, everyone says it’s a boy. If the weight is spread around your middle or you’re carrying high, they’ll tell you it’s a girl. People have been saying this for centuries. They really believe it.
Science, however, says something else. According to researchers like those at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the way you carry a baby has everything to do with your muscle tone, your height, and how many times you’ve been pregnant before. If it’s your first kid, your abdominal muscles are usually tighter, so the baby sits higher. If it’s your third, things are a bit... looser. The baby might sit lower because your body has been through this marathon before. It has nothing to do with whether there’s a penis or a vagina in there. Your pelvic structure and the baby's position—whether they are transverse or vertical—dictate the shape of your stomach. Not gender.
Heart rates: The 140 BPM rule
Then there’s the heart rate thing. You go to the OB-GYN, they put the Doppler on your belly, and you hear that thump-thump-thump like a galloping horse. The legend says that if the heart rate is over 140 beats per minute (BPM), it’s a girl. Under 140? It’s a boy.
It sounds scientific, right? It involves a number.
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But a study published in Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy looked at over 1,000 sonograms and found no significant difference between male and female heart rates in the first trimester. A baby’s heart rate changes based on how old the fetus is and how much they are moving. If the baby is sleeping, the heart rate drops. If they’re doing somersaults, it spikes. Just like yours does when you run for the bus.
Morning sickness and the "beauty thief"
"Girls steal your beauty." That’s a mean one. The idea is that baby girls take their mother’s "glow," leading to acne and dull hair. This is usually paired with the belief that severe morning sickness, or Hyperemesis Gravidarum, means you’re having a girl.
Surprisingly, there is a tiny grain of truth buried here, though it's still mostly a toss-up. Some studies, including one from the Lancet, have suggested that women with severe morning sickness are slightly more likely to be carrying girls. The theory is that the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), which triggers nausea, tends to be higher in female pregnancies. But "slightly more likely" isn't a guarantee. Plenty of "boy moms" spend their first trimester hugging the porcelain throne.
As for the acne? That’s just hormones. Your skin doesn't care about the baby's chromosomes; it just knows your progesterone levels are through the roof.
The Ring Test and the Drano Myth
If you want to get into the "folk magic" side of old wives tales about baby gender, you have to look at the tests people do at home.
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The String Test:
You tie a wedding ring to a string and hold it over the pregnant belly. If it swings in a circle, it’s a girl. If it goes back and forth like a pendulum, it’s a boy. (Or is it the other way around? Depends on who you ask). This is actually a phenomenon called the ideomotor effect. Your hand makes tiny, unconscious movements based on what you expect to see. It’s the same way Ouija boards "work."
The Baking Soda Test:
This one is messy. You mix your urine with a spoonful of baking soda. If it fizzes like a soda, it’s a boy. If nothing happens, it’s a girl. The logic—if you can call it that—is that the acidity of your pee changes based on the baby's gender.
Actually, the acidity of your urine changes based on what you ate for lunch. If you had a lot of meat or certain grains, your pee is more acidic. If you’re dehydrated, it’s more concentrated. It has zero connection to the baby’s sex.
Cravings: Salty vs. Sweet
Are you dying for a steak and a bag of potato chips? That’s a boy, supposedly.
Are you inhaling chocolate and strawberries? Must be a girl.
Cravings are one of the most persistent old wives tales about baby gender. In reality, cravings are usually your body’s way of saying it needs specific nutrients—or more likely, it's just the result of huge hormonal shifts and a heightened sense of smell. If you’re craving salt, you might just need more sodium or minerals. If you want sugar, your blood sugar might be dipping. Your uterus isn't ordering takeout based on the baby's gender.
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Why we still believe them
We live in an age of NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing) where a simple blood draw at 10 weeks can tell you the sex with 99% accuracy. So why do we still talk about whether your hands are dry (boy) or soft (girl)?
Because pregnancy is a time of massive uncertainty.
These stories give us a sense of connection to the past. They’re a way for older generations to pass down "wisdom," even if that wisdom is scientifically shaky. It turns a medical process into a social one. When a stranger at the grocery store looks at your bump and makes a prediction, they aren't trying to provide a medical diagnosis. They’re trying to connect with you.
The actual science: When can you really know?
If you actually want to know, skip the Drano and the rings.
- NIPT (Cell-free DNA): Usually done around week 10. It looks at fetal DNA circulating in the mother's blood. Super accurate.
- CVS or Amniocentesis: These are invasive and usually done for genetic screening, but they give a definitive answer.
- The 20-week Ultrasound: This is the "old school" medical way. The tech looks for the "hamburger" (girl) or the "turtle" (boy).
What to do next
If you're currently driving yourself crazy wondering if those pickles mean you're having a son, take a breath. It’s fun to play the guessing game, but don't go out and buy a blue nursery set just because your wedding ring swung in a straight line.
- Keep a "cravings journal" just for fun. See if your preferences change and if they actually align with your eventual results.
- Wait for the blood work. If you really need to know for planning purposes, ask your doctor about the NIPT. It’s far more reliable than your neighbor’s "intuition."
- Enjoy the mystery. There are very few genuine surprises left in adult life. If you can stand the wait, let the "old wives" guess while you just enjoy the ride.
The bottom line? Most old wives tales about baby gender are 50/50. They’re right half the time, which is just enough to keep the legends alive for another generation. Focus on your prenatal vitamins and getting enough sleep. The baby is coming regardless of whether you're carrying "high" or "low."
Practical Next Step: If you are early in your pregnancy and curious, check with your insurance provider to see if NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing) is covered. While often used for genetic screening, it is the earliest and most reliable way to determine gender without relying on folklore.