Expecting parents often find themselves wondering whether they’re having a boy or a girl. A lot of parents choose to find out the gender of their baby when they are pregnant and some choose to wait for the big day! You can ask to find out the sex of your baby at your NHS 20 week scan appointment or you can pay privately to have this done at around 16 weeks. If you really want to know the gender you can also pay for a blood test that can determine this from around 8 weeks. Whatever you decide to do though it can be fun to guess the gender of your baby through old wives’ tales, but can these folk methods really tell you anything about your baby’s gender? Let’s take a closer look.
The Ring Test
One popular method for predicting the sex of an unborn baby is known as the ring test. To do this, you simply need a piece of string and your wedding ring (or any other ring that you wear on a regular basis). Tie the string around your ring, and then place it over your pregnant belly so that the ring hangs down. If the ring swings back and forth, it supposedly means you’re having a boy. However, if the ring goes around in a circle, you’re supposedly having a girl!
The Baking Soda Test
Another gender prediction test that you might come across is the baking soda test. For this one, you’ll need a cup, baking soda and your urine. Simply add a few tablespoons of the baking soda to a cup and then add your urine to the baking soda, and watch to see what happens next. If the mixture fizzes and bubbles, it means you could be carrying a boy. However, if there’s no reaction, you’re likely having a girl.
Craving Salty or Sweet Foods
Have you been craving salty foods or sweet foods during your pregnancy? Another gender prediction method says if you crave sweet foods you’re expecting a girl and if you crave salty foods you’re having a boy.
Glowing Skin or Breakouts
Another classic old wives’ tale states that if you have that wonderful ‘pregnancy glow’ and luscious locks you’re likely having a boy. Whereas if you’re experiencing greasy hair and regular breakouts you’re carrying a girl. It’s said this happens as a baby girl ‘steals the mother’s beauty’.
So, can old wives’ tales really help predict whether you’re having a boy or girl? Unfortunately, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that any of these methods actually work. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be fun to try! If you’re curious about the sex of your baby but don’t want to wait until your 20-week ultrasound or pay to find out privately, give one (or all) of these gender prediction methods a try. Just remember that they should only ever be used for entertainment purposes, not as actual ways to determine the sex of your child!
