The Gender Games

As of today, I’m almost 23 weeks! More than halfway – yay! 

Baby at 18 weeks

At this point, the baby is done developing and I can now expect to see significant growth spurts and weight gain. Fun fun. By now, the baby could be growing my red hair and developing Matt’s blue eyes but, more importantly, the baby has definitely decided if it’s going to be a boy or a girl.

Since we’re not officially going to find out the gender of our mini Cooper, I thought it might be fun to test some of the most common wives tales for predicting gender (Parenting.com: www.parenting.com/gender-predictor; and, BabyCenter.com: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/at-home-gender-prediction-tests/)

Be Still My Beating Heart

Next time your OB pulls out the Doppler to listen to baby’s heartbeat, ask her to tell you what the heart rate is. According to legend, 140+ beats per minute indicates a girl, and below 140 a boy.

We have yet to record a BPM less than 150...  It’s a girl!

Sweet and Sour

Craving ice cream every single day? Some people believe this means it’s a girl. If you have to have salty or sour stuff, then it’s a boy.

It’s not just ice cream – these days, I’m all about dairy in its many magnificent forms...  It’s a girl!

Chinese Birth Chart

This ancient method uses your age at conception and the month you did the deed to determine gender.

I was 31 when we conceived in October 2011...  It’s a girl!

Potty Time

This one’s a little out there. Pee in a cup (you’ve been doing it at all your prenatal appointments anyway, haven’t you?), mix a tablespoon of Drano in, and watch to see if it changes color. Green = girl, and blue = boy.

I find this one to be a little strange – perhaps less of a wives tale and more viral Drano hype. I went to the bathroom feeling like Bill Nye the Science Guy – alas, it was a bust. We got nothing more than frothy, pee-colored foam. Gross!

Even and Odd

Legend has it that the Mayans determined a baby’s sex by looking at the mother’s age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it’s a girl. If one’s even and one’s odd, it’s a boy.

Well, both by age and the year of conception are odd, so...  It’s a girl!

Unlocking the Mystery

This is one for a friend to try. Place a key in front of your preggo friend and ask her to pick it up. If she grabs it by the narrow part, she’s in for sugar and spice and all that. If she picks it up by the round part, it’s snips and snails.

We weren’t sure how to pull this one off, since I would know what Matt was doing if he dropped a key in front of me. Luckily, pregnancy brain helped us out. I actually picked up a single key, on my own, without realizing what I was doing. Ta-da! … It’s a girl!

Spot On

If you’re breaking out like crazy, blame it on your girl babe. The belief goes that girls steal their mother’s beauty, hence, those annoying zits.

No zits, spider veins, pregnancy mask, or any of the other odd and horrifying skin-related side effects of pregnancy...  It’s a boy!

Nice Ring to It

Pop off your wedding ring -- if you still can! -- and tie it to a string. Hang it over your belly. If it swings in a circle, a little guy’s in your future. If it goes back and forth, you’ve got a girl.

This felt 100% like an old wives tale, akin to not swimming after eating and itchy nose fool kissing; however, after trying two strings and each of us holding it, there was a noticeable and distinct back and forth movement to the string each and every time – which means…  It’s a girl!

Queasy Does It

Sick as a dog during the first trimester -- or still? Signs indicate you’re having a girl. Little or no morning sickness points to a boy.

I had not a hint of morning sickness or any general queasiness at all...  It’s a boy!

Snap, Crackle & Pop

Put enough baking soda into a cup to cover the bottom, then pee into the cup. If the baking soda fizzes, you’re having a boy, if it doesn’t react, a girl.

I guess I will retract my thoughts about Drano – maybe this is all about pH balance and chemical interactions? (My science-inclined friends are welcome to jump in here.) Nevertheless, after a clear non-reaction, drumroll please…  It’s a girl!

The Cabbage Patch

Cut one red cabbage into chunks, boil for 10 minutes, then set aside. Head for the bathroom, and pee into a cup. In a separate cup, mix 1 part urine with 1 part cabbage water. If the water turns pink or red, this indicates boy. If the water is purple, it’s a girl.

I have to say, this was pretty gross. First of all, when you boil red cabbage, you automatically get purple water to begin with. As doubtful as I was, the cabbage pee water turned red! All vegetable disclaimers aside...  It’s a boy!

Quiz Show

And just because I like lists, I tried a quiz too. The questions were somewhat similar to the wives tales, just listed in fun little poems. My result was 60% chance of...  It’s a boy! 


So, for those of you keeping score: That’s seven predictions for a girl, and four for a boy.

What do you think the mini Cooper will be: BOY or GIRL?