24 Old Wives Tales About Pregnancy & Gender Prediction

It is safe to say that pregnancy and gender predictions have been complementing each other since the beginning of time. Old wives tales of gender prediction have been analyzed, shunned, and debunked, only for them to keep making a comeback. Old wives’ pregnancy beliefs have sparked curiosity and fueled conversations across generations. Whether one believes in them or not, these stories are quite entertaining to behold, offering a glimpse into the folklore and traditions surrounding pregnancy. Their persistence highlights the human fascination with finding clues about the unknown, even in the modern era.

What Is “Old Wives Tale”?

An “Old Wives Tale” refers to a traditional belief or superstition passed down through generations, often without scientific basis. These tales usually revolve around health, parenting, pregnancy, or daily life and are presented as wisdom from the past. An example is the old wives tale about gender, where certain physical signs or cravings during pregnancy are believed to indicate if the baby will be a boy or a girl. While many of these tales have been debunked, they remain a fascinating part of cultural traditions and storytelling.

How Do Old Wives Tales Predict Gender?

Old wives’ tales predict gender based on various physical and behavioral signs observed during pregnancy. For instance, one common old wives’ tale about gender suggests that carrying the baby high means it’s a girl, while carrying low means it’s a boy. Other tales involve cravings, with a preference for sweet foods pointing to a girl and salty or sour foods indicating a boy. Additionally, some believe the baby’s gender can be predicted by the severity of morning sickness, the shape of the pregnant belly, or even the appearance of the mother’s skin and hair. While these tales are entertaining, they are not scientifically proven and should be taken lightly.

Old Wives Tales About Gender & Pregnancy

Here is a compilation of some of the best old wives tales about pregnancy.

1. High or Low

How you carry your belly is one of the most widespread old wives tale for baby boy gender prediction. If you are carrying low, it is said that you can expect a boy and if you are carrying high it is said that you’ll have a girl.

In truth, how you carry depends on your muscle tone, strength, and the shape of your belly. Women who have had previous pregnancies also tend to carry lower due to increased elasticity of the muscles in the stomach.

2. Sweet or Salt

This, too, is a popular old wives tale for pregnancy. If you crave sweets like chocolates or desserts, it is said that you’ll have a girl. If you are more inclined to salty flavours, it is believed that you will have a boy.Pregnancy cravings are normal and the kind of food you crave has absolutely no link to the sex of your child.

3. Baby’s Heart Rate

A heart rate of over 140 bpm indicates a girl and if it’s below 140 bpm it indicates a boy.The foetal heart rate is between 120 to 160bpm for a healthy baby and is not determined by the sex of the baby.

4. Extra Weight Measure

A woman with extra weight out front is believed to be carrying a boy. A woman with extra weight around the hips and bottom is believed to be carrying a girl.Where a pregnant woman carries extra weight is based on her anatomy and not on the sex of the baby.

5. Linea Nigra and the Colour of the Nipples

A dark line called Linea Nigra extending from the pubic bone to the navel region means that you will be having a girl. If the line extends from the rib cage to the pubic bone then you are likely to have a boy. Likewise, if your nipples are getting darker, you may have a boy, if not, a girl.The dark line is a result of hormones, so is the darkness of the areolas and have no bearing on the sex of your baby.

6. It’s All in the Hair

Another popular Indian old wives tales is that if your hair has gained volume, looks lustrous and you simply can’t stop admiring it, then you may be having a boy. Dull, thin hair is said to be courtesy a girl child.There is no scientific backing to this. Some women see a boost in keratin that improves hair and nail quality during pregnancy; others seem to get a slightly worse end of the deal.

7. The Bigger Breast

It is said that a bigger right breast means that you will have a boy. If your left breast is bigger you are more likely to have a girl.Increase in breast size is natural during pregnancy and there has been no evidence to prove this link.

8. Girl Steals Beauty

If you are having a girl, it is said that your looks may take a turn for the worse! It is also said that if you have an acne breakout, you’ll have a girl. However, if you feel more attractive, then you may be having a boy.There is no evidence to prove this tale.

9. Morning Sickness

Do you have the worst morning sickness? Old wives say that you may have a girl. If you face no bitter moment of morning sickness, then you are likely to have a boy. Morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy and the excess or lack of it does not indicate the sex of the baby.

10. Your Sleeping Position

If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you can expect a baby boy, if you feel like sleeping on your right, you may have a girl.While this has no true backing, sleeping on the left is deemed to be the best position during pregnancy as it increases the blood and nutrient flow into the placenta.

11. Mood Swings

Recurrent and severe pregnancy mood swings are linked to having a girl. If you have a generally pleasant pregnancy, you may have a boy.

Mood swings are caused due to hormonal changes in the body due to pregnancy, which has no relationship with the sex of the baby.

12. The Cause of Your Heartburn

If you experience a lot of heartburn during pregnancy, it is said that you’ll have a girl. Heartburn is also linked to the baby having a lot of hair.While the link between heartburn and sex of the baby has no real scientific backing, researchers at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore may have surprising found a link between heartburn and hair growth. Although not completely confirmed, the researchers believe that excessive pregnancy hormones are the reason for gastric reflux which causes heartburn and is also responsible for hair growth in the baby.

13. Partner’s Weight Gain

This one is definitely one of the most entertaining out of all gender reveal old wives tales. If your partner puts on some extra weight during the course of your pregnancy, it is believed that you will have a girl.As expected, this theory has no scientific backing to it.

14. A Long, Strenuous Labour

It is believed that if you have a long and painful labour you will be having a boy.While not entirely proven to be true, it is found in an Irish study that women who gave birth to baby boys had a longer labour time, saw more complications and needed emergency C-sections. This is attributed to the larger head size and the heavier weight of baby boys at births, in comparison to girls.

15. Cold Feet

If your feet are always cold during your pregnancy, then you may be having a boy. If you enjoy warm and cosy feet during pregnancy, it may be a girl.There is no evidence to prove the validity of this statement.

16. The Colour of Your Urine

Bright yellow urine indicates that you are carrying a girl. Clear coloured urine can indicate a boy.The colour of your urine has no link to the sex of your baby. Light coloured or clear urine may be the result of a good amount of water.

17. Pupil Dilation

Do your pupils dilate when you stare into the mirror for over a minute? You may be having a boy as per the old wives tale.Pupils dilate in low light or are aroused by something we see. It has no correlation with the sex of the baby.

18. Ring on a String

If you tie a ring to a string and dangle it over your belly, the movement is believed to predict the gender. If it swings in a circle, it’s a girl; if it moves back and forth, it’s a boy.This is purely a superstitious practice with no scientific validity.

19. Garlic Test

It is said that if you eat garlic and the smell seeps through your skin, you are likely carrying a boy. If there’s no strong smell, you might be having a girl.This belief is based on personal perception and lacks scientific backing.

20. Fork or Spoon

Hiding a fork and a spoon under cushions and having the pregnant woman sit without knowing which is where is another tale. Sitting on the fork signifies a boy, while the spoon means a girl.This is purely a game of chance and has no logical basis.

21. Coughing and Sneezing

If you experience frequent sneezing or coughing during pregnancy without being sick, it is said you’re more likely to have a boy.There’s no scientific evidence linking sneezing or coughing to the baby’s sex. These are often related to seasonal allergies or common colds.

22. The Shape of Your Face

If your face looks rounder and fuller during pregnancy, some believe you’re having a girl. If your face looks slimmer, it’s thought to be a boy.The shape of your face changes due to weight gain or fluid retention and is unrelated to the baby’s sex.

23. Eating the Ends of Bread

If you avoid eating the ends of the bread loaf during pregnancy, it’s believed you’re having a girl. Eating the ends supposedly indicates a boy.This has no scientific basis and is likely rooted in cultural food habits or personal preferences.

24. The Shape of Your Nose

If your nose appears to get wider or “spread” during pregnancy, it’s said that you’re carrying a boy. If your nose remains the same, you’re supposedly having a girl.

Old Wives Tale Tests

Pregnancy and gender prediction tests have always been a fascinating topic of discussion for expecting parents. While they are not scientifically proven, they add excitement to the pregnancy journey.

1. Baking Soda Test

Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with your urine. If it fizzes, it’s believed you’re having a boy. If there’s no reaction, it indicates a girl.

2. The Drano Test

Mix Drano with your urine (be cautious, as this involves chemicals). A color change is said to predict the baby’s gender—greenish indicates a girl, and bluish indicates a boy.

3. Key Test

Pick up a key. If you grab it by the narrow end, it’s thought to be a boy. If you pick it up by the round end, it’s believed to be a girl.

4. Chinese Gender Chart

This ancient chart matches the mother’s age and the month of conception to predict the baby’s gender. It’s a popular pregnancy and gender prediction test worldwide.

5. The Skull Theory

Based on ultrasound images, this theory claims that the shape of the baby’s skull can indicate gender. A square jawline indicates a boy, while a rounder skull suggests a girl.

6. The Cabbage Test

Boil red cabbage and mix the cabbage water with your urine. If the color turns pink or red, it’s believed to be a boy. If it turns purple, it’s thought to be a girl.

7. The Hand Test

Show someone your hands without thinking. If you present them palms up, it’s said you’re having a girl. If your palms are down, it’s believed you’ll have a boy.

FAQs

1. Why are old wives tales about gender prediction so popular?

Old wives tales are popular because they add an element of mystery and fun to pregnancy. They serve as an engaging way for families and friends to guess the baby’s gender and bond over shared experiences.

2. Can old wives tales be harmful if taken seriously?

While most old wives tales are harmless, relying on them for serious decisions can lead to misinformation or unnecessary stress. It’s important to treat them as entertainment rather than factual guidance.

3. Why do old wives tales vary across cultures?

Old wives tales differ across cultures because they reflect unique traditions, beliefs, and practices specific to each region or community. These variations make them a fascinating insight into cultural heritage.

This was all about old wives tales and pregnancy. Old wives tales have been around for a really long time. While none of them has been proven scientifically, some of them have been considered to be possible based on research. True or false, it sure does make for an interesting ensemble of predictions that you can enjoy while waiting for your baby.

References/Resources:

1. Young. N, La Rosa. M, Mehr. S, Krasnow. M; Does greater morning sickness predict carrying a girl? Analysis of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy from retrospective report (Maternal-Fetal Medicine); Springer Nature Link; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00404-020-05839-1; October 2020

2. Orloff. N, Hormes. J; Pickles and ice cream! Food cravings in pregnancy: hypotheses, preliminary evidence, and directions for future research; Frontiers; https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01076/full; September 2014

3. Mitsuda. N, Eitoku. M, Maeda. N, Fujieda. M, Suganuma. N; Severity of Nausea and Vomiting in Singleton and Twin Pregnancies in Relation to Fetal Sex: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) (Journal of Epidemiology); National Library of Medicine; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6680056/; September 2019

4. Navara. K; Low Gestational Weight Gain Skews Human Sex Ratios towards Females; PLOS One; https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0114304; December 2014

Also Read: 

Myths and Facts about Pregnancy
25 Surprising & Interesting Pregnancy Facts
Common Pregnancy Problem and Solutions

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