Baby Gender Myths and Old Wives's Tales

“Are you having a boy or a girl?” It’s often the first question you are asked when people find out—or notice—that you are pregnant. In the modern world, gender is typically determined when the fetus is developed enough for doctors to physically see whether the growing child has male or female genitalia. Before the advent of ultrasounds, however, most women and men who desired to know the gender of their baby had to rely on stories which had been passed down from generation to generation. These stories, commonly called old wives tales, were (and in some cases, still are!) touted as surefire ways to figure out the gender of a baby. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular old wives tales about a baby’s gender, many of which are still spread around to expecting mothers today. And who knows—many one of these old wives tales will ring true with you!

If you do really want to find out with total accuracy you could either opt for an ultrasound or perhaps a baby gender prediction DNA test to help you find out.

High & Low

This old wives tale has been around for centuries. If you are “carrying” high, then your baby is going to be a girl. If you are “carrying” low, then you will have a boy. Of course, this ancient old wives tale often varies from culture to culture—in most areas of China, for example, carrying high means that you will have a boy and carrying low indicates a girl!

Sweet & Sour

Variants of this old wives tale have been found in books dating as far back as Tudor times! If you are craving sweet foods, such as ice cream, sweet fruit, and candies, then you are having a girl. If you are craving salty or sour foods, such as salted vegetables or sour fruits, then you are having a girl.

Even & Odd

This old wives tale comes from the ancient Mayans. Take a look at the age you were when you conceived your child along with the year your child was conceived. If both numbers are even or both numbers are odd, then you are having a girl. If one number is even of one number is odd, then it's a boy.

Spots?

This old wives tale harkens back to the days when people believed that the child in the womb was “stealing” essences from the mother. According to this tale, if you are breaking out with acne during the pregnancy, it is a girl—because girls “steal” their mother’s beauty.