Myths, Myths & More Myths...

My last journal entry got me thinking about how many myths there are surronding the prediction of an unborn child's gender. I've read and heard so many different theories that made me wonder what's really true?! Some theories range from a Drain-O test (mixing a pregnant woman's urine with Drain-O resulting in color change: pink = girl; blue = boy) to the Chinese calendar prediction (mom's date of birth + baby's month of conception will spell out boy/girl). However, no matter what method you choose there's always a fifty percent chance it will be right. Below is an excerpt from an article that exposes some of the most common gender myths:

Myth: Carrying your baby "high" means you will have a boy; carrying "low" means you will have a girl.
Reality: Lots of factors go into how you look when you are pregnant, including the age of the fetus as well as their position, size, and the mother's overall body shape. If she is short waisted, for example, her pregnancy may look different from a woman who is long waisted. But nothing about the shape has to do with the baby's sex.

Myth: Suspending a gold ring from a string over a pregnant woman's belly can predict the sex depending on the way it swings -- back and forth for a boy, in a circular motion for a girl.
Reality: There is nothing about the gender of a baby that will influence the pull of gravity. But some folks believe that, much like a Ouija board, the direction the ring swings may be influenced by the thoughts of the person holding the string -- and they will always be right 50% of the time.

Myth: If the hair on your legs grows faster during pregnancy it's a boy; if it grows slower, it's a girl.
Reality: The logic here is that because testosterone may influence hair growth, carrying a boy -- who would ostensibly have more testosterone than a girl -- will do the same. There isn't enough hormone present in a fetus to have any significant hormonal impact on the mother's body, let alone cause the hair on her legs to grow.

Myth: If you crave sour or salty foods, it's a boy; sweets, it's a girl.
Reality: Although doctors aren't totally sure what causes a woman to crave certain foods during pregnancy, most universally agree the baby's sex isn't one of them. There is nothing about carrying a boy or a girl that would influence a woman's taste buds.

Myth: If a pregnant woman's urine is a dull color, it's a girl; if it's a bright color, it's a boy.
Reality: The only thing that influences the color of a pregnant woman's urine is how much fluid she consumes -- if she's a little dehydrated, it will be a darker color; if she's drinking a lot of water, it will be lighter.

The only ways to know a hundred percent if you're having a boy/girl are: Ultrasound, Amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, & DNA blood or urine screen. So try and keep all this information in mind next time you try to predict the gender of your baby by breaking out a bottle of Drain-O - LOL!