Expectant mothers will try some weird things to predict the gender of their unborn babies.
Realistically the only proper way to know the gender of your baby is to wait until birth and check it out first-hand. Until then, the non-invasive prenatal DND and 20 weeks ultrasound scans can give a pretty accurate prediction of gender, although it's not 100% guaranteed.
But mums-to-be can be a curious bunch, with many of us hanging in suspense at finding out whether a pink or a blue bundle is on the cards. Who can wait all those months and weeks anyways?
That's when we turn to the weird and wonderful at-home gender prediction tests. 100% legit and accurate (okay, maybe not 100%).
1. The ring test.
Get mum to lie on the floor and suspend her wedding ring from a thread or string. Hold it high above the bump. If the call starts circling, it's a boy. A girl is on the way if the ring swings back and forth.2. The bi-carb test.
The bi-carb test comes just when you thought you'd done enough peeing on things. It has to do with the acidity (or lack thereof) in a pregnant woman's urine. You were in a cup (you should be familiar with that) and added a tablespoon of bi-carb soda.If the mixture starts to fizz, you're having a boy. If there is no fizz, girl! I confess to doing this one with my current pregnancy. I was told I was having a girl, and it was right.
3. Draino.
Yep, more peeing on stuff.This time, add a tablespoon of draino (found in the supermarket's cleaning aisle) to your wee. You should start shopping for pink stuff if it changes colour to green. If it shows blue, it's boy stuff for you.
4. Cabbage Test.
Ready? More wee!Buy yourself a red cabbage next time you're at the greengrocer. Boil it up and save the water. Next time you get the call of nature, mix some cabbage juice with your urine. If it looks pink, it's a girl; if it looks more purple, it's a boy.
5. Cravings.
The old wives' tale says that a little princess is on the way if you crave more sweet things than savoury.I'm unsure what the prediction is if you just ate a bag of Doritos in ice cream. I have one confused little baby.
6. Key test.
Ask a pregnant woman to pick up a key. If she grabs the narrow end, it's said that she is pregnant with a daughter. If mum-to-be goes to pick up the key by the rounded end, she's due with a boy.7. Bump position.
Apparently, the way you carry your baby bump can be used to determine bub's gender. Women who expect boys are said to move lower, whereas mums who have pink babies are rocking higher bumps.8. The nub test.
I actually tried this and didn't get anywhere, but as with most pregnancy issues, there are forums upon forums of women asking others about 'the nub'.The idea behind the nub theory is that your 12-week ultrasound photos could show you the gender of the hub, but not in the way you think. It's all about the nub (which both boys and girls have at this age. In girls, the nub shrinks and retreats; in boys,, the nub develops into a penis).
The angle of the nub is what you need to focus on. If the nub of a baby is pointed up 30 degrees or more, it's apparently a boy. If the nub is not pointing high, it's a girl.
9. Heartbeat.
It's said that babies with a heartbeat of 150 bpm or more are girls. I'm sceptical about this one. But many people swear by this theory. Both of my boys had high heartbeats from the get-go, and this one (a girl) hovered around the scale's lower end. I guess my kids didn't get the memo.10. Pregnancy glow.
The old wives' tale says that girls steal their beauty from their mothers, so if you're experiencing more breakouts than usual, it could be because a little Miss is on the cards.11. Skull theory.
The skull theory says that square skulls belong to boys and rounded heads belong to girls. This is another theory that leaves mums gazing endlessly at early ultrasound pictures. All three of my kids have looked exactly the same on their 12-week scans, so this one did nothing for me.Chow down on a clove or two of garlic (yum yum) and wait.
The following day, if you can smell the garlic on your skin, you're apparently due with a boy. If there is no smell on your skin, it's a girl. The downside is that no one wants to test this for you to see if you stink, so you're on your own. Also, your partner will likely sleep on the couch.
13. Chinese gender chart.
The Chinese gender chart uses the maternal age at the time of conception and the month of birth to predict the gender of your unborn child. Some people have had massive success with this, but it's 50/50. All of mine were wrong.14. Morning sickness.
A girl is apparently on the way for you if you are constantly stuck to the bathroom tiles. If your sickness comes on a little later, it could be a boy. Either way, you get to feel like crap. I was sick with all of my pregnancies, but I have to say that this one had some accuracy.15. Breasts.
Whip off the bra, ladies, and check out your norks. If the right one seems more significant than the left, you should buy blue. If the left appears more significant, pink. This doesn't account for what you were working with before, seeing as though most of us have differences in breasts in the first place.So while none of these gender prediction tests is proven to be foolproof, at least it keeps the pregnant mind busy until the following scan.
