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  5. Old Wives' Tales and Baby Gender: Will You Have a Boy or a Girl?

Old Wives' Tales and Baby Gender: Will You Have a Boy or a Girl?

By Lexi Walters Updated April 13, 2021
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An image of a pregnant woman holding her ultrasound.
Credit: Getty Images.

Are you having a boy or a girl? These old wives' tales during pregnancy are a fun (but not scientific!) way to guess the sex of your baby. 

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Old Wives' Tales for Pregnancy

An image of a couple with a pregnancy test.
Credit: Getty Images.

Old wives' tales are little more than super-circulated rumors. Never proven to be true, they're sayings and adages that generations of people have passed down regarding family health ("Eating carrots improves your vision"), safe parenting ("Wait an hour after eating before swimming"), and pregnancy. If you're trying to guess your baby's gender, read on for fun ways to hypothesize about whether you're having a boy or a girl.

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Sleep Position

pregnancy sleep
Credit: George Rudy/Shutterstock

Pay attention your sleep position at night. If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you're supposedly having a boy. Right side? You're pregnant with a girl.

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Upset Stomach

Pregnant woman with severe morning sickness - hyperemesis gravidarum
Credit: PeopleImages/Getty Images

Little girls aren't always sweet. Extreme nausea means you're expecting a daughter.

  • 15 Tips for Dealing With Morning Sickness

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Soft or Dry Hands

hands in heart on flat belly
Credit: Shutterstock

If your hands are dry during pregnancy, you might be having a boy. The old wive's tales for baby gender link soft hands with girls.  

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Food Cravings

pregnant woman eating peanut butter
Credit: JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Your favorite pregnancy foods may indicate your baby's sex, because citrus cravings have been associated with girls.

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Adult Acne

8 Embarrassing Pregnancy Problems_still

Are pregnancy hormones making your skin break out? The old wive's tales say you might be expecting a girl!

  • Gender Ultrasound: Are You Having a Boy or Girl?

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Graceful or Clumsy Pregnancy

Pregnant Woman Walking
Credit: VGstockstudio/Shutterstock

If you feel as though you're gliding through the day, rumor has it you're having a girl. Stumbling around? It might be a boy.

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Face Weight Gain

Young couple smiling in bed
Credit: Juice Images/Getty Images

If your face gets fuller during pregnancy, then a little princess might be on the way. 

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Sweet or Salty Preference

Woman eating fries
Credit: Golubovy/shutterstock 

Do your pregnancy cravings involve potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn? Women who desire salty snacks might be expecting a boy. On the other hand, cravings for ice cream, chocolate, candy, and other sweets could hint at at baby girl.

  • Signs You're Having a Boy: Old Wives' Tales vs. Science

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Mood Changes

Asian Pregnant Woman Sitting Corner of Bed Upset with Husband Man on Laptop
Credit: eggeegg/Shutterstock

Mood swings are common during pregnancy. If you're constantly switching between happiness and sadness and anger—and every other mood in between—you might expect a baby girl to join your family!

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High or Low Pregnant Belly

Midsection of pregnant Black woman holding belly
Credit: LWA/Dann Tardif/Getty Images

As it turns out, old wive's tales for pregnancy bellies exist as well. If you're carrying the baby low on your stomach, a baby boy might be in your future. If it's high, you're supposedly having a girl.

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Pendulum Test

mom holding pregnant belly
Credit: Gajus/Shutterstock

This old wives' tale for gender prediction might seem strange, but it's all in good fun. Dangle a chain with a charm over your palm. If it swings back and forth, you've got a boy! If it swings in a circle, you might have a girl.

  • Signs You're Having a Girl: Old Wives' Tales vs. Science

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Hand Display

two pregnant women holding hands
Credit: Shutterstock

"Show me your hands." Hold our your hand as your normally would in response to this question. A palms-up position means you're having a girl, while hands-down could indicate a boy!

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Baby Weight Position

pregnant-mosquitoes.jpg
Credit: Shutterstock

Tune into the position of weight on your body. Women who carry their baby in front might expect a boy, while weight spaced around your middle could indicate a girl. 

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Toddler Advice

Pregnant Woman and Toddler Son Sitting in Grass Outside Sunlight
Credit: Natalia Deriabina/Shutterstock

You'll need a little boy for this one, whether its your own son, a nephew, or a friend's child. The old wive's tale says if the boy is interested in your belly, it's housing a girl. If he ignores you, it's a boy!

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Eating Garlic

Woman in Floral Shirt Cooking
Credit: Shutterstock

Some say you can guess your baby's sex by eating garlic—who knew? If the smell seeps out of your pores, rumor says you're having a boy. If there's no scent, it's a little girl instead.

  • When Can You Find Out the Sex of Your Baby?

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Holding a Key

opening bathroom door
Credit: Paraksa/Shutterstock

Grab the nearest house key or car key. Did you pick it up by the round end? Expect lots of blue in your baby's future, because the old wives' tales say you're expecting a boy! Picking it by the long end means you might give birth to a girl.

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Even and Odd Numbers

pregnant woman holding ultrasound image on belly
Credit: Shutterstock

If your age and year of conception are both even numbers—or both odd numbers— a girl is on the way.  One even and one odd number indicates a boy.

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Baby's Heartbeat

Doctor Touching Pregnant Belly Woman Sitting
Credit: Have a nice day Photo/Shutterstock

Listen to your little one's heartbeat. If you detect more than 150 beats per minute, you're supposedly pregnant with a girl. Hearing less than 150 beats per minute points to a boy.

  • How to Deal with Gender Disappointment

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Stress Test

Couple holding credit card and using laptop for holiday shopping
Credit: Blend Images/Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images

According to old wives' tales for gender prediction, a child tends to be the same sex as the parent who is less stressed at the time of conception.

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Pregnancy Dreams

woman sleeping next to phone in white bed
Credit: Adam Kuylenstierna/EyeEm/Getty Images

This old wive's tale might be a little surprising! If you dream about having a girl while pregnant, you might wind up having a boy—and vice versa. 

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Breast Size

BOOB nursing top
Credit: boobdesign.com

Take a good look at your pregnancy breasts. If your right breast is larger than the left one, it could mean a little girl is living in your womb. If the left breast is larger, it could a baby boy.

  • 8 Alternatives to Gender Reveal Parties

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    1 of 22 Old Wives' Tales for Pregnancy
    2 of 22 Sleep Position
    3 of 22 Upset Stomach
    4 of 22 Soft or Dry Hands
    5 of 22 Food Cravings
    6 of 22 Adult Acne
    7 of 22 Graceful or Clumsy Pregnancy
    8 of 22 Face Weight Gain
    9 of 22 Sweet or Salty Preference
    10 of 22 Mood Changes
    11 of 22 High or Low Pregnant Belly
    12 of 22 Pendulum Test
    13 of 22 Hand Display
    14 of 22 Baby Weight Position
    15 of 22 Toddler Advice
    16 of 22 Eating Garlic
    17 of 22 Holding a Key
    18 of 22 Even and Odd Numbers
    19 of 22 Baby's Heartbeat
    20 of 22 Stress Test
    21 of 22 Pregnancy Dreams
    22 of 22 Breast Size

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