After you see those two lines and have the confirmation that there is in fact a little on on their way into your life. The next big question is "are you team pink or team blue", and after years of trial and error we might just have a few fun ways of predicting your baby's gender.
When Can I Find Out My Baby's Gender?
You're invited in for your second routine scan at around 18-21 weeks and this will be a check up on the baby and to make sure the baby is growing on track. This scan will also check for any physical abnormalities as you will notice your baby has grown a significant amount between your first scan and now. You're welcome to ask the sonographer if they can identify the sex of your baby. Some hospitals do have a policy in which they won't be able to tell you the sex of the baby and you will actually have to do this through a private healthcare service.
Whilst the sonographer's are medically trained and have a lot of experience in interpreting your baby's gender from just a blotchy image on the screen, mistakes can happen. An incorrect guess, whilst rare, can happen. So the shock of expecting a Juliet and delivering a Romeo, isn't all that rare.
How Can I Find Out My Baby's Gender?
Over the years we have picked up many different, fun and quirky methods in which we believe predict the gender of your baby. Rather than waiting patiently for your 20 weeks scan and hearing the words "BOY" or "GIRL", we all get our rings, hair and other bits and bobs and try out the old wives' tales. Often we are left with a tally of 8 for boy and 7 for girl so this can be a little confusing, but it's all in the name of fun, so why not.
↕️ High or Low:
It is known for people to guess the gender of your baby by the way you're carrying, the position of your bump and the shape of your bump. If you're carrying low, you're more than likely having a boy. But if your bump is sitting high up, you'll be welcoming a little girl in to the family.
🌞Glow or No:
During pregnancy people often talk about this thing called "the pregnancy glow". Now if you're not familiar with this and are quite clearly lacking this glow then it's known for your baby girl to be stealing all of your beauty. If you're radiating as much as the moon and are getting compliments left, right and centre then you'll be welcoming a little boy.
🌡️Hot or Cold:
Have you noticed you're body temperature changing at all? If you're been grabbing for that extra blanket and fluffy socks to fight those chills, you're having a boy. However, if you've had the windows open wide and are chasing down rooms with air conditioning to control those hot sweats, then a girl it is.
💓Fast or Slow:
During a scan your baby's heart rate will be measured, if your noticing that your baby's heart rate is typically under 140 bpm then your little boy is chilling out in your womb. But if your having a girl, she'll be practicing her ballet twirls and will usually have a heart rate over 140 bpm.
🍬Sweet or Savoury:
Craving are normal, annoying for the partner during pregnancy, but are completely normal and can often be an indication to the gender. Grabbing for a cupcake, ice-cream or anything to cure that sweet tooth, a little girl is on the cards. However, if you can't resist eating a full bag of crisps or anything savoury is your new best friend, then team boy it is.
⚛️Odd or Even:
It is believed that the Chinese have a gender prediction calendar and it is becoming more and more popular as the years go on. They say if both your age and the year you conceived are odd, a boy is what you will have. However, if they are even, you'll be buying all pink everything for your little girl.
💍Line or Circle:
Grab a piece of thread or a strand of your hair, loop it through a ring which belongs to the expectant mother (traditionally the mother's wedding band) and hold this over your tummy whilst lying flat. The ring will begin to move, if this is in a circle motion, girls all the way. If the ring swings back and forth like a pendulum in a line motion, you'll be having a boy. This can also be done over your hand to predict how many children you will have and their genders.
🎨Bright or Dull:
Strange question, what colour is your urine? If it is a bright and a yellow colour, your baby is a boy. However, if your urine is light or dull in colour, team girl is for you.
🤗Happy or Sad:
Have you noticed a sudden change in your mood? Are you waking up on the wrong side of the bed and finding yourself being moody and irritable? Our guess is you're expecting a girl. If you're happy and full of life, you should be giving birth to a boy in the upcoming months.
🧪Fizz or Still:
Collect a sample of urine in a small, clean container (preferably in the morning) and add equal amounts of baking soda to the urine. If there is no reaction, you're expecting a girl. If there is a reaction and the urine begins to fizz, you're more than likely expecting a boy.
💧Dry or Oily:
Have you looked in the mirror and noticed your skin is looking a little dry? You should be expecting a boy. If you're skin is producing a little more oil than usual, a little girl is on their way.
Am I Having A Girl?
The predictions don't stop there, other ways to detect a little princess growing are as below:
- increased heartburn,
- Morning sickness,
- Baby's dad hasn't put on weight,
- Mother's face becomes rounder,
- Increased amount of sleep,
- Always drinking orange juice,
- Dull/dry hair,
- Hair growth remains the same,
- Become more graceful,
- Increased size of boobs.
Am I Having A Boy?
The predictions don't stop there, other ways to detect a little prince growing are as below:
- Frequent headaches,
- Swollen legs/ankles,
- Lack of sleep,
- Nose widens,
- Baby's dad gaining weight,
- Cold feet,
- Craving meat,
- Thick and glossy hair,
- Hair growing at a faster rate,
- Clumsier than usual.
The above methods don't bring definitive answers, you can't then go out buying all pink or decorating a room full of blue. Your baby's gender will remain a mystery until you have this confirmed, or until the day your little one arrives. You can choose to leave this as a surprise or you can find out and begin the decorating and buying everything team girl or team boy.