Old Wives Tales, Baby 4

I haven’t gotten as many questions this pregnancy as I did previously, maybe I look too frazzled, aggitated or distracted for people to find the right moment, but when I do it is almost always “what are you having?”  And, as for the last three, when I say we don’t know I get varying reactions (see why we choose not to find out in “The Mystery Baby”) and one of those reactions is predicting.  Same as with Doodle, the guesses are usually based on how I’m carrying baby.

So, as I did with Doodle, I guess now that I’m officially full term, it’s time to take a look at the Old Wives Tales to see where I stand!

Front vs. Side/Behind:  This one I’ve seen two ways.  Boys are always carried out front, girls are carried either wide or cause you to gain weight in the tush/hips.  I have carried all three of my babes straight out front (you can’t even tell I’m pregnant from behind) which has caused nearly everyone to predict a boy every single pregnancy though my hips/tush have widened more this pregnancy and with Doodle than they did with the girls.

High vs. Low: A high baby indicates a girl, low a boy.  I’ve carried all three high until they engaged.  With the last three, I carried high until they engaged (with Doodle this was around 31 weeks) and this one I honestly didn’t even notice but s/he dropped early as well.

Cravings:  Girls make mommy want sweets, boys cause salty and sour cravings.  I definitely wanted sweets with both my girls.  With Doodle, I didn’t many cravings at all, just aversions (to everything sometimes) but this one I’m back to sweets and can hardly go a nap time without some chocolaty deliciousness (though I try my hardest to substitute with fruit instead).

The heartbeat theory: Though not medically proven, the theory is if baby’s heart rate is on the slower side it’s a boy and faster predicts a girl.  I have no idea what my last three babies’ heartbeats were and even though my midwife tells me every check up this pregnancy, I have been deliberately forgetting so that I don’t get my head stuck one way or the other!

The Pretty theory:  This one is strange but the theory goes that a girl will suck the beauty out of her mother’s face so moms carrying boys will be prettier.  I strongly feel my appearance has not been affected by this pregnancy any more than it was with the first three.

Breakouts: Along with the pretty theory, this one says baby girls will make mom’s face break out and boys don’t.  My skin has a monthly cycle, no matter what my body is doing.  Every month my face breaks out and clears up.  This has occurred throughout all my pregnancies, while breastfeeding and not menstruating and along with a normal monthly cycle but it has been WAY worse this time!

Morning Sickness:  Basically, baby girls make you sicker than boys.  Honeybun: nauseous all the time; Sugarplum: throwing up regularly; Doodle no vomiting and almost no nausea (but tons of lightheadedness), this one a bit of this and that including tons of lightheadedness, some nausea and some throwing up.

The “linea nigra”:  I’d never heard of this one before my research for this post.  Apparently if the linea nigra (vertical line of hair many women get on their abdomens) goes to the belly button baby is a girl, all the way to the ribs predicts a boy.  With Doodle, my line was not noticeable from afar but I could pick out the glistening blonde hairs all the way to my ribs but I didn’t notice with the girls.  This time, I don’t really see any line!

There are also two different “ancient” methods based on the calendar.

The Chinese Calendar:  Based on month of conception and mother’s age at conception.  Honeybun: Boy; Sugarplum: Girl; Doodle: boy; #4: Boy

The Mayan Calendar: Based on mother’s age at conception and year of conception.  If both are odd or even then you’re getting a girl; one even, one odd, you’re getting a boy.  Honeybun: Girl; Sugarplum: Boy; Doodle: Girl; #4: Boy.

There are also tests which use a necklace, key or draino.  But I’m still not that interested in peeing in drano or bothering to have someone hold a necklace over my belly just to get a wild guess.

I guess we’ll just have to wait a while longer to know for sure!  What is your guess?