The biggest pregnancy related question we get — especially from strangers — is if we’re having a boy or a girl. I wasn’t sure how well I would thrive under the pressure of not knowing, but this has honestly been one of our favorite parts of this pregnancy. I think not knowing has shifted the focus from gender specific topics and allowed us some amount of relaxation during the waiting. We don’t have a nursery planned yet (baby will sleep in our room for the foreseeable future anyway), we have a very loose list of names to choose from, and we’ve spent our money on necessities rather than bows or truck printed onesies. I feel sure we’ll still get plenty of gender specific items once baby arrives, but I love that we’ve been able to think less about what this baby is and more about who this baby will be.
similar cloud print swaddle blanket | black hat | linen bow
There have been plenty of opinions about “what” this baby is, but I try not to put too much stock into those. I know that people are hoping for one thing or another, but Josh and I are both so thrilled to be welcoming another little life, that I can’t imagine having even a hint of gender disappointment (yes, that’s an actual thing). Probably the hardest thing for me has been the numerous people who assume Josh is hoping for a boy or will get HIS boy as if he isn’t abundantly happy being a daddy of daughters. We never expected to have a third child and there have been no regrets or what ifs when it comes to having a complete and perfect family, filled with only girls.
There is a huge part of me that would love to have a son — both to experience the difference in parenting a boy and to see a tiny version of my husband in our home — but we have had such a wonderful time parenting our girls and I can’t begin to imagine how much fun it would be with one more! I have to admit there is the tiniest part of me that wants to rebel against everyone with a strong opinion — I dread hearing I told you so! or I knew it! even though I know at least half of our family & friends will be right. Pregnancy makes you feel all sorts of weird things and this topic has been the hardest and most hurtful for me to cope with. Instead of dwelling on the insensitive comments, let’s play a fun baby-related game instead.
One of my favorite gender related pregnancy posts to read, was this one from Oak & Oats back in April. I bookmarked it almost immediately and thought it would be fun to share something similar here, especially since we knew we weren’t planning to find out. I decided to use a similar list of old wives tales and put them to the test, now that we’ve endured 32 long weeks of pregnancy. I can’t imagine that my symptoms will shift again this late in the game, so let’s see if these baby predictions hold true. Grab your coffee, the list is looooong!
1. ARE YOU CARRYING HIGH OR LOW? Higher bellies tend to indicate a girl, while carrying low is typically associated with boys. | I am definitely carrying this baby much lower than I did the girls. They both spent most of their pregnancies laying across my belly, so having this one be in a head-down position is a complete and total game changer. I have much more pressure in my lower abdomen and, more importantly, I can breathe! | Result: BOY
2. WHAT DOES YOUR BUMP LOOK LIKE? Round bellies (think basketball) are often associated with boys, while women who have wider bellies (think watermelon) tend to have girls. | I am definitely all baby this time! My bare belly looks like a basketball under my skin and, from behind, I don’t really look pregnant at all. | Result: BOY
3. HOW IS YOUR FACE SHAPED? Mom’s with an elongated, thin face are having a boy. Those will round, fuller faces are having a girl. | My face is definitely thinner this pregnancy. | Result: BOY
4. DO YOU HAVE THAT “PREGNANCY GLOW?” A bright clear complexion is all boy; dull, acne prone skin is caused by girls! | I’m not sure I have a glow, but I haven’t had any skin problems with this pregnancy. For the first time in a long time, I rarely even wear makeup. | Result: BOY
5. HOW DOES YOUR SKIN FEEL? Dry skin indicates boy, silky smooth skin indicates girl. | The skin on my face is definitely smoother, but my arms and legs are really dry. Let’s call this one a wash. | Result: INCONCLUSIVE
6. IS THE HAIR ON YOUR LEGS GROWING FASTER OR SLOWER THAN USUAL? Faster hair growth can be found on most boy moms, while girl moms’ hair growth slows way down. | I am happy to report that I’m only having to shave my legs once or twice a week and it is GLORIOUS. | Result: GIRL
7. WHERE DOES YOUR LINEA NIGRA END? Near the belly button is a girl, above the belly button is a boy. | I’ve asked Josh to inspect my belly for a line, several times over the last few months, and there just isn’t anything to see! | Result: INCONCLUSIVE
8. ARE YOUR EYES MORE DILATED THAN USUAL? If yes, it’s a boy. If your eyes are normal, it’s a girl. | I haven’t noticed any difference in how my eyes appear or feel. | Result: GIRL
9. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR URINE (SORRY ABOUT THIS ONE!)? Brighter urine indicates boy, normal color indicates girl. | When I remember to take my prenatal vitamin it’s a completely different color altogether, but — generally speaking — it’s quite normal. | Result: GIRL
10. WHAT IS THE BABY’S AVERAGE HEART RATE? Heart rates above 140 bpm are girls, those lower than 140 bpm are boys. | I’m not sure our first ultrasound is a great indicator, because it was really low due to how early we were peeking at baby. Our twenty week ultrasound and the diagnostic ultrasounds both indicated heart rates in the 160s! | Result: GIRL
11. HOW ARE THE BABY’S MOVEMENTS? Boys tend to move earlier and are stronger at the same developmental age than girls. | This baby is definitely my most active and I felt it move much earlier than both girls. | Result: BOY
12. ARE YOU CLUMSY OR GRACEFUL? Clumsy mamas have boys, normal / graceful mamas have girls. | I think we all know where I fall on this scale, given the stupid boot I’m wearing on my foot. | Result: BOY
13. ARE YOU CRAVING SALTY FOODS OR SWEET? Salty foods indicate boys, sweet cravings indicate girls. | I am definitely craving saltier foods with this pregnancy — tacos, guacamole, chicken salad, pasta salad, pimiento cheese — the saltier the better! | Result: BOY
14. DID YOU THROW UP DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER OR JUST EXPERIENCE NAUSEA? Boy moms tend to be nauseated, but girl moms vomit. | I threw up every single day for almost fourteen weeks (from week five through week nineteen). | Result: GIRL
15. DO YOU HAVE HEARTBURN? If yes, it’s a girl; if not, it’s a boy. | I have heartburn ALL THE TIME. Bananas give me heartburn. Even water gives me heartburn?! | Result: GIRL
16. ARE YOU MOODY OR MELLOW? Moody is a girl, mellow is a boy. | Hahahahahahaha — I’m definitely moodier than usual. | Result: GIRL
17. ARE YOUR FEET HOT OR COLD? Mamas with cold feel are having a boy, those with warm feel are carrying a girl. | I haven’t really noticed a temperature specific to my feet, but I’m generally hot all over. | Result: GIRL
18. ARE YOUR FEET GROWING? Yes, it’s a boy; no, it’s a girl. | My feel are slightly swollen in the afternoon, but I wouldn’t say they have grown — I’m still wearing all of my regular shoes! | Result: GIRL
19. ARE YOUR NAILS GROWING OR BREAKING OFF? Growing nails: boy. Breaking nails: girl | My nails are always breaking, pregnant or not! | Result: GIRL
20. IS DAD GAINING SYMPATHY WEIGHT? Dad’s who gain weight have girls, those who maintain their normal weight have boys. | Where is the option for dad’s who lose weight and greatly improve?! He definitely hasn’t gained any weight, so we’ll go with that. | Result: BOY
21. HOW ARE YOU FALLING ASLEEP? Sleeping on your right side is a girl, on your left side is a boy. | I hate sleeping on my side at all, but the right side is definitely more comfortable. | Result: GIRL
22. WHAT DIRECTION IS YOUR PILLOW? North is boy, South is girl. | I literally had to pull up Google Maps to see where our house was sitting, but my pillow faces almost due North (also this is a really weird gender indicator?!). | Result: BOY
23. WHAT DOES THE MAYAN CALENDAR SAY? The Mayans determined the sex of a baby, by looking at the mother’s age at conception and the year the baby was conceived. If both are even or both are odd, it’s a girl. If one is even and the other is odd, it’s a boy. | I was 38 at conception, in the year 2017. | Result: BOY
24. WHAT DOES THE CHINESE CALENDAR SAY? The Chinese calendar takes into consideration the mother’s birth date and either the date of conception or the date the baby is due/born. | The calendar I used, misinterpreted my age every single time, despite entering my birth date correctly. It’s funny that either way, gives me the exact same result, though! | Result: GIRL
BOY: 10 | GIRL: 12 | INCONCLUSIVE: 2
How fun was that?! It’s funny to me that we have an almost even split, given that our chances of having one or the other is pretty much 50/50 according to science. We did read that with two kids of the same sex, the chances of having a third is slightly elevated, but nothing to hang your hat on. In the beginning, I felt strongly that it was a girl, but I’m not sure if I defaulted to that because I didn’t have anything else to compare it with. At the onset of the third trimester, I began recognizing some distinct differences between this pregnancy and the first two, so I leaned towards boy for a few weeks. In all honesty, I know that how you feel isn’t a strong indicator and since I’m twelve and eight years older than the last time I did this and in a completely different state, physically speaking, I’m back to being as confused as ever. What I do know, is that the baby already is what it is and we will be THRILLED to welcome it into our family either way!
LET ME KNOW YOUR PREDICTION IN THE COMMENTS. We have less than seven weeks to go and it will be so fun to read through these after baby arrives.
