20 Old Wives' Tales for Predicting a Baby's Sex During Pregnancy

Most old wives' tales are little more than super-circulated rumors, and there is no shortage of pregnancy-related tales. While science has disproved many of the so-called signs you're having a boy or signs you're having a girl, these old wives' tales for predicting a baby's gender can be a fun way to pass the time while you wait to find out. Ahead, find some classic old wives' tales for gender prediction, and what research says about them.

Old Wives' Tales for Gender Prediction Based on Symptoms

Many old wives' tales for predicting a baby's gender are based on common pregnancy symptoms from morning sickness to what your baby bump looks like.

Severity of morning sickness

Although it's not clear why, some research might support the myth that if you experience extreme morning sickness, you're having a girl.

For example, in a 2021 study of 4,320 pregnancies, people carrying a female fetus reported a significantly higher frequency of nausea during the first trimester than those who were pregnant with males. This appears to be doubly so with people who are carrying twin girls.

Soft or dry hands

As this old wives' tale goes, you might have a boy if your hands are dry during pregnancy. Soft hands, on the other hand, are mythically linked with girls.

Food cravings

According to lore, your pregnancy food cravings may indicate if you're pregnant with a boy or a girl. If your pregnancy cravings involve salty or savory snacks like potato chips, pretzels, or popcorn, it's thought that you're more likely to be pregnant with a boy.

Alternatively, cravings for sweet foods like ice cream, chocolate, and candy are associated with having a girl. Citrus cravings have also been associated with girls. But it's important to note that food cravings often cover a wide range, with sweets, high-fat foods, and fast food being among the most common.

Acne

Are pregnancy hormones making your skin break out? If so, this old wives' tale says you might be expecting a girl. However, the reality is that many people have acne during pregnancy due to changing hormone levels, no matter their baby's sex.

Gracefulness vs. clumsiness

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

Facial weight gain

If your face gets fuller during pregnancy, a girl might be on the way according to this old wives' tale. That said, everyone experiences weight distribution differently, so it may have more to do with your body than your baby's sex.

Also, if you experience extreme sudden puffiness in your face, talk to a health care provider, since this can be a symptom of preeclampsia.

Mood changes

Mood swings are common during pregnancy. Legend has it that if you're constantly switching between happiness and sadness and anger—and every other mood in between—you have a baby girl joining your family. However, like other items on this list, it's best not to read into this one too much.

Mood swings affect lots of pregnant people and are commonly caused by changes in hormones, fatigue, or physical stress. But if you find that your mood swings are frequent, intense, or reflect symptoms of depression or anxiety, consult a health care provider.

Bump position

As it turns out, old wives' tales for pregnancy bellies also exist. They say 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.

Bump shape and weight distribution

Tune into how you carry your pregnancy weight. Those who carry their baby in front might expect a boy, while weight spaced more evenly around your middle could indicate a girl.

Oddly, science has found a connection between gestational weight gain and fetal sex. For example, a 2014 study published in PLOS One analyzed 68 million births over 23 years and found that those who gained more weight were statistically more likely to give birth to a boy.

Fetal heart rate

Listen to your little one's heartbeat. You're supposedly pregnant with a girl if you detect more than 150 beats per minute. Hearing fewer than 150 beats per minute points to a boy. Research indicates that normal fetal heart rate can be anywhere between 120 and 160 beats per minute (bpm).

Pregnancy dreams

This old wives' 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.

Breast size

Take a good look at your pregnancy breasts. If your right breast is larger than the left one, it could mean you're carrying a girl. If the left breast is larger, it could be a baby boy, according to this myth.

Old Wives' Tale Tests for Gender Prediction

Looking beyond pregnancy symptoms, there are also a number of amusing "tests" that can predict whether you're carrying a boy or girl according to old wives' tales.

Sleep position test

Pay attention to your sleep position at night. If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you're supposedly having a boy. Right side? This old wives' tale says you're pregnant with a girl.

Pendulum test

This myth about gender prediction might seem strange, but it's all in good fun. Dangle a chain with a pendulum (or charm or ring) over your belly. If it swings back and forth, the myth says you've got a boy; if it swings in a circle, you might have a girl.

Hand display test

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

Toddler interest test

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

Garlic test

Some say you can predict your baby's sex by eating garlic. If the smell seeps out of your pores, the old wives' tale says you're having a boy. If there's no scent, it's a girl.

Key test

Grab the nearest house key or car key. Did you pick it up by the round end? The old wives' tales say you're expecting a boy. But, on the other hand, picking it by the long end means you might give birth to a girl.

Number test

As the old tale goes, 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, on the other hand, indicates a boy.

Stress test

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. (Of course, this tale presumes a heteronormative baby-making experience and doesn't account for different family structures, so maybe we can leave this one to rest.)

Can You Accurately Predict Gender With Old Wives' Tales?

At the end of the day, it may be fun to try to guess your baby's sex with these myths, but most of them hold scientific weight.

If you're curious about your baby's sex, ultrasound and noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) are the two most common evidence-based ways to determine sex before birth. But, even then, these techniques aren't 100% accurate. For example, sometimes genitals aren't clear during an ultrasound because of your baby's position, and in rare cases, a baby is intersex (a person whose reproductive and sexual anatomy does not neatly fit into typical male or female categories).

While games for speculation or more scientific approaches like scans might be fun to learn what sex your baby will be assigned at birth, remember that gender is an identity and can be fluid. Your child may or may not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. So try not to get too attached to predictions about their gender.