As soon as you know that a child is due it will cross your mind as to whether it’s a boy or a girl.

Why find out?

One of the most difficult decisions for many couples during pregnancy is whether they should find out the gender of their baby. According to research somewhere between 50% and 70% of expectant couples decide to find out the sex of their child before birth.
There are many reasons to find out the sex of your baby before the arrival date. These include:

It can allow you to choose a name early on.

It can make choosing nursery décor easier.

You can buy gender-specific clothing.

It may increase your bond with the baby as it is no longer an “it” but a “he” or a “she”.

It allows parents whose families history has sex-specific genetic problems to find out more about the risks.

The science

Scientifically the chromosomes that are held within the sperm of the father and the egg of the mother determine the sex of a baby. Men and women are made up of 22 pairs of chromosomes plus a further pair that is the difference between them in terms of sexuality.

These are the sexual chromosomes X and Y. If this pairing of chromosomes is XY then it’s a male whilst females have the pairing of XX.

In short:

Both the egg and the sperm have 23 chromosomes

The egg is always the carrier of the X chromosome

The sperm can carry either an X or a Y chromosome

This means that the sex of the baby is determined by on the fathers’ side.

Whilst this is an interesting fact it’s definitely fun trying to guess whether you’re going to have a son or a daughter. As a result we have provided enough information below so that you will no longer need to ask the midwife at the 20 week scan what the sex is going to be. These methods are 100% reliable !!!  Okay so that’s not exactly true. The midwife is still your best bet for determining the sex of your child but the predictors and tales below are good for a bit of fun:

The Chinese Lunar Calendar:

The Chinese Gender Predictor Chart, also known as the Chinese Lunar Calendar or The Chinese Birth Chart, is therefore considered one of the oldest methods of predicting the sex of a child before its birth. This 7,000-year-old chart, which is said to have been devised by an ancient Chinese scientist, was apparently discovered buried in a tomb near Beijing about 700 years back. At present, the original chart is in the Institute of Science in Beijing.

The Chinese Gender Chart is thought to be able to predict the gender of a child by cross-referencing the age of the mother and the month in which she conceived. The chart has been devised on the basis of the observation that women of the same age seem to be more likely to have children of the same gender.

In the chart below cross match your partners age with the month of conception to see if you should, according to the lunar calendar, be having a boy or a girl (blue is for boy and pink is for girl).

Post your results in our forum so we can see how accurate it is.

Other gender prediction techniques:

• If your left breast is bigger than the right during pregnancy then you’re having a girl. If the right is bigger, it’ll be a boy.
• If you get moody during pregnancy you are more likely to have a girl.
• If you carry the baby out front then you will have a boy otherwise it’s a girl.
• Have the mum-to-be pick up a key. If she picks it up by the round end, it will be a boy. If she picks it up by the long end, it will be a girl. Should she pick it up at the middle, twins are on the way.
• Hang a gold pendant (preferably one the mother wears often) over the palm of the mother’s hand. If the pendant moves in a circular motion, it will be a girl. If it swings back and forth, a boy is on the way.
• If you suffer from acne during pregnancy, you will have a girl.
• What side does the mum-to-be lay on while she’s resting? If she lies on her left, it’s a boy; on her right, it’s a girl.
• If young boys (pre-school age) show interest in you while you’re pregnant, it will be a girl. If they ignore you, expect a boy.
• Ask the mum-to-be to show you her hands. If she shows them palms up, it’s a girl; palms down, a boy.
• If you dream of girls, you will have a boy. If you dream of boys, you will have a girl.
• If your baby’s heartbeat is lower than 140 beats per minute it’s more likely to be a boy. Over 140 and it’s more likely to be a girl.
• If you’re carrying low it’s more likely to be a boy.
• If you’re blooming in pregnancy it’s more likely to be a boy. If you miss the blooming period then it’s more likely a girl.
• It’s more likely to be a boy if you look at yourself in the mirror for at least a minute and your pupils dilate
• Carrying a boy usually causes you crave salty food or protein, such as cheese and meat
• When carrying a boy your feet become cold more quickly than before you were pregnant.
• If your hair has become more full-bodied and shiny during pregnancy then it’s probably a boy.
• If the hair on your legs has been growing faster during pregnancy then it’s more likely to be a boy.
• If your previous child’s first word was “dada” then this child is likely to be a Boy. If your previous child’s first word was “mama” then it’s more likely to be a girl this time.
• It’s more likely to be a girl if you crave sweet things, such as juice, fruit and sweets.
• If your skin is soft it’s more likely to be a girl.
• Dad-to-be is gaining weight right along with you? Then it’s more likely to be a boy.

Author: SuperDads

We’re here to make a difference. Superdads not only offers advice but we are her e to promote the importance of fatherhood. Many people are oblivious to the fact that Dads really do matter and this is something we’d like to put right.

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