We dive into the differences between boy and girl pregnancy signs and look at whether these are based on facts or old wives’ tales.
How Can I Find Out If I’m Having A Boy Or A Girl During Pregnancy?
There are many old wives’ tales – historical myths and stories that are told so often people believe they are correct – that are believed to predict whether you’re having a boy or a girl. These range from the size and height of your bump to the type of cravings you are having. However, none of these stories are based on any proven scientific evidence – no matter how much your gran swears they are true!
If you want to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl, the only way to find out for sure is via a blood test or at a pregnancy scan. The sonographer will usually tell you the sex of your baby at your second NHS pregnancy ultrasound scan which is the 20 week screening scan. However, you can find out as early as 10 weeks from a blood test, or from around 16 weeks from a pregnancy scan, but you will usually have to pay privately for this.
It can be fun to speculate about if you are having a boy or a girl, so based on myths and old wives’ tales, here are girl pregnancy signs and boy pregnancy signs. We also ask some mums of boys and girls to confirm if these signs were accurate for them during their pregnancies. Remember there is no accurate scientific basis for any of these ways to tell the difference between boy and girl pregnancy signs.
Signs Of A Girl Pregnancy
The following are all commonly thought to be signs of a girl pregnancy:
Baby Bump Position – High Bumps For Girls
One of the widest known predictions around differences between boy and girl pregnancies is based on how you carry your baby bump.
It is believed that if your baby bump is higher up, you are having a girl. But is there any truth to this? Sadly not – the size and position of your bump is related to your body, including the position of your uterus, as well as the size of your baby and the position they are lying in. It’s fun to guess though!
Mum of two Kate, who has a boy and a girl, found this was true for her ‘When I was pregnant with my daughter, I carried her much higher than during my boy pregnancy.’
The Speed Of Your Baby’s Heartbeat – Horses For Girls
According to old wives’ tales, the speed of your baby’s heart beat can predict if they are a boy or a girl. If your baby’s heart rate is above 140 beats per minute (bpm), or sounds like galloping horses, then this could mean you are having a girl.
However, a normal heart rate for either sex of baby can range 110bpm to 160 bpm, and it can also vary by as many as 25 beats per minute. The heart rate may change as your baby responds to conditions in your uterus and how active they are. Therefore, it is impossible to accurately predict if you are having a boy or a girl based on your baby’s heart beat. It’s a lovely sound to listen to at your check-ups though.
Is Nausea In Pregnancy A Sign Of A Girl?
Some people swear that nausea during pregnancy or having morning sickness or pregnancy sickness means you are carrying a girl. This is perhaps based on the belief that girl pregnancies result in higher hormone levels, which can make you feel sicker. But there is no factual basis for this, as pregnancy sickness depends on a multitude of factors related to your body and can happen with both boy and girl pregnancies.
TalkMum blogger Charlotte found nausea was one of the big differences with her girl pregnancy vs first time round, when she had a boy. ‘I feel quite sick during early pregnancy in general. However, with my boy pregnancy I was physically sick during that time, but with my little girl I had constant nausea instead.’
Sweet Cravings During Pregnancy
It is generally believed that food cravings when pregnant with a girl consist of sweet things such as chocolate, cake or fruit. However, there is no factual basis for this as cravings tend to be individual to each person and pregnancy.
‘This one was accurate for me!’ Says Sarah, mum of two girls, ‘I don’t normally have a sweet tooth when I’m not pregnant and could happily swap pudding for a starter, but during my two girl pregnancies I loved anything sweet.’
It was also accurate for Charlotte, who said about her girl pregnancy ‘I have loved having sweet treats, my biggest craving was strawberries and cold melon.’
Is Acne In Pregnancy A Sign Of A Girl?
Your skin can change during pregnancy, and you may develop more spots. But is acne in pregnancy a sign of a girl?
Sadly, for the curious, there is no factual basis for this one. Increased hormones in pregnancy may lead to skin changes. However, this happens regardless of whether you are having a boy or a girl.
For Sarah, this wasn’t true at all ‘I had clear skin throughout both of my girl pregnancies, which was such a bonus! I also had thicker, glossy hair during pregnancy.’
Does Feeling Sleepy During Pregnancy Mean It’s A Girl?
If you’re sleepier during pregnancy, does this mean it’s a girl? It was true for Kate, who says ‘I was exhausted and fell asleep all the time with my daughter’s pregnancy, but not my son’s.’
However, this is not an accurate prediction of the sex of your baby, but mainly happens due to different hormonal changes for each pregnancy.
Heartburn During Pregnancy
You may experience heartburn during pregnancy, which, although uncomfortable, is often nothing to worry about. However, an old wives’ tale says having more regular heartburn is a sign you’re having a girl. While again, there is no scientific evidence for this, it was true for one of our mums – to a point!
‘I did have heartburn through pregnancy, but only for my second girl pregnancy.’ says Sarah. ‘And interestingly enough, old wives tales say if you have heartburn your baby will be born with hair – but the baby I had more heartburn with had much less hair than her sister!’
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Signs Of A Boy Pregnancy
The following are all commonly thought to be signs of a boy pregnancy:
Baby Bump Position – Low And Round For Boys
It is generally believed that if you carry your baby lower in your abdomen, and you have a rounder bump, then you are having a baby boy.
Kate found that she did carry her son and daughter differently, adding ‘He was lower and felt bigger, even though he was actually much smaller.’
Charlotte also had a different bump with her boy and girl pregnancies, saying ‘With my little boy I put on more weight, and I had a large bump. But with my girl I am all bump and carried much more neatly, and haven’t put much weight on. My mum was the same, so it might be genetic!’
However, the size and position of your bump is related to your body, the position of your uterus, and the size of your baby and the position they are lying in. Bumps can be a hot topic during pregnancy though!
Your Baby’s Heartbeat – Train Sound For Boys
When it comes to the speed of your baby’s heart beat, myths dictate that if your baby’s heartbeat is slower and less than 140 bpm and sounds like a train, then this might mean you’re having a boy.
However, this is not accurate and there are many factors that can affect your baby’s heart rate. It’s fun to guess at midwives appointments though.
Salty Or Savoury Food Cravings
Reaching for the crisps? It is an old wives’ tale that your cravings when pregnant with a boy tend to be for more salty or savoury items, such as crisps, salted nuts or cheese. But specific food cravings tend to be individual to you and you body, and not if you are having a boy or a girl.
Charlotte said, ‘I did crave cheese early on in both boy and girl pregnancies but with my little boy I craved savoury and salty things like red meat.’
Kate, found the opposite was true ‘I definitely fancied more sweets when I was pregnant with my son than with my daughter!’
Clear Skin In Pregnancy Is A Sign Of A Boy
Skin changes are common in pregnancy, which may involve more spots, or, for some, clear, spot-free skin. Myths dictate that clear skin is pregnancy is a sign of a boy.
So, is clear skin in pregnancy a sign of a boy? Hormones in pregnancy may result in changes in your skin, and those changes are different for different people, regardless of whether you are having a boy or a girl.
Once You’ve Read About The Signs of Boy And Girl Pregnancies:
Read our Pregnacare A-Z of pregnancy and nutrition / Follow our Pregnacare Official Instagram account / Watch our YouTube video about Charlotte’s boy and girl pregnancies
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional regarding any medical condition. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the blog and to describe best generally accepted current practices we cannot accept any liability for errors or omissions or for any consequences from application of the information given.
