If there’s one subject that’s surrounded by so many old wives’ tales, it’s probably pregnancy. Particularly, the baby’s gender. From cravings to the position of the bump, everything points to whether you’re having a girl or a boy. The thing is, these superstitions are just that, superstitions. No scientific basis. No backing from research. If you hear your aunt babbling about these things below, take them with a grain of salt. Just ride the fun.
On sleep position
According to the myth, if you have the habit of sleeping on your left side, it’s going to be a boy. If you’re on the right, it will be a girl. There’s no empirical proof for this, but one thing’s for sure: you’re really going to be a side sleeper. It’s difficult to rest on the back, given the growing bump. But aside from the comfort factors, doctors recommend side-sleeping for the mother’s and baby’s well-being. Why exactly? The answer is in an important part of the body called inferior vena cava.
Doctors of obstetrics and Provo-based practitioners explain that this is a large blood vessel that runs along the right side of the spine, returning blood from the bottom half of the body to the heart. When you lie on your back, your growing baby will most likely put pressure on the inferior vena cava, reducing the amount of blood transferred to the heart. That means there will be less blood pumped out of the heart. As a result, blood pressure drops, leaving mom and baby running low on blood oxygen content. That said sleep position has nothing to do with the baby’s gender, but everything to do with your health.
On morning sickness
They say that when you keep experiencing extreme nausea, you’re going to have a girl. Chill mornings, on the other hand, indicate that you’ll have a boy. The thing is, morning sickness happens regardless of the baby’s gender. That’s because there’s no correlation between the two. Your upset stomach is triggered by many factors. It can be excessive fatigue, reduced blood sugar, fluctuating hormone levels, etc.
How do you deal with it? First, get plenty of rest. As mentioned, stress can exacerbate morning sickness. If you can do some yoga or light exercises for 15 minutes or so, better. It also helps to eat some biscuits in the morning before getting up. Keep those biscuits close as well, because you don’t want to leave your tummy empty throughout the day.
On appearance
If you have the best skin ever, glowing and bright, and your hair looks straight out of a shampoo commercial, it’s said that you’ll have a boy. On the other hand, if you’re not looking your best, and in fact getting some breakouts here, there, everywhere, you’re carrying a girl. The explanation? Your daughter snatches away your good looks, while your son makes you shine. The truth is, the pregnancy glow or bad skin, for that matter, most likely comes from the hormonal changes. So you can thank (or curse) the chemicals in your body, not the gender of your baby. Ask your doctor for anti-acne creams safe for pregnant women, so you can clear up your skin.
<pAgain, there’s no scientific proof for these mentioned gender predictions. The best, most accurate way to know if you’re having a girl or a boy is to get an ultrasound from your OB.
