20 Fun Old Wives Tales That Predicted My Baby’s Gender Correctly

One of the most talked-about predictors revolves around what you’re eating—or, more accurately, what you can’t stop eating! Pregnancy cravings are powerful, and folklore suggests they hold a clue to your baby’s gender. It’s a fun way to think about why you suddenly need a chocolate milkshake at midnight or can’t get enough sour pickles.

Sweet for a Girl, Salty for a Boy

This is the classic tale that everyone knows. The legend goes:

• Craving sweets: If you can’t get enough of chocolate, ice cream, pastries, and fruit, you might be carrying a little girl. Your sweet tooth is said to be a sign of sugar and spice and everything nice.
• Craving salty & sour: If you’re reaching for potato chips, pretzels, pickles, or savory, protein-rich foods like cheese and meat, the tale suggests a boy is on the way.

Of course, the scientific reality is that cravings are likely caused by hormonal shifts, nutritional deficiencies, and heightened senses of taste and smell. Your body might be asking for quick energy (sugar) or signaling a need for more sodium or protein. But isn’t it more fun to blame it on the baby? While my own craving for lemon sorbet pointed to a girl (and was right!), for every parent who swears by this tale, there’s another whose pickle-loving journey ended with a beautiful daughter.

Remember, every craving is valid. Listen to your body, nourish yourself well, and enjoy the delicious journey, no matter what it’s ‘predicting.’

Your body goes through an incredible transformation during pregnancy, and according to tradition, many of these changes are signposts on the path to discovering your baby’s gender. From the way you carry to the glow on your skin, these tales invite you to become a detective of your own physique.

Carrying High vs. Low

This is perhaps the most famous visual predictor. You’ve likely had a well-meaning relative or stranger study your bump and declare:

• Carrying High: A high, centralized bump that looks like a basketball tucked under your shirt is said to mean you’re having a girl.
• Carrying Low: A lower, wider bump that you carry more in front is supposedly a sign of a boy.

In reality, the way you carry is determined by your muscle tone, uterine position, the baby’s position, and your body structure. First-time moms often carry higher because their abdominal muscles are tighter.

Morning Sickness Severity

The tale says that extreme morning sickness (or all-day sickness, as many of us know it) points to a girl. The theory was that a girl’s hormones added to the mother’s, creating more nausea. If you have a relatively smooth first trimester, you might be told to prepare for a boy. There is a tiny grain of scientific correlation here—some studies have shown that mothers carrying girls have slightly higher levels of the hormone hCG, which is linked to morning sickness. However, it’s not a reliable predictor, as many moms of boys can attest to spending weeks feeling queasy!

The Baby’s Heart Rate

At one of your first prenatal appointments, you’ll hear that beautiful, rapid sound of your baby’s heartbeat. The old wives’ tale suggests you can use the speed to guess the gender:

• Above 140 beats per minute (BPM): A fast heartbeat points to a girl.
• Below 140 beats per minute (BPM): A slower heartbeat indicates a boy.

This is a myth that has been thoroughly debunked by science. A baby’s heart rate fluctuates constantly based on their age and activity level, just like an adult’s. It will be faster in early pregnancy and change from one appointment to the next, regardless of gender.

Here’s a quick summary of some other popular physical tales:

If you’re looking for a more hands-on approach to gender guessing, these playful ‘tests’ are perfect for a fun evening with your partner or as a game at your baby shower. They feel a bit like a science experiment or a magic trick, adding an element of interactive fun to the speculation.

The Ring Test

This is a classic that has been passed down for generations. It’s simple to do and mesmerizing to watch.

1. Take a wedding ring (or another meaningful ring) and tie it to a piece of string or a strand of your hair.
2. Lie down comfortably on your back.
3. Have your partner or a friend dangle the ring over your baby bump.
4. Hold it completely still, and then watch how it begins to move on its own.

The prediction is based on the movement: if it swings in a circle, it’s a girl. If it swings back and forth in a straight line, it’s a boy.

The Baking Soda Test

This one turns your bathroom into a mini chemistry lab! The theory is that the pH of your urine changes based on the baby’s gender.

• What you need: A clear cup, a few tablespoons of baking soda, and a sample of your first-morning urine.
• The test: Pour your urine into the cup with the baking soda.
• The ‘results’: If it fizzes up like a soft drink, it’s a boy. If it remains relatively flat with little to no reaction, it’s a girl.

Scientifically, the pH of your urine is affected by your diet, hydration level, and kidney function, not your baby’s gender. But the fizz is still fun to watch!

The Key Test

This is a simple parlor game. Someone places a single, old-fashioned key on a table in front of you without you watching. You are then asked to pick it up. The way you grab it supposedly reveals the gender.

• If you pick it up by the round top part, you’re having a girl.
• If you pick it up by the long, narrow end, you’re having a boy.
• And if you grab it in the middle? Twins, of course!

The Garlic Test

Feeling brave? This tale is not for the faint of heart. If you can eat a clove of garlic and your scent doesn’t come pouring out of your pores for days, you’re supposedly having a girl. If you eat it and everyone can smell garlic on you for the next 48 hours, it’s a boy.

It’s not all about the birthing parent! Some of the most endearing old wives’ tales involve the partner, making gender guessing a team sport. These traditions are a wonderful way to include dads and non-carrying partners in the fun and mystery, reminding us that this journey is a shared one.

Sympathy Weight Gain

Is your partner’s appetite rivaling yours? Are they experiencing ‘sympathy cravings’ or gaining a little weight right alongside you? According to folklore, if the dad-to-be is gaining weight, it’s a sign you’re expecting a girl. If his weight remains stable, it points to a boy. This is a sweet way to acknowledge the emotional and psychological journey partners go on, too. Sometimes called Couvade syndrome, sympathy symptoms are a real phenomenon, though they have no scientific link to the baby’s gender.

Which Parent Initiated the ‘Baby-Making’?

This is a more intimate tale that looks back to the moment of conception. The legend says that if the parent with the sperm was the one to initiate intimacy, the baby will be a boy. If the parent who will carry the baby initiated, it will be a girl. It’s a private little secret for the two of you to smile about.

Dreams and Intuition

Sometimes the clues are said to come from our subconscious. Pay attention to your dreams! Do you have vivid dreams of raising a little girl or playing catch with a son? The tale suggests your subconscious already knows the answer. Similarly, what is your gut feeling? Often, a parent’s intuition is surprisingly strong. This isn’t about logic, but about tuning into your own feelings and hopes for the little one on the way.

Pregnancy is a partnership. Sharing in these fun traditions, laughing together over the silly ‘tests,’ and dreaming about your baby are beautiful ways to strengthen your bond before your little one arrives.

After all the fun and games, it’s grounding to remember the beautiful science at play. As your doula and a firm believer in informed care, I want to gently bring us back to the biological facts. Enjoying the folklore is wonderful, but understanding the reality is empowering.

The Science of Gender Determination

Your baby’s gender is determined at the exact moment of conception and depends entirely on the chromosome contributed by the sperm. Here’s a simple breakdown:

• The egg always carries an X chromosome.
• The sperm can carry either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome.
• If an X-carrying sperm fertilizes the egg (XX), you will have a girl.
• If a Y-carrying sperm fertilizes the egg (XY), you will have a boy.

That’s it. None of the symptoms, cravings, or ways you carry can change or predict this fundamental genetic event. Every old wives’ tale has a 50/50 chance of being correct—the same as a coin flip!

Accurate Ways to Learn Your Baby’s Gender

If you choose to find out the gender before birth, modern medicine offers several highly accurate methods:

So, while the baking soda test is fun, an ultrasound is what will give you a reliable answer. Embracing the tales is about the journey, not the destination. It’s about the laughter, the connection, and the shared anticipation. The science is about the miracle.