Boy or Girl? Pink or Blue?

Now that there are tests that tell you if you are pregnant or not within days of conception, the 20 week wait to find out the sex of your baby can be gruelingly long. Here are some ways to find out the sex. I have compiled folklore from all around the world, suggested techniques with and without scientific proof, latest research and guessing from first trimester imaging. Have fun guessing and remember the chance of guessing correctly is 50% :)

Tips while TTC:

Here are some suggested techniques which are claimed to be based on scientific facts, although not backed by research or proof:

Disclaimer: I don't believe in designer babies. I understand that there are ethical concerns around influencing the gender of a baby .(Following suggestions can be a challenge to one's reasoning.)

1Shettle's method: This take in to consideration the scientific fact that boy sperms (Y sperms) are faster, smaller and short lived than the girl sperms (X sperms). So it suggests that intercourse on the day of ovulation, or at least 2 ½ days around ovulation is more likely to result in boys while that 2 ½ days away from date of ovulation is likely to result in girls.

2.Ph of the female genital tract: The fragile male sperms are more likely to survive in an alkaline environment while an alkaline pH supports only strong X sperms. Some suggest the use of vinegar douche (acidic) or an alkaline douche to select preferred sex.

3.Diet rich in potassium and an alkaline diet is rumored to help conceiving boys. Calcium rich diet,low in salt and no caffeine favour girls.

4.Increased sperm count helps conceiving boys- In this method males have abstinence for around 4 days when sperm count reaches maximum(after 6 days of abstinence, count is said to fall), keep away from hot showers and baths, not wear tight fitting underwear and avoid too much caffeine (although small doses of caffeine favours boys).Intercourse in the early morning when the sperm count is maximum also helps to conceive boys. For girl babies, abstinence for more than a week and intercourse away from ovulation helps.

5.Conception during full moon favours boys and that during new moon favours girls (Supposedly got something to do with positive ions during full moon and negative ions during new moon).

6.Statistically there is a correlation between boy births and conception during fall, October and November being boy rich months. Spring and summer favor girls.

7.According to another statistical analysis, mothers born in February to April are more likely to have girls.

8.Smokers are more likely to have girls

Folklore:

You are having a boy if:

1. You are blooming in pregnancy.

2. You are carrying low down.

3. You are carrying all out front.

4. You look at yourself in the mirror for a minute and your pupils dilate.

5. You are having full, shiny, bouncy hair.

6. Your hair in your legs grow fast.

7. You lie on your left side usually.

8. You were aggressive than your partner in the love making that resulted in conception.

9. Your skin gets dry.

10. You are prone to headaches.

11. Your right breast is bigger than your left.

12. Your feet gets colder quickly than before you got pregnant.

13. You have little or no morning sickness.

14. Your baby's heart beat is less than 140 beats per minute.

15. When you tie your wedding ring in a thread and hang it over your bump, it moves in circles.

16. You add your age at the time of conception and the number of the month that you conceived, the resulting number is even.

17. Your pillow faces north.

18. You are asked to show your hands and you present them with your palms down.

19. You crave salty or sour food.

20. Your urine is bright yellow.

21. You eat just a clove of garlic and you smell all of it.

22. Your previous kid's first word was 'Dada'.

23. Your areola has darkened considerably.

24. Dad to be is also gaining weight.

25. Your baby is not moving much- just occasional kicks.

You are having a girl if:

1. You are not blooming in this pregnancy.

2. You are carrying high up.

3. You are carrying all around.

4. You look at yourself in the mirror for a minute and your pupils do not dilate.

5. Your hair is thin and dull.

6. The hair in your legs grow slow.

7. You were the less aggressive partner during the love making that resulted in conception.

8. Your skin is soft.

9. You are moody.

10. Your left breast is bigger than right.

11. You have suffered from morning sickness during the first three months of your pregnancy.

12. Your baby's heart beat is more than 140.

13. You tie your wedding ring in a thread and let it hand on your bump, it swings from side to side.

14. You add your age at conception with the month when you conceived, the sum is an even number.

15. Your pillow faces south.

16. You are asked to show your hands, you present them with your palms facing up.

17. You crave sugar, sweet and juice.

18. Your urine is dull yellow.

19. You eat a clove and you don't smell of it.

20. Your previous kid's first word was 'mama'.

21. You baby moves actively.

Research in news:

Researchers from the universities of Exeter and Oxford in England conducted in April 2008, asked 740 first-time moms in the United Kingdom to keep food diaries before and during early pregnancy. The women didn’t know the sex of their babies, but when researchers reviewed their food plans, they found that moms who consumed more calories of higher quality before conceiving were about 24 percent more likely to give birth to boys than moms who ate less. There are critics, however who are wary of the claims and think that this association is spurious.

Nub theory:

Guess baby's sex from first triemester imaging.

If you are too impatient to wait until your second trimester imaging here is a tip to find out sex from first trimester ultrasound imaging.

This is done by measuring the angle between the genital bump and the direction of lower portion of the spine. If the angle is more than 30 degrees, the fetus is more likely to be a boy and if the angle is less than 30 degrees the fetus is more likely to be a girl.

Chinese Calendar:

You can find it all over the net. Some swear by it, some call it nonsense. There is an opinion that it turns out to be more accurate if you use Chinese lunar months or Chinese maternal age, the resultscan be more accurate.

By and large the chances of getting either a boy or a girl is as accurate as flipping a coin.