Old Wives Tales!

I found a list of old wives tales and I thought it would be interesting to see what everyone thinks!

Old Wives Tale #1:  Heartburn
If a pregnant woman experiences heartburn throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, she’ll have a baby born with a full head of hair.  

Old Wives Tale #2: Umbilical Cord
If a pregnant woman lifts her hands above her head or does stretches above her hand, she will choke the baby because the umbilical cord will be wrapped around the baby. The baby gets tangled in the umbilical cord in about 1/3 of all births, so it’s not so uncommon.

Old Wives Tale #3:  Cravings Curse
Basically if anyone denies a pregnant woman whatever she is craving, they will get a sty in his/her eye.

Old Wives Tale #4:  Heart Rate
If the baby’s heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl.  If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #5:  Ugly Baby
If a pregnant woman sees something ugly, she will have an ugly baby.  

Old Wives Tale #6:  Coffee
If a baby is born with light-brown birthmarks, it is said that the mom drank too much coffee or had unfulfilled cravings while she was pregnant.

Old Wives Tale #7:  Sex
This old wives tale is actually not a myth.  Sex is healthy for most pregnant women and is also good in getting the cervix ready for labor.  

Old Wives Tale #8 Wearing a Lei
This Hawaiian superstition relates to the lei causing the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby. 

Old Wives Tale #9 Boiling Water
Many people use to believe that boiling water was needed to be nearby the pregnant woman during labor.  There is not a real reason as to why boiling water played a role in childbirth.  Some believe the water was just a task to get the dad-to-be away from the labor, while others believed that it was used to sterilize the tools needed to perform the delivery.  

Old Wives Tale #10 Full Moon
A full moon was believed to cause a woman to go into labor and give birth.  

Old Wives Tale #11:  Shape of Belly
If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl.  If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #12:  Ring Test
Using a string, hang your wedding ring over your pregnant belly.  You are having a girl if the ring swings back and forth and it’s a boy if it swings in a circle. I've read this one before but it's with a strand of the mother-to-be's hair.

Old Wives Tale #13:  Shape of Mom’s Face
When your face gets fuller and rounder when pregnant, it means you’re going to have a girl.  If your face is long and narrow, it’s a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #14:  Key Test
This test involves a key.  If you pick up a key at the top (the roundest part), you are going to have a boy.  If you pick up the key at the bottom (smallest part), you are going to have a girl.  If you happen to grab the key in the middle, congrats, it’s twins!  

Old Wives Tale #15:  Mayan Tale
The Mayan tale adds the mother’s age at conception and the year of conception.  If the result is an even number then mom is having a girl.  If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way! 

Old Wives Tale #16:  Drano Test
The Drano test combines a tablespoon of Drano and urine together.  If the mixture turns green, it’s a girl.  If it turns blue, it’s a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #17:  Acne
If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #18:  Cravings
People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy.  If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl.  

Old Wives Tale #19:  Smell of Garlic
If a pregnant woman eats a clove of garlic and the smell does not come out of her pores, it’s a girl.  If the smell seeps out of her pores, it’s a boy.   

Old Wives Tale #20:  Ultrasound
I’m not sure that this falls under ‘old wives tales’, but, as with anything, ultrasounds may not be accurate all of the time.

Old Wives Tale #21:  Skin under Left Eye
The eye test is when a “V” or “branches” appear when you pull down the skin under your left eye.  If you see a “V” or “branches” in the white part, you’re having a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #22:  Previous Kids
This tale only applies if you have had previous kids.  If you have and that child’s first word was momma, you will have a girl.  If your first child’s first word was dada, you’ll have a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #23:  Wooden Spoon, Scissors, and Pink Bows
Apparently if you put a wooden spoon and a pair of scissors under your bed and a pink bow under your pillow, you’ll have yourself a little baby girl.  

Old Wives Tale #24:  History of Parent’s Kids
You can find out the sex by going off of your parent’s kids and the order.  If you are the first born, you will have what your mother had but starting with her second child.  If you are the middle child, you will have what she said, but starting with the third child.  If you are the last child, you will have what your mother had in the exact order.  I think this tale only works when the parent’s had three kids.  

Old Wives Tale #25:  Time of Conception
The person that is most aggressive in bed at the time of conception is the opposite of what the baby will be.  

Old Wives Tale #26:  Legs
If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy.  If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #27:  Moodiness and Other "Gifts"
If you are really moody, you are having a girl since you have other extra girl hormones in you.  Your pregnancy will make you smile and be happier if you are having a boy because there's a penis inside.

Old Wives Tale #28:  Bread
If you eat the ends of bread, it’s a boy.  If you eat the middle of the load, it’s a girl.  I’ve never liked the ends of bread and always have eaten from the middle.  

Old Wives Tale #29:  Chinese Gender Chart
The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%.  It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived.  

Old Wives Tale #30:  Mom’s Beauty
Basically you are having a girl if your beauty disappears during pregnancy.  It is said that the girl “steals” the mother’s beauty.  If you think that pregnancy has never made you look more beautiful, you might just be having a little boy.  

Old Wives Tale #31:  Dream of Sex of Baby
If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl.  If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy.  Dreams show the opposite of what you are having.  

Old Wives Tale #32:  Clumsy vs. Graceful
If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl.  If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #33:  Toddlers
If a toddler boy expresses interest in a pregnant woman, she is having a girl.  If he doesn’t show interest, she’s having a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #34:  Side You Most Rest On
If a pregnant woman prefers to lie on her left side, she’s having a boy.  If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #35:  Hands
When the pregnant woman is asked to show her hands, it’s a boy if she keeps her palms down and a girl if she shows her palms up.  

Old Wives Tale #36:  Dad’s Weight Gain
If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl.  If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #37:  Breast Test
If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a girl.  If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #38:  Necklace over Hand
Have someone hold a necklace over your hand.  If the necklace swings back and forth, it’s a boy.  If it moves in a circle, it’s a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #39:  What Do You Think?
71% of the time, the mom-to-be knows what she is having.

Old Wives Tale #40:  Morning Sickness
If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy.  If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #41:  Areola
If your areola has darkened, it’s a boy.  This is not true because it's a normal sign of pregnancy.

Old Wives Tale #42:  Protein
When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #43:  Feet
Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant?  If so, you just might be having a boy.  If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl.  

Old Wives Tale #44:  Hair on Legs
If the hair on your legs has been growing at record speeds, you might be having a boy.  

Old Wives Tale #45:  Hands are Dry
If your hands are constantly dry, it’s a boy.    

Old Wives Tale #46:  Urine
What color is your pee?  If it is bright yellow, you will have a little boy.  If your urine is a dull yellow, plan on a girl.  

Old Wives Tale #47:  Nose
Do you feel like your nose is growing and getting wider?  If so, you might be having a boy.    

Old Wives Tale #48:  Headaches
If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy.

Old Wives Tale #49:  Drinking Water
Drinking water is really important when pregnant.  An old wives tale was that if the mom-to-be wasn’t drinking enough water daily, the amniotic fluid would be really dirty for the baby.  Drinking tons of water will help you stay hydrated, but has no correlation with how clean or dirty the amniotic sac is.  

Old Wives Tale #50:  Baby Names
It is said that when you can only think of specific names for a boy or a girl, you will have that particularly baby.  

I'll update this list as I learn more.

Of the 37 gender predictors that would I apply to me, I have 18 that indicate I'm having a girl, 7 that indicate I'm having a boy, and the rest I'm not sure about yet.