I thought it would be fun to test a few old pregnancy myths and predictors — the kind that say “craving sweets means a girl” or “a heartbeat over 140 means a girl” — and see which, if any, held true for me. So far, most haven’t matched my experience, but a few came close.
Rumor #1: If you crave sugary foods it’s a girl, and if you crave salty or savory foods it’s a boy. FALSE FOR ME. I craved salty foods both times — baked potatoes were my comfort food during both pregnancies.
Rumor #2: If the baby’s heartbeat is over 140, it’s a girl. FALSE FOR ME. Both of my babies registered high heart rates. In fact, this pregnancy’s little one was up around 170 in the early months, while Clara’s was closer to 160.
Rumor #3: You swell more when you’re pregnant with a girl. TRUE FOR ME. With Clara I had swollen ankles and fingers by about 30 weeks and couldn’t wear my wedding ring. This time, four weeks from delivery, I haven’t experienced that swelling — fingers crossed it stays that way.
Rumor #4: You have more morning sickness with a girl. FALSE FOR ME. I had morning sickness with Clara until around 18 weeks, but this pregnancy has brought nausea throughout the day — morning, afternoon, and evening — even though this baby is a boy.
Rumor #5: If you dream about having a girl or a boy, your dream is right. MIXED FOR ME. I had recurring dreams and a strong gut feeling that Clara was a girl by eight weeks, and that served me well. With this pregnancy I mistakenly thought it might be a girl early on because of similar cravings and nausea, and I didn’t have any clear dreams about the baby being a boy until after we found out it was a little man.
Rumor #6: You carry higher and wider with a girl, and lower and more in front with a boy. PARTIALLY TRUE FOR ME. I’ve definitely been carrying this baby more out front compared with Clara, who gave me a wider-looking bump. That said, this baby rode much higher for a long time before dropping a bit recently, so the “higher” part didn’t follow the usual pattern.
Rumor #7: Girls steal your beauty. TRUE FOR ME (in a joking way). My pregnancy with Clara came with more swelling, acne, and dull hair and skin. This time, I’ve had minimal swelling, less acne, and shinier hair — a nice change, even if the constant snacking doesn’t exactly make me feel like a glam mom-to-be.
Beyond the old wives’ tales, the important thing is that this little guy is healthy and active, and my doctor says everything looks good. We’re excited to meet him in about four weeks. I’d love to hear which pregnancy rumors lined up with your experience and which ones were totally off — let me know which myths surprised you the most.