The Gender Prediction Project Wrap Up

So this is very late. Sebastian is 9 and a half months already, so I certainly meant for this to be written months ago. What can I say? Life gets in the way of my blogging a lot. Which really is a shame, because I could really use the outlet most of the time...but I digress.

Anyways, here are the conclusions and wrap up of my Gender Prediction Project 2011. At least I got it posted before we got pregnant again. :0) (At which time I will be doing another round of the Gender Prediction Project because I thought it was fun, even if most of the ways people seem to predict are wrong.)

First I would like to add one last method of gender prediction:

The Ultrasound

I have heard that it is more common or a doctor to be wrong when predicting a boy since apparently the cord can get in the way and make a baby girl look like she's got boy parts. These same people have said that it is almost impossible to be wrong when you predict a girl. Not that I would know. 

Both of my boys have been predicted boys at their 20 week ultrasounds, though no one in the family knew this until 20 weeks later when they finally arrived except for my grandparents, who have known the genders of both boys before anyone else save the ultrasound techs. I have the tech seal up the gender in an envelope which I then give to my grandparents for safe keeping. It's fun, and they get a huge kick out of being the only ones with the secret. So, for us, the ultrasound was correct for both boys.

The ultrasounds have had 100% accuracy rate for us.

Now, lets get on with the review of all our other gender prediction methods we tried out this pregnancy. It should be fun to see which were right and which were just SO wrong.

Mother's Instinct 

As I have said before, I didn't have any kind of instinct with Parker until I was 25 or 30 weeks. I specifically remember going to my husband in tears and telling him that I was doomed to be a horrible mother because I had no idea what I was carrying. Once instinct did kick in however, I was sure that I was carrying a little man, despite my husband (who had never been wrong in almost 27 years of gender predicting) insisting we were expecting a little girl. With Sebastian I was positive from day on. 100% positive that we would be welcoming a little girl into our  family. Again, hubby disagreed with me and predicted a boy. I guess it was his turn to be right this time, because Sebastian is most certainly all boy. Mother's instinct is supposed to be correct something like 70% of the time, but for me while it was correct with Parker is was very much incorrect with Sebastian. One day I will have to tell him how sorry I am that the first thing I bought when I found out I was pregnant was a polka dot dress.

Mother's instinct has had a 50% accuracy rate for us.

Mayan Gender Test

The ancient Mayans developed a gender test which takes into account the year of conception and your age at the time you conceived. If both numbers are even/odd you will be having a little girl. For example, if a mother conceived in 2010 at the age of 24 she will be expecting a daughter. You would also be expecting a girl if you were 25 when you conceived in 2011. If one number is even and the other is odd you will be expecting a little boy. For instance, if you were 25 when you got pregnant in 2010 a little bundle of blue is on the way.

This method of gender prediction was incorrect with Parker, who I conceived in 2008 at the age of 24. It was also incorrect with Sebastian, who I conceived in 2010 at the age of 26. (Though I mistakenly put down that I was 25 when I conceived in the original post. Maybe it was wishful thinking since I was about to turn 27. lol.)

The Mayans are apparently really bad at this prediction thing. Gives me hopes that the world is going to be a-OK this December. :0)

The Mayan gender test has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

Heart Rate Gender Predictor

The heart rate prediction is really very simple. If the baby's heart rate beats 140bpm or faster, you are carrying a little girl. If it is slower than 140bmp, you are carrying a little boy. As far as I can gather from other mothers I have spoken to, this is another that is wrong more often than it is right. It was incorrect with Parker, who never had a heart rate below 140 until the day I went into labor with him. It was also incorrect with Sebastian, whose heart rate ranged from the 120s up into the 190s. (It was only in the 120s once. It averaged in the 150s the entire pregnancy.)

The heart rate predictor has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

The Ring Test 

In this test you take your wedding ring and hang it from a chain/string/hair (I have seen all three posted in different "versions" of this old wive's tale) above your stomach. If it swings from side to side start painting the nursery blue! If it swings in a circular motion go stock up on some pink at Sherwin Williams! I used a chain, though I have no idea if that has any baring on the "test". 

I can't remember the results when I did this with Parker, though I remember doing it. However, I did this test three different times when pregnant with Sebastian, stopping the ring completely before I let it go again, and every single time it started moving it was in a side to side motion. So, it was correct for Sebastian. Since that is the only test I can remember, I guess I have to go with it being pretty darn accurate. :0)

The ring test has had a 100% accuracy rate for us. (As far as I can remember.)

First Word 

This prediction method only works if you already have a child, so I apologize to all the first time mommies out there. The theory goes that if your previous child's first word was "Mama" you have a little lady in your future. If your child's first word was "Dada" then get ready for a little man. I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in this one. Daddy or "Dada" is statistically the more common first of the two to be said, but somehow women still manage to outnumber men these days. :0) Still, I'm including this for the sake of science!

Obviously, I don't have a result for Parker, since he was our first. His first word was indeed "Dada" though, right after he turned 6 months old. (He didn't bother with "Mama" until he was 8 months...and Sebastian still hasn't bothered with "Mama", though "Dada" and "Baba" (brother) are regulars in his vocabulary.) So, this prediction method was correct with Sebastian.

The first word test has had a 100% accuracy rate for us.

The Breast Test 

The way this old wive's tale goes if a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a sweet little girl.  If the right breast is larger, it’s a bouncing baby boy. I wonder if that means twins if they are the same size? Either way, I asked my husband's opinion on this one. I wanted him to feel involved after all. ;0) According to him my right breast was "much larger", but he went on to say "But it always is!". Perhaps I am destined to have all sons? Either way, this test was correct with Parker and correct with Sebastian, so it's got a lot going for it right now. 

The breast test has had a 100% accuracy rate for us.

The Bread Test  

Possibly the most random I have read about, the bread test determines your baby's gender based on what part of the bread you prefer to eat. If you are one of those people who loves the heel of the bread, congrats! It's a boy! Prefer your bread from the middle of the loaf? It's a girl! I haven't ever been a huge fan of the ends of a loaf, but this isn't a preference that has changed at any part of my life, including both pregnancies when I was eating a lot of bread. (For both of them there were many times that toast was all I could keep down.) So this test was incorrect with Parker and incorrect with Sebastian. 

The bread test has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

Family History 

Apparently you can figure out the sex of your children based on what your mother had and in what order. If you are the first born, the story goes, 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 and if you are the last child, you will have what your mother had in the exact order. For example, in my case I am the oldest of my mother's 3 live births and after me she had a son and then another daughter. According to this I would have a son first, then 2 daughters...if I chose to have exactly 3 children. I have no idea how this works with a person with more than 3 children or if your mother had multiple miscarriages as mine did, but if you take this at surface value, it was correct with my Parker.  However, it was incorrect with Sebastian, at least if you are only counting live births. Like I said, I have no idea how this would factor in losses. I am pretty sure we can put this in the bin with the least likely of our old wive's tales. After all, it is generally accepted that the gender of your baby comes from the father's genes, making what your mother had and in what order a completely non-valid point in gender determination. Still, it is fun to add to the list, and also to torture my younger brother with the thought of two daughters before he has any chance at a boy. :0)

Family history has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

Necklace Over Your Palm 

Apparently, if you hold a necklace over your hand it will tell you not only what the gender of the child you are carrying is, but the gender of all your children in the exact order you will have them. As with The Ring Test if the necklace swings back and forth you're predicted a boy and if it moves in a circle it’s a girl. The necklace doesn't have to be stopped between "predictions". It will simply do one thing for a period of time, stop its self, and then start up again. You can do it as long as you would like in order to see what the order of your own little litter will be no matter if you choose to have 2 or 20! I have heard people swear up and down that this test is 100% right for everyone they have ever done it for. Of course, at 100% accuracy, I had to try, right? 

This was correct with Parker as it started swinging back and forth almost right away. It then seemed to stop before it started moving in a gentle circular motion, which predicted a girl next and made it incorrect for Sebastian. I suppose that this makes its further predictions of yet two more boys before our fifth arrives as a girl null and void.

The necklace over your palm has had a 50% accuracy rate for us.

Morning Sickness

This one is very easy. If you have little or no morning sickness you are blessed. ;0) You are also predicted a son. If the toilet has suddenly become your new place of residence, you can expect a daughter. Were this true, I would spend my nights praying for all boys, and I don't think I'd be alone in that prayer. As it is, this was very incorrect with Parker, who had me making frequent trips to the nearest bathroom up until I was about 20 weeks along, and very very incorrect with Sebastian, who had me throwing up to and during labor.

The morning sickness prediction has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

Cold Feet

If you're already pregnant it might seem a little late in the game to have cold feet, but if you are hoping for a specific gender a little extra chill in your toes might be a good thing! According to the old wives, if you're feeling the need for extra socks this pregnancy you can expect a son soon. If you don't notice any temperature difference in your little piggies, use the extra money you're saving on socks to go out and buy some girl clothes!

There was no noticeable chill in my feet during my first pregnancy, making this incorrect with Parker. I am generally a very warm blooded person though, so I didn't find it odd. (I am that girl wearing flip flops in December as long as there isn't snow on the ground!) When I was pregnant with Sebastian however, my toes became little ice cubes. I seriously looked down at times to see my toes and feet changing to a chilly looking purpilish blue color instead of their usual healthy pink, making it correct with Sebastian.

The cold feet prediction method has had a 50%accuracy rate for us. 

Rapunzel! Rapunzel!

You guessed it! This old wive's tale has to do with your hair. As the story goes, girls strip away all the good vitamins and minerals that your hair needs to become lush and full (Presumably so that their own locks will be gorgeous, of course. You know how vindictive those babies can be in the womb!), leaving you with dry limp locks void of all color and volume. Boys, apparently not worried about the state of their own hair, leave your hair alone and in fact cause it to become fuller and shinier! Every son is a Mommy's Boy at heart it seems, helping us to become more beautiful even before taking their first breaths!

Unfortunately, my own son appears to be rather vain, for he turned my hair into an absolute wreck! Granted, it was growing faster than weeds in the sunshine, but it also had the look and consistency of last falls old straw! I ended up cutting off about 12 inches after he was born to try to start over and salvage what I could, so this was oh so incorrect with Parker! As scared as I was of it happening the second time around, my hair was just fine, and actually looked better than it usually did, though it didn't grow quite as fast as it did when I was pregnant with Bubba. I suppose that made it correct with Sebastian, though I think it is all the luck of the draw anyways. 

This prediction method has had a 50% accuracy rate for us.

Oval or Heart?

Apparently it is our baby's gender, not the unexplainable way that every woman stores water and fat differently, that determines the shape of our face during pregnancy. Who knew? The saying goes that you are having a girl if you get more round and rosy during pregnancy. Is your face longer and more oval? Must be because you are having a little boy and not because you are one of the lucky ones that doesn't gain in your face during these long 9 months! (And here you were thinking it was all about your good genes!)

Believe it or not, this was correct with Parker. Of course, it could also be the fact that I gained absolutely zero weight while pregnant (which of course meant that I was losing as he was gaining), but don't tell the hard core believers that. Let's just stick with it being because my little man was blessing my facial features. It was correct with Sebastian too, but it could have also been the 40lbs I lost during his pregnancy. 

This prediction method has had a 100% accuracy rate for us.

To Key or Not To Key?

Sometimes I am sure it must be a man making these up instead of the poor old wife scapegoats. After all, what woman would assume that the manner in which you pick up a key has anything to do with the gender of your unborn baby? Still, that is exactly what this particular tale claims. Legend has it, if you pick up a single key by the fatter end or the top of the key you are having a little boy. If you pick it up by the narrow end or bottom of the key you'd better be ready for a girl in your future. To make it even more confusing, if you happen to pick up your key in the center you are expecting twins...or a very gender confused baby.

Here's another crazy tale that was, believe it or not, correct with Parker. I always pick up a key by the fat part. Anything else feels weird to me. I still don't see in any way shape or form what that has to do with the gender of my children, but it was obviously correct with Sebastian too. I wonder what it means if you don't touch your keys at all, but pick them up using the key chain.

This prediction method has had a 100% accuracy rate for us. 

Sweet or Sour?

Ah, cravings! Something every pregnant woman can appreciate! Some say that they are in our heads. Some say that they are our body's way of getting something essential that we are lacking in our pregnancy. Some, mostly husbands sent out to find an impossible snack at 2am, say they are a pain in the rear! This old wive's tale says they are a way of predicting the gender of your baby. If all you want are sweets then apparently a sweet and sugar little girl is headed your way! Craving lemons and other things that pucker your lips? Sounds like you're having a boy. I think I rather resent this manner of prediction, as it almost sounds as if it is being suggested that little girls are melt in your mouth sweethearts while boys are sour little things! Some old wife must have had a lot of daughters! (Or some horrible little boys!)

During my first pregnancy I craved fruits as though my life depended on them. Being that I was pregnant in the dead of winter in the middle of nowhere Idaho, these cravings were particularly inconvenient for both me and my husband. Have you ever tried to find ripe strawberries in December? It's not possible! Of course, this constant cravings for the sweetest of fruits means that this particular tale was incorrect with Parker, who is certainly all boy, though a very sweet one if I do say so myself! With Sebastian I also started off craving fruits very, very early in pregnancy...but with an added taste for the uber sour too! I will freely admit that I ate through an entire bag of Sour Patch Kids one night and then pitifully begged my husband to go out for more. In fact, there for several weeks I made sure to always have some kind of sour candy in the diaper bag, as it also seemed to help with some of my morning sickness. (And if it didn't help, it at least didn't taste horrible coming back up!) In the end, my fruit and sweet craving overcame my sour ones though, making this prediction incorrect with Sebastian too.

This prediction method has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

The Chinese Gender Calender

Ah, the Chinese Gender Chart. Some swear by it, some scoff, some don't even know what it is. I, personally, find all of these gender prediction methods fascinating (or at least amusing), so I had to add it into The Gender Prediction Project! The things is, there are so many versions of this chart running around on the internet that I can't use just one and say that I've done my job for this highly scientific project of mine. :0) So I ended up doing all of them that popped up on the first page of my Google search. It took awhile, but it was all in the name of research.

For anyone who doesn't know, the Chinese Gender Calender is said to be over 700 years old and over 90% accurate "when used correctly". Using it correctly means calculation your lunar age for many of the charts, though not all of them seem to make this distinction via the interwebs. It was "recently" discovered in an ancient royal tomb in China and has been correctly predicting births around the globe ever sense...or so "they" say.

Parents.com

One of the simplest to use that can be imagined, the calender at the popular parenting website doesn't ask you anything about lunar ages or charting. You don't even have to look at the calender at all. You answer two simple questions about your age and the month you conceived and it pops an answer back at you in the form of "Congratulations! It's a girl! or It's a boy!" and then advises you to brush up on your baby names. 

While this chart was accurate for Parker, it ended up being completely incorrect for Sebastian, which makes how annoying it is to have to enter your e-mail address into the Parents website every time you want to use this chart even worse.

Parents.com was only 50% accurate for us.

ChineseGenderChart.info

At first glance, this site is actually pretty intimidating and something I would have passed over were it not in the name of research. It gives you an official looking history and background of the chart along with samples of other charts and a set of rules to follow when using the chart. Not exactly my idea of fun, but some people take this kind of thing very seriously apparently. Like I said though, for the sake of science...

The first "step" of using this chart is to figure out when your birth day falls by converting our Gregorian (Western) Calendar to a Chinese Lunar Calendar. Luckily they have a chart that makes this process "easy". The following step involves finding out not only your lunar age, but the age of your child as well. This step is more complicated, and a little silly if you ask me. The idea that your baby is born as a one year old and if the lunar new year is the next day would be considered two just doesn't click in my head...but I am obviously not enlightened. Regardless, big old pain in the rear, and we're only on the second step. There is also math involved, which usually turns me off of most things.

What it all comes down to, if you are even still with me at this point, is that I was 26 in the 6th lunar month (July) of the year I was actually 24...which makes this charts prediction accurate with Parker. I was also apparently 28 in the 10th lunar month (November) this past time (I was in fact only 26...why you would use a calendar that makes you older is beyond me!) which means it was accurate with Sebastian too. Even though it was right, I think this was a lot of work in order to come up with a gender prediction. Some people are really into this kind of thing...

ChineseGenderChart.info was 100% accurate for us.

babygenderprediction.com 

With a name like babygenderprediction.com, you have to have high hopes right? This chart also requires your lunar age and lunar month of conception, but there are two very easy links right there on the main page to help you find both...or you'd think. Repeatedly clicking on both links produced absolutely nothing for me, so I used the lunar ages and months that I had taken such time to figure out at out last website. I suppose that this could effect the results.

According to this chart, both my hes should have been shes. It was inaccurate with Parker and inaccurate with Sebastian.

Babygenderprediction.com was 0% accurate for both of the boys.

The Bump

Ah! Thank goodness! Another chart where all I have to do is type in my age and the month I conceived! Oh why can't they all be like this? The chart at The Bump asks simply for your age and the month you got pregnant and then the chart below highlights a happy looking pink or blue swaddled baby complete with a cheery voice bubble saying "hi, mom!" Simple and fast, no math required!

The chart was also accurate with Parker when using my actual age at conception. For fun, and so no one could come back and claim I didn't do it "correctly", I also typed in my lunar age and got the same happy boy result for my little man. (The chart did not ask for a lunar age, but I felt it was important to be thorough.) Using my actual age I was predicted a girl, but when I typed in my lunar age I was predicted a boy with Sebastian, which I guess makes this chart accurate if your lunar age is used...which they don't ask for at all.

The Bump was between 50-100% accurate depending on if I used my lunar age or not.

iVilliage

Another simple chart to use, the chart at iVillage doesn't ask for you to figure out your lunar age either. (Don't worry, I did it both ways.) I love simple things in life! Without all the complications of my lunar age, this chart was accurate with Parker but was wrong with Sebastian.

Of course, if I use my lunar age, which is how the chart is supposed to be "accurate", it was accurate with Parker and accurate with Sebastian. It's starting to look like this lunar age thing might be going somewhere.

iVilliage was between 50-100% accurate depending on if I used my lunar age or not.
 

About.com

Another chart that doesn't require any calculations or math, but I'm taking no chances at this point. Besides, I'm in it with both feet now. Again, when using my actual ages this chart was accurate with Parker but wrong with Sebastian.

Unfortunately, when using my lunar age on this chart, I was again told that Parker should have been a daughter and that Sebastian should be a girl too. Not so good, About.com.

About.com was only 0-50% accurate depending on if I used my lunar age or not.

thelaboroflove.com

This site has two different methods of determining your baby's gender, one being called the "Ancient Chinese Gender Chart" and the other being called the "Chinese Lunar Calendar". I did both. Why not. It's just two different versions of the same thing, and both were easy to do.

The Chinese Gender Chart asks your month, date, and year of birth in addition to your month, date, and year of conception. I admit, I guessed a little on the exact date of conception. I am fairly sure within a day or two for both of my children, but there is still a window for mistake in there. If that somehow messes with my results, I do hope I can be forgiven. It was accurate with Parker though, and predicted a boy for Sebastian as well.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar was accurate with Parker as well but predicted a girl for us when using my actual ages, but was inaccurate with Parker and predicted a girl if you used my lunar ages.

Thelaboroflove.com's Chinese Gender Chart has had 100% accuracy for us but The Chinese Lunar Calendar was only 0-50% accurate depending on if I used my lunar age or not.

webwomb.com

This one is a little different in that it asks you the mother's age at the time of birth instead of at conception. Again, this says nothing about a lunar age, and I'm not going to try to figure out my lunar age at the time of my children's births...sorry. 

Either way, it was inaccurate with Parker but accurate with Sebastian. I am pretty sure that, though this chart actually claims a 99% accuracy rate, it can be debunked. It doesn't look very official or well researched, and it is the only chart I've seen that wants the mother's age, lunar or otherwise, at birth instead of conception.

Webwomb.com was only 50% accurate with us.

fortunebaby.com

This is an easy one to do provided you already know your lunar age. (If not, there are several sites above that will help you with that if you are patient.) All you have to do is type in your lunar age and the month you conceived and they will pop back at you with a baby gender. Using what I now know about my lunar age I did it twice and wasn't shocked to find that it was inaccurate with Parker and inaccurate with Sebastian too.

Fortunebaby.com was 0% accurate for us.

babygendertool.com

Another prediction method that is a little different. This one asks not only for the mother's birth month and year plus the conception month and year, but the father's birth month and year as well. It is the first chart that I've seen that takes the father into account...something you would think you would see more often since it is generally accepted that it is the father's sperm which determine a baby's gender anyways.

Using this one I found it to be incorrect with Parker but correct with Sebastian.

Babygendertool.com was only 50% accurate for us.

In summery, out of all of the Chinese Gender Calendars I did, there was only one that was 100% accurate. On average, they are right about 50% of the time. So is a coin flip. 

Daddy's Weight

This old wive's tale involved Daddy getting on the scale instead of you, which I personally think is a nice change of pace for a pregnant Mommy. The "rule" is that if Daddy gains weight during your pregnancy you can expect a little boy, but if he maintains his pre-pregnancy weight you can expect a little girl.

This tale was correct with Parker, as Daddy was the only one who actually gained weight while I was pregnant. (For some reason, I lose during my pregnancies.) Michael was not happy to be the only one gaining during my pregnancy. I will admit, it tickled me a bit. :0) With Sebastian, Daddy reported that he hadn't gained anything (Though he was deployed, so I couldn't check on him behind his back. Pure honor system.) which means we should have had a girl. So, it was incorrect with Sebastian. I'm pretty sure Michael didn't lie about weight gain either, since they always come home for deployments all in shape and thinner than they left.

This prediction method has had a 50% accuracy rate for us. 

Nipple Color

Apparently, the color of your areolae has darkened considerably it can tell you what you are having. If you are like me and have next to no color anywhere on your body, this would probably be really easy no notice. If you already have pretty dark nipples, I am not sure how hard it would be to tell. According to the tale, if you are getting darker under your bra, you can expect a little boy in your future. No change? A little girl is on the way. 

Honestly, I couldn't remember with Parker if my nipples darkened, so I asked someone who I knew would remember...my husband. I consider him the leading expert on all things involving my breasts. He certainly pays more attention to them than I do. He said they did darken slightly, though it certainly didn't last, which makes this another tale that was correct with Parker. With Sebastian there was no doubt. Even someone as completely oblivious to their body as myself can't deny that I got dark. It seemed to happen over night. One day I was in the shower, looked down and thought 'Wow, look at that...I wonder if there is an old wive's tale about that!' Sure enough, there was, and it was correct with Sebastian too.

Nipple color has had a 100% accuracy rate for us.

Front Or Back?

This tale is all about how you are carrying the extra weight. Apparently if it's all out front and people behind you wouldn't be able to tell you are pregnant until you turned around, you are expecting a boy. If you are getting wider not only in your stomach, but in your hips, rear, and thighs, a little girl is on the way. Darn girls! I don't think anyone should ever tell a pregnant Mommy that her rear is getting wider, even if it is true, but apparently some people are just that stupid brave. 

With my son he was way out there in the front. I looked like I was a walking distortion mirror there at the end. I suppose that makes this another tale that was correct with Parker. I ended up way out there the second time around too, making it correct with Sebastian as well.

This method of prediction has had a 100% accuracy rate for us.

Show Me Your Hands!

Nope, this has nothing to do about getting arrested. It's all about if you would put your hands palms up or palms down if someone were to ask you to show them your hands. Apparently if you would present your hands to a person palms up you are expecting a little girl, while palms down would mean a boy. 

It's an off day when I don't have multiple people asking me to show them my hands. ;0) For the sake of science of course, I had to figure this one out. Turns out my inclination was to offer my hands palms up when asked, meaning that this was incorrect with Sebastian. I certainly don't remember anyone asking me to show them my hands when I was pregnant with Parker, but I can only assume that my instincts would have been the same then, making this incorrect with Parker too.

This method of prediction has had a 0% accuracy rate for us.

And that was it. Those are all the predictions I managed to do during my pregnancy with Sebastian. There are several I wanted to do and didn't manage to get to before his arrival, but I am looking forward to doing this little project again the next time we are blessed with a pregnancy. It really was fun. I enjoyed every minute. I hope you did too. If you would like, please feel free to go back and read my original posts. 

Until next time, have fun predicting. :0) Feel free to add your own gender prediction methods in the comments! I'll be sure to try them next time around.