14 Funny Gender Prediction Tests to Try at Home
Things have certainly changed since I first became a mom 10 years ago. Sure, that isn’t all that long ago, but I can tell you back then, no one was shopping for pink or blue much before 20 weeks of pregnancy, when the anatomy scan could reveal baby’s sex. Now? First trimester genetic screening tests like NIPT can tell you if you’re having a boy or girl with near 100 percent certainty as early as 10 weeks. Crazy times, I tell ya! Just think: Before ultrasounds became a routine part of prenatal care during the mid-1970s, women had to wait until the actual birth to find out baby’s sex.
So how in the world did moms pass the time before they knew whether they were welcoming a boy or girl to their family? By testing out old wives’ tales! These weird, wacky ways to (supposedly) predict baby’s sex have been passed down from generation to generation and used to be the only clue moms had to go on. Of course, these baby gender tests are still very much alive today, because let’s face it—even waiting 10 weeks can feel like a lifetime!
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Most of these gender prediction tests are correct only around 50 percent of the time—meaning they’re about as accurate as flipping a coin. But while these tests hold zero medical validity, that doesn’t mean they’re not fun to try! If you’re curious about how to find out baby’s sex using scientifically accurate methods, read more here. Spoiler alert: Experts say those home gender predictor test kits that analyze your urine or blood aren’t reliable. But if you’re up for some giggles, we’ve rounded up a bunch of other fabled (if totally bizarre) gender prediction tests you can do at home.
Let’s just get this one out of the way first. If you’re searching for ways to predict baby’s gender at home, you’ll likely stumble across something called the Drano gender test. We’re here to beg you not to do this one. Seriously. Don’t. This test calls for mixing urine with Drano, which can produce noxious, harmful fumes—and there’s no reason to put yourself or baby at risk just for a gender prediction test (and a highly dubious one at that). If you’re keen on trying a gender prediction test at home, keep reading for some much safer alternatives.
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Perhaps the most popular (non-medical) gender prediction test is the Chinese gender predictor chart. It’s got a storied history, and no one’s really too sure exactly where it came from. But since it’s just for fun, it doesn’t really matter, right? The Chinese gender predictor chart uses the month baby was conceived along with mom’s age at conception to determine baby’s sex. Wondering what your future holds? Use our handy Chinese gender predictor calculator to plug in your information and see what it returns.
To try out this super-popular gender test at home, mix equal parts first morning urine and baking soda and watch how it reacts. If it fizzes, you could be pregnant with a boy, but if it doesn’t react, there’s a good chance it’s a girl (or so the story goes).
Similar to the baking soda gender prediction test is the red cabbage gender test. Only this time, you’re looking for a certain color rather than a fizzy reaction. To perform this baby gender test at home, chop some fresh red cabbage and place it in a pot of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then let it cool and pour some of the cabbage water into a cup. Take a sample of your first morning urine and mix equal parts with the cabbage water. Swirl it around and see what color it turns. Pink or red supposedly indicates a boy, while purple means a girl.
This was a popular gender prediction test on my husband’s side of the family, and always seemed to be pretty accurate. To do it, tie a string to your wedding ring, then lie down on your back and have your partner hold the ring by the string over your belly. Legends says if the ring swings in a circle, you’re having a girl. But if it swings back and forth, then you’re about to become a boy mom.
The necklace gender test is nearly identical to the ring test, only you perform this one on your wrist. Why? No one seems to know. To take this test, use a necklace instead of a ring on a string. Place your arm on a table or another flat surface with your wrist facing up. Then, dangle the necklace over your wrist and bob it up and down a few times. Let it hover over your wrist and see what type of motion it makes once you stop bobbing it. If it moves in a circle, baby may be a girl. If it goes back and forth, you may be expecting a boy.
Finally, a gender test that doesn’t require you to pee on anything or swing items back and forth! To perform the Mayan gender predictor test, all you need is a couple of numbers; specifically, the year baby was conceived and your age at conception. According to Mayan legend, if these numbers are both even or odd, then you’ll welcome a girl. But if one is even and the other is odd, it’s a boy. For me, this test worked for exactly 50 percent of the time, correctly predicting two out of my four pregnancies.
Is the shape of your bump more like a watermelon or basketball? Let’s face it; many pregnant bellies look like one or the other by the end of those nine long months. If you happen not to know baby’s sex by then, try this wives’ tale! If your belly protrudes and seems to come to a point, like a watermelon, you may be carrying a boy. If it’s round like a basketball, you may welcoming a girl.
Here’s a gender prediction test I admit I’d never heard about before. According to this old wives’ tale, in order to determine the sex of your next baby, look at the hairline on the nape of your current (or youngest) child’s neck. If their hairline comes to a peak in the middle, you’ll give birth to a child of the opposite sex. If it’s straight across, you’ll welcome another child of the same sex. When I found out about this one, I looked at my baby’s hairline on her neck, and lo and behold, it’s straight across—which means, according to this gender prediction test, if I were to go for baby #5, I’d end up with a fourth daughter. Have mercy.
Are you rocking a dewy complexion that’s free from acne? You could be expecting a boy! Or do you look like death warmed over every day? They say it’s all that extra estrogen from the girl you may be carrying. Mom’s complexion has long been a subject of debate when it comes to predicting baby’s sex. To be honest, I did feel more attractive than usual when I was pregnant with my son, and less so with my three daughters. However, during all of my pregnancies, the small spot of acne that I almost always deal with disappeared for those nine months, only to return shortly after baby was born.
Here’s an off-the-wall baby gender test that seems to have no basis in reality whatsoever. But it’s still fun to try! According to this one, if a mom-to-be picks up a key by the long, skinny end, she may be pregnant with a girl. If she picks it up by the broad, round end, she may be carrying a boy.
According to the old wives’ tale, if you’re craving sweets, you’re likely carrying a girl, and if sour or savory is your jam right now, you’re birthing a boy. Many moms swear by this one, but I can’t say I’m among them. I craved fruit punch with my boy and French onion soup with one of my girls.
Pregnancy dreams can get pretty crazy, so don’t sweat it if you dream you’re marrying a fish or giving birth to your purse. But can these absurdly vivid dreams also indicate the sex of your future baby? This old wives’ tale says if you dream about a child of a certain sex, you’re carrying the opposite. This was true for me, when I repeatedly dreamt of a girl while I was pregnant with my son. However, there are probably lots of other factors at work here too, as is always the case with dreams.
Is your hubby putting on a few sympathy pounds? He might be a daddy to a little lady in the near future! But if he’s more in shape than ever (not fair!), legend has it he may soon have his own little mini-me running around.
Once you get to about the halfway point of pregnancy, you may notice a line of darker pigment that travels up the middle of your bump. It’s called the linea nigra, and it’s a perfectly normal part of pregnancy. But some believe it can indicate the sex of your growing baby! To use your linea nigra as a gender prediction test at home, study it in the mirror. If it stops at your belly button, it means you may be having a girl. If the line continues all the way up to your ribs and chest, there’s a chance you’re pregnant with a boy.
Are you having major mood swings now that you’re pregnant, or are you over the moon all the time? If you’re a moody mama, we totally get it—there are a whole bunch of not-so-fun pregnancy symptoms. But did you know some believe your mood is indicative of baby’s sex? This wives’ tale says moodiness and irritability are associated more closely with girl pregnancies, while a feeling of calm contentedness may indicate you’re expecting a boy.
If you’re sporting a head full of luscious locks during pregnancy, this quirky gender prediction test says you’re probably carrying a boy, while dry, limp hair may mean it’s a girl. Similarly, excessive hair growth, often in places you wouldn’t prefer, can indicate you’re carrying a boy. Ahh, the joys of pregnancy!
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