Boy or girl: Can gender be influenced and recognized?

Can you influence gender?

There are many old wives’ tales that say that the sex of the baby can be influenced. For example, it is said that full moon sex is more likely to result in a girl and quarter moon conception is more likely to result in a boy.

Another myth says that nutrition is crucial: a boy should eat foods that are rich in potassium and sodium (e.g. potatoes, rice and bananas) and a girl should eat foods with a lot of calcium and magnesium (e.g. sea buckthorn juice, rosehip jam and peas). ). It remains questionable whether there is any truth to the myths.

The Shettles Method

However, one theory of influencing gender is even scientifically based and quite widespread: Dr. Landrum B. Shettles developed what is known as the Shettles method. According to this, female sperm cells with an X chromosome are larger, stronger and slower. Male Y sperm cells, on the other hand, are smaller, weaker and faster.

With this knowledge, according to Dr. Shettles affect the sex of the child at conception. To do this, however, you need to know the day of your ovulation. You can calculate it here.

If you want a girl, intercourse should take place about three days before ovulation because female sperm cells survive longer than male ones. On the other hand, if it’s a boy, then intercourse on the day of ovulation (or just before or after) is optimal, as the faster male sperm cells reach the egg earlier than the slower female ones.

Can gender be determined without an ultrasound?

Then it finally worked out and a baby is on the way – what will it be? There are also some myths surrounding gender detection without ultrasound:

“I’ve got it in my urine!” they say so nicely. And our pee should also help us with the question of whether the baby will be a boy or a girl: If the urine is clear, it should be a boy, cloudy urine should indicate a girl.

Is your stomach pointing forward? Then, according to the corresponding myth, a boy is on his way. With a round, wide baby bump that points more towards the hips, on the other hand, a girl should be in exactly this position.

The hormones are going crazy

Do you suffer from pimples during pregnancy? Then only the girl in your belly can be responsible for it. On the other hand, if you really blossom out visually during pregnancy, you should expect a boy. At least that’s what the (very dubious) myth says. In reality, the hormones that are going haywire in your body are probably the cause of your appearance.

A girl is also said to be behind nausea in pregnancy. Funnily enough, in some old wives’ tales the opposite is claimed. Whether a boy or a girl is “to blame” for the nausea can only be revealed by the ultrasound. But what you can do against the nausea, we can tell you – here.

Cravings for sweet and sour

Sweets for the sweet: cravings for chocolate, ice cream & Co. allegedly indicate a girl. According to the myth, if you prefer sour or savory foods during pregnancy, this is a myth that heralds a boy.

Now it’s getting a little medical: the heartbeat of the child in the mother’s womb is also supposed to reveal the sex. If it’s under 140, you’re supposed to be the mother of a boy, if it’s over 140, it’s going to be a girl.

Don’t take myths too seriously

Our conclusion: You should not take myths about the sex of the baby too seriously. A baby is one of the most wonderful gifts in the world – regardless of whether it’s a boy or a girl. And if you’re already pregnant, the ultrasound is still the safest way to identify the gender of your little one.