Really the ring on a string test is the only one I’ve ever actually heard of before becoming pregnant. For those who’ve never heard of it, you put a ring on a length of chain or string or whatever you have handy. Then you have someone else hold the string over the mother’s pregnant belly. If the ring moves in a straight line, you’re having a boy. If it moves in a circle, you’re having a girl.

On Sunday night I was having dinner with my girlfriends, and the discussion of baby’s sex came up. So we gave it a shot. Now honestly, you’re supposed to be laying down for this to work, but as we were dining outside, I didn’t really want to lay down on the ground. So I just slunk down a bit in the chair.

From my perspective, it looked like a straight line. But from above, the ladies thought it looked more like it was moving in a circle. Now I will say that the person holding the string was very much pro-girl. So the jury is still out. But it got me thinking about other old wives’ tales about the child’s gender.

So I Googled and found this article. It has a whole list of ways to predict the baby’s sex.

1.) The beats per minute of baby’s heart.

Over 140 beats, you’re having a girl. Under and you’re having a boy.

I admit that I have not been asking the doctor what the beats per minute was. As long as they could find the baby’s heartbeat at all, I was relieved. The second visit to the doctor’s office, she had a hard time finding the baby in my belly. She took a good five minutes and finally found it far over on my left side. I was almost in tears because she couldn’t find the heartbeat. So I didn’t even ask about the heart rate. *sob*

2.) Sweet or Sour Cravings?

If you have sweet cravings, you’re having a girl. If you want sour foods, you’re having a boy.

This baby seems to prefer sour over sweet. Other than my brief fling with honey buns, I’m mostly craving tomatoes. So that’s a tick in the boy column.

3.) Chinese Birth Chart

Using the age of the mother at conception and the month conception occurred, you can deduce the sex of the baby.

I am 31 years old and conception happened in June of this year. According to the Chinese Baby Gender Predictor on Parenting.com, I’m having a girl. So a tick in that column.

4.) Drano Urine Test

Pee in a cup, add a tablespoon of Drano to the urine and observe the color change. Green for girl and blue for boy.

No. Just no. I make my husband scoop the litter box, take care of the wasps’ nest on the porch and unclog the drains with chemicals. I’m not in the business of handling poison at the moment, thank you.

5.) Mayan Gender Predictor

Supposedly the Mayans would predict baby’s gender by looking at the mother’s age and the year at conception. If both were even or both odd, then it’s a girl. If one is even and the other odd, then it’s a boy.

In my case, again 31 years old and the year is 2013, that’s two odd numbers. And that’s another tick in the girl column.

6.) Car Key Gender Predictor Test

Place a car key in front of your pregnant friend. If she picks it up by the narrow end that goes into the ignition, it’s a girl. If she picks it up by the top, round part it’s time to think about adding a little blue to the nursery.

Well, I obviously can’t do this test now that I know how it’s done. Gotta do it to the next preggers friend though.

7.) Mother’s Beauty Test

If you have a lot of acne, then you’re having a girl because girls supposedly steal their mother’s beauty.

I do have more acne then I did pre-baby. Which would make this a girl column check. But come on, I’ve got so many hormones running amok in my system I highly doubt it’s because the baby is a girl per say.

8.) The Ring Test (Again)

I always thought the results of the ring on a string test were as I described above. But the article I’m following here reports that the results would be the exact opposite. So that would be a tick in both the boy and the girl column with this one. So much for the Ring Test.

9.) Nausea Gender Predictor Test

If you’re sick a lot in your pregnancy, then it’s a girl. Little to no nausea and it’s a boy.

I  was pretty damn sick in the beginning of my pregnancy. And every morning I still dry heave after brushing my teeth even though I’m 17 weeks along. My friend who had two girls believes this is a sign of my having a girl. But another friend of mine who had a boy was just as, if not more, nauseous than I am during her pregnancy.

But following the article, that would make this a tick in the box for girl.

So according to those wives tales, I’m having a girl. It’s 5 to 2 people.

And yet, when I let my mind wander, I’m pretty sure it’s a boy. I’ll have the surprise of my life on Oct. 25 if the ultrasound reveals a girl. Will be absolutely shocked. Isn’t there something to be said for mother’s intuition?