There is something in the water here at The Pagoda Tree, as not only are we helping many couples fall pregnant, but our small staff of 11 has seen 4 pregnancies/births in the last year.   During that time, one of the funniest videos to come out, was when our manager posted her big gender reveal of her soon to be baby.  Her and her partner had purchased a big balloon to pop, that would reveal the gender through coloured confetti.  What followed was her popping the balloon and jumping being ecstatic to have a girl as pink confetti flew through the air, and her partner standing beside her looking utterly confused as he remembered he was colour blind.

It got me to thinking that it is great that couples can decide to find out the gender of their babies now days, but what is going to happen to all the old ways of predicting?  If you are a bit of a traditionalist/hipster like myself, then I think its time that we bring the old ways of predicting back in vogue.  Here are some of the best (but not most accurate) ways to tell if you are having a boy or a girl.

1. The ring on a hair.

Take one ring and a hair (not the animal) from the mother to be.  Tie the ring to the hair and place it directly over the mother to be’s belly button hanging freely.  Let the ring hang and if it begins to rock back and forth you can bet the farm that you are having a boy and if it moves in circles, paint the room pink, you are having a girl.

2. The fizzing baking soda.

First you need to go to the toilet and collect a urine sample.  Then you need to go to the cupboard and collect an equal measure of baking soda to the urine sample.  Finally, just like a mad scientist, you take your sample of urine and add it to the baking soda, if the solution is flat you can start buying little dresses, you are having a girl and if its starts to fizzle you can bet the farm you are having a boy.

3. Pulse diagnosis.

The most commonly used method for predicting the gender at The Pagoda Tree is feeling the pulse on both wrists.  This theory is based on the theory of Yin and Yang.  In Chinese Medicine everything can be classified into Yin and Yang, and Yin is more female in nature and Yang in more male in nature, and then left is more Yang and right is more Yin.   Hence during pregnancy if your pulse is stronger on the right wrist, chances are you are having a girl, and if it is stronger on the left a boy is coming to town.

4. The Chinese Chart.

Another interesting predictor from China, is the lunar month chart.  It calculates the age of the mother at conception compared to the month the baby was conceived.  This one we have been passing around the office and with an amazing success rate.  The only slight difference from the above picture, is that the Chinese chart lists the lunar month for that year, not the Gregorian calendar month.  An example where this might give a different result, is if the first new moon does not occur till mid way through January, hence conception may have occurred at the start of January, but be in the 12th lunar month of the previous year (scratches head).

5. The Fat Father.

Surely one of the best ways to predict if you are having a boy or a girl, is by seeing if the father also gains weight during the pregnancy.  We are not certain how this occurs, possibly it is due to being exposed to different pheromones from the mother if they are carrying a boy or a girl, or possibly it is due to the father thinking how good a growing belly looks on the mother.  If you are having a girl though, your hubby is going to get chubby, and if you are having a male, then he will stay frail.

6. Food cravings.

Food cravings during pregnancy can tell you a lot, even the gender of your baby.   Different cravings during pregnancy can be associated with things such as low Iron (if you crave ice), low magnesium (if you crave dark chocolate) and low protein (if you crave red meat), but the flavours are what indicate if you are having a boy or a girl.  If you are reaching for something sweet, then you are having a sweet little girl or if you are after something saltier take this with a pinch of salt that you are having a boy.

7. The beauty sucking baby.

During pregnancy some women can experience a glow to the skin, while others may get more acne.  Some women may experience more rapid body hair growth, while others stay the same, and some women carry all the baby weight in a nice little bundle at the front, where as others will add weight from head to toe.  If you suffer from the more negative effects to your body, it can be said that a little girl is sucking your beauty, where as if you glow and your skin and hair become more radiant, a boy is on the way.

8. The hairy pillow.

You will have to be getting desperate if you are still unsure and need the hairy pillow to test if you are having a boy or a girl.  Surely if you have done the above tests you are already preparing for either a girl or a boy and are certain to which.  If not, then take a hair (not the animal) from the father and place it under your pillow before you sleep.  If in the morning you wake and the hair is still under your pillow, then no more need for guessing, you are having a girl, but if the hair is no longer under the pillow and is for example somewhere else, then you can bet the farm, it’s all about a boy.

Disclaimer: None of the above methods have been scientifically proven by the Pagoda Tree and are anecdotal at best.  The Pagoda Tree does not indorse the betting of farms or any betting for that matter.

Caleb is one of our talented practitioners here at The Pagoda Tree.  For more information, to arrange an appointment or find out more please call us on 03 96867454 or email reception@thepagodatree.com.au.  We’re here to help!