Good and Bad of Gender Prediction

Good and Bad of Gender Prediction

Search the net and ask your friends.  There are a lot of ways in which people claim to predict baby genders correctly while it’s still in the womb.  There are some that obviously are myths of old times, but some, surprising at it may seem, produce correct results.

Are They Superstitions?

Gender prediction of unborn babies is one of the favorite parts of a mother conceiving.  It’s just so exciting to guess whether you will have a little baby boy or girl.  There is actually a Chinese calendar where you predict your baby’s gender by determining the Chinese age of the mother during a certain month.  Some guess according to whether you have a big belly, your hair and nails grows faster or slower than usual or if you like sweet or sour foods.  Some say you will have a boy if the baby’s heart rate is above 140 while a girl’s heart rate would fall below 140.  These all seem like superstitions.  The only definitive and objective way to determine the sex of your baby is to get an ultrasound at around 20 weeks age of gestation when the baby’s genitals are fully differentiated and recognized. The debate is - should we know the baby’s gender before birth or not?

The Bad

Parents who decided not to know the gender of the baby say that knowing it is one of the most wonderful moments of being a parent.  They love to be in suspense, and the element of surprise is there.  It gets you to think about different possibilities with both genders.  You get to choose two different set of names and spend your pregnancy wondering which baby clothes and stuff you should buy.  They also like the guessing game that people and friends play all throughout the pregnancy.

The Good

Parents who decided to know the gender of their baby via ultrasound argue on practicality.  They say that it helps them plan ahead and ready themselves.  They can pick the color of the child’s room and things accordingly while saving themselves from the hassle of repainting and returning baby stuff for different colors.  It helps them decide on important issues like whether to circumcise the baby or not.  Most importantly, some parents say that knowing the baby’s gender right away makes them feel more bonded with their child.  They are able to pick out a name and call their baby its name even before he or she is born.  They also say that it gives them motivation during difficult labor that they are already going to meet little John.

It’s Up to You

Whether or not to know your baby’s gender is up to you.  There is no right or wrong answer.  It is based on the beliefs and opinions of the two most important people in the baby’s life.  Whether you keep it a surprise or not, the most important is, the baby is healthy and you take care of him/her the best you can.