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the tell-tale pregnancy
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If you are craving meat, it’s a boy. Gorging on sweets? It’s a girl! And if it’s a full moon, well, you’re having your baby tonight.
› By Laurel Gillum
Though most folk wisdom regarding pregnancy has been fully debunked, there are some claims that scientists have had a hard time proving false. Calling all soon-to-be mommies—here are some so-called myths that just might have scientific value after all.
Long labor spells b-o-y!
In 2003, a team of doctors analyzed more than 8,000 births from a single hospital in Ireland between 1997 and 2000, excluding women who delivered prematurely or needed to induce labor. On average, labor for boy births lasted a little over six hours, while girl births took a little under six. The reason? Boys typically weigh three and a half more ounces than girls do, demanding more physical work during delivery.
It’s a girl—if you didn’t eat too many bananas!
Evidently, specific nutrients play an important role in the gender of your baby. Eating plenty of potassium prior to conception has previously been linked to having boys. The same is true with diets high in calcium and sodium. Scientists from Britain’s Oxford and Exeter Universities studied 740 women during pregnancy and confirmed the myth that eating bananas and a lot of sodium was associated with having a boy. Also, the study showed a higher calorie intake by women prior to conception can significantly increase the chances of having a son, while women who eat fewer calories are more likely to have a daughter. We’re not totally sold on this one.
Heartburn
and hairy babies. Pay attention to the heartburn you experience during pregnancy. If heartburn becomes too much of a trend, your baby may likely be born with a head full of hair.
In 2006, a study published in the journal Birth followed 64 women throughout their pregnancies, 28 of which reported moderate to severe heartburn. Within that group, 23 women ended up having babies of average or above-average hairiness. On the opposite end of the spectrum, of the 12 women who reported no heartburn at all, 10 of them gave birth to kids who were less hairy than the average newborn.
Breastfeeding is not birth control.
Contrary to popular belief, breastfeeding isn’t a surefire way to suppress ovulation. The amount of time it takes a woman to experience ovulation after pregnancy varies greatly and is completely unpredictable. Do not rely on breastfeeding as a method of birth control unless you are fully onboard for baby No. 2.
