Week 19 - The gender of our mango is....

I swear I went from a little bloat to full on baby bump in two weeks. I moved from "I think she must have had Mexican last night" to "Whoa! You're having a baby!" overnight. My coworkers that did not know came out with congratulations. One Japanese woman stopped me in the hallway and quietly asked if I was pregnant before covering her mouth and saying she thought I'd just gotten chubby.

Last week we went to the doctor for an updated ultrasound. It is the time where we may find out the gender. I'm doing peachy and our Japanese doctor says baby looks healthy. So on to the gender reveal!

But first... Old Wives' Tales.

1. Ring Test - I don't understand any of the "science" behind this superstition, but that didn't stop us from trying it. Take your wedding ring and tie a string to it about a foot long. Dangle the string over your pregnant belly. Movement in little circles indicates a boy and side to side indicates a girl.
Our result: GIRL

2. Body Clues - The phrase "A girl will steal your beauty" is the real kicker. Superstition states that if you are looking better than normal (i.e. getting that pregnancy glow, enjoying clear skin, healthy nails, and voluminous, shiny hair) than you are having a boy. My skin looks like I'm back in high school and my hair is weirdly greasy so...
Our result: GIRL

3. Way I'm Carrying - Having a baby bump high, closer to your naval, indicates you are carrying a boy. Another way I've heard this is: basketball = boy; watermelon = girl. I'm a pear-shape naturally so this one is a bit harder.
Our result: GIRL

4. Heartbeat - This one is pretty simple. If your baby's heartbeat is less than 140 bpm than you are having a boy. Higher is a girl.
Our result: GIRL

5. Cravings - This seems to be the number one question recently. "What are your cravings?" I have a hard time answering this because my eating patterns haven't changed a whole lot since before pregnancy. I enjoy sweets, but I've not had any of those "ice cream, pickles, and mayonnaise" moments. I have been consuming more olives than normal so maybe that's a salty factor. This superstition states that if you're craving salty foods you are having a boy and sugar sweets than you are growing a girl.
Our result: BOY

6. Chinese Birth Chart - Found online, this chart uses the mother's age and month of conception.
Our result: GIRL

7. Morning Sickness - I've written about this before so this one was quite easy. I had no morning sickness, evening sickness, or middle-of-the-night sickness. I count myself lucky in that regard after talking to friends and hearing the horror stories. An upset tummy indicates a girl.
Our result: BOY

8. Husband's Weight - This one is a bit difficult for us. The tale states that if a husband gains weight during the pregnancy then you are carrying a girl. If he doesn't gain a pound you are having a boy. Dustin runs for fun. Like thirteen miles on a Wednesday morning because he "felt like it". Ain't nothing packing onto those abs. Seriously though, can I get a little bit of sympathy weight over here?!
Our result: BOY

9. Baking Soda Test - The first time I read about the baking soda tests I laughed. I remember hearing of a similar Draino test a few years ago. (Find pre-1989 Draino and pee into it.) But we're all for funny science and chemical reactions right? Take a few tablespoons of baking soda and then add urine. A fizzy result like soda means you are having a boy. No result indicates a girl.
Our result: BOY

So when it came time for the ultrasound our ninja-baby was all over the place. Hands and feet everywhere! So we were unable to tell the gender. After some discussion we've decided that we aren't going to find out. We're just super-excited for this baby - boy or girl!