Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Pink or Blue?

I have to confess, I'm very eager to find out if this little person growing my belly is going to be made of sugar and spice and all things nice or snips and snails and puppy dog tails.

I'm now 20 weeks along. The time when my western pregnancy books tell me that the doctor may be able to tell. At my last appointment, while in the waiting room, I had a little chat to my bump. "When you come out, mummy is going to tell you to keep your legs together and not to flash your bits around. But tonight, mummy and daddy would be really happy if you gave us a bit of a look. We'd love to know if you're a boy or a girl."

Baby was obliging and during the scan turned to the right position. I excitedly asked the doctor, "Is it a boy or a girl? Can you tell?" He moved the ultrasound-thingy (not sure what that's called) and told me "Too early, too early". He is adamant that doctors can't tell until around week 24, the standard in Japan.

It's only four weeks right? I should be patient shouldn't I? Well, you see my impatience is caused by this; I leave Japan in four weeks (actually a bit less now), the shipping company comes to take everything in less than three. I'm off to the Tokyo fabric shops this weekend when I'd love to flesh out my personal fabric stash in fabrics to make things for the little person and not sure exactly what to buy. I'm also hoping to buy a stack of super cute Japanese baby clothes. So far I've exhausted their stock of gender-neutral items as well as having bought some for girls and some for boys, just in case.

I've been turning to some old wives tales, but they haven't given me much of an answer either.

You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy.

The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your pregnancy, so it's a girl.

Sleeping in a bed with your pillow to the north indicates that you will be having a boy.

Your feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a girl.

You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl. (Actually, all my life I've refused to eat bread crusts, my husband even cuts them off for me these days).

Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.

The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.

You had morning sickness early in pregnancy, so you are expecting a girl.

You are looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a boy, because girls steal their mother's looks.

Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl. (Mmm... I've gone from looking like I went to Pamela Anderson's plastic surgeon, to Anna Nicole Smith's. DH even joked "I hope your breasts don't get any bigger, or I won't be able to hug you any more - note to DH, not a good thing to say to your pregnant wife.)

Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is an odd number, it will be a girl.

You have a craving for salty or sour foods, which means that it is a boy. (Salty, definitely not sour, but then again I crave sweet too, but not as much as before I was pregnant - basically, I just want to eat all the time now that morning sickness has worn off.)

Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.

You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl.

You have no desire for orange juice, so it's a boy. (Not sure if it's a pregnant thing - I'm orange juice stops me breathing, so that is a pretty good reason not to crave it.)

You are having headaches, so it's a boy.

Your belly looks like a watermelon, so it's a girl.

You show them (people when they ask) the palm of your hand, so it's a girl.

You use the handle(of a mug), so it's a boy.

Quiz taken from here.

Does anyone have any other hints for me?

8 comments:

Cindy said...

I can't help you on the gender issue, shopping on the other hand - I would be buying blue and pink and sell on EBay whatever you don't need if you decide not to try for a second. I found that the gender neutral stuff I had I never used once I knew it was born as I wnated Poppy to be in the super girly stuff and Caleb in the cute boy stuff. Limited Japan shopping, this MUST be used to it's full advantage, especially for those of us that have to live vicariously. Make sure you show and tell!!

Unknown said...

ha :) I am the opposite of your previous commenter!

I had a boy, but I still prefer to dress him in gender neutral clothing. When he is old enough to choose his own clothes, fair enough, but for now, he's just a baby, and his sex really isn't relevant.

Purple. orange, lime green, white, black, electric blue - and yes, even hot pink...

Buy what YOU like, the baby won't be able to complain for years and years :)

BTW, I envy you being able to shop in Japan. I still miss shopping in Shibuya.

CurlyPops said...

I think my sister found out at 16 weeks with her twins. I don't know about any of the old wives tales, but I would definitely want to know as well!

zoesquid said...

....and you want more tips???
Its such a personal decision but I decided not too find out but my mother was desperate to know. So I let her come along to the ultrasound where the radiographer told her what it was. She did a great job of keeping it a secret....right up until I went into labour when she spilled the beans. Man I was so peeved.... having waited all that time. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy. You'll love he/she regardless!

Lauren said...

I'm hopeless at these things..I thought Jack was a girl! HAHA!

Do you have a feeling?

Lilli boo said...

Gender neutral clothes are a fav... I dressed my babies in colours once I knew their sex...For both visits to hospital I packed white clothes & gender neutral clothes...In regards to way of working out the babies sex, in some cultures - If you place a wedding ring on a chain and let it swing over the your belly...just can't remember the way it swings as to what gender it is??? Can ask a friend! Otherwise another Old wives tale which is less to do with gender and more to do with the babies look, If you have constant heatburn/reflux your baby will be born with a head of hair!... I laughed at some of the ones you wrote god some of these were said to me so often...some seemed true too and I'm a cynic!

Ayala Levinger said...

Funny post!
I waited 38 weeks to know my feeling was right. I had a boy. everyone else just knew because I was carrying the extra weight out front.. hehe but didn't share their wisdom because they knew I hate these nonsense.
What considered to be genderless color? I dress my son in red and orange, yellow, green and he even has a pair of pink socks that he loves!
Good luck!
are you leaving Japan for good? just before becoming a mother? I love the japans attitude about birth and motherhood.

teresa fsw said...

Awww both you and your hubby are so sweet!!! You'll get to know the gender soon...I personally find that no indications of how your belly looks like or how you look like will tell you the sex of your baby as accurate as the ultrascan. Just wait a little wee bit more and you'll know the answer. Right now you should just enjoy the pregnancy and stay in the pink of health and eat nutritionally! I do believe that being happy and positive in a pregnancy will produce happy babies! Stay happy always and smile (even when that something irritates you!!!)! ^_^

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