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?