Gender prediction signs you can try at home

Warning....Don't wear a lei

There is the belief in Hawaiian tradition that pregnant women should not wear leis. This folktale believed that wearing a lei would cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby's head and choke it.

Nowadays, most people recognize that this pregnancy folktale is a little over-the-top.

A pregnant woman should not take baths. This myth is routed in the belief that water can get into the vagina and thereby introduce bacteria to the baby. Scientists have proven that water does not enter a woman's vagina during a bath. In fact, baths will probably help pregnant women feel better by helping them relax.

Can you determine the sex of your baby before it is even conceived?

There are old wives' tales that dictate what you should do to increase your chances of conceiving a girl or a boy, depending on what you want. And modern science is even getting itself involved in this one.

There are books that will tell you the best time during your ovulation cycle to conceive a boy or a girl. There are also kits that come with charts, thermometers and vitamins to help create the "ideal" environment to produce a particular sex.

And then there are older methods based in Chinese lore that are said to aid in the sex selection. If you are really determined to have a girl or a boy, you can even have a scientist create the correct sexed zygote to implant inside of you.

With the exception of the scientist who manipulates your fertilized egg, none of these methods can definitely determine the sex of your baby.

As you go through your pregnancy, it can be fun to collect these tales, and many baby books have sections for you to record predictions. However, for medical advice pertaining to pregnancy, you should consult your doctor first. For example, before you rely too heavily on your mother's idea that the baby is a boy, talk to your doctor about getting an ultrasound if you want to know for sure.

Keep in mind that every woman's pregnancy is different: your doctor will know that and provide information tailored for your medical situation.

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