Pink or Blue?

According to 95% of the people I encounter on a day to day basis you are a boy. And so far, from what I can tell, the only basis of that decision is that I'm carrying you all out front. However I'm quite short and very petite so where the heck else WOULD I carry you? There is no where else for you to go pumpkin.

*Side Note : Oh yes, before I forget your grandma Gil calls you pumpkin because she doesn't think you are a monster and you are due on Halloween

However I am even more convinced that you will be a girl. The more people tell me you are a boy the more I believe you are not. Weird, I know. It's my rebellious nature coming out. My mother always said I did the opposite of what anyone wanted of me. Of course in this situation it's just a tiny bit ridiculous... "Oh look at how BIG you are! You're definitely having a boy" " Oh ya?! Well too bad! It's a GIRL!" Somehow that logic doesn't make much sense.

To this day I continue to have dreams of a baby girl. So does your father. And today I took a little scientifically based test to see what science says you might be.


Are you over 35? - No

This answer suggests it could be a girl:
EXPLANATION: There is some evidence that the older you are when you have your first baby, the more likely you are to have a girl. The sex of the baby is partly controlled by the level of the hormone gonadotropin, and this declines with age. And being an older mum may influence the sort of pregnancy you have.

Did your pregnancy result from sex before, at, or after ovulation? - Before

This answer suggests it could be a girl.
EXPLANATION: The theory is that sperm bearing Y chromosomes (for boys) move faster but don't live as long as sperm that carry X chromosomes (for girls). So you are more likely to conceive a boy if you have sex when you are ovulating. Of course, you need to understand your menstrual cycle to know when you are likely to ovulate.

Do you live with the father of your baby? Yes

This answer suggests it could be a boy:
EXPLANATION: One very large study of 86,000 people shows a figure of 51.5 per cent male births for those living with a spouse or partner before the child's conception or birth, and 49.9 per cent male births reported by respondents who were not. It may be to do with the fact that if you live with someone you are more likely to have regular and frequent sex. The theory is that sperm bearing Y chromosomes (for boys) move faster but don't live as long as sperm that carry X chromosomes (for girls). So by having regular and frequent sex, you are more likely to have sex close to the time you ovulate. This increases your chances of having a boy.

If you are married, how long had you been married when you conceived? - I'm not married

This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
EXPLANATION: The theory is that the longer you are married, the less sex you have. Infrequent sex means that you are less likely to conceive close to when you ovulate. Male sperm move faster but don't live as long as female sperm. So by having infrequent sex, you are less likely to have sex close to the time you ovulate. That means that a longer-lasting female sperm is more likely to win the race.

Is the father of your baby over 40? - No

This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
EXPLANATION: It seems that the older a dad is the less likely the male sperm are to fertilise the egg and the female sperm win the race. The latest evidence is that the quality of sperm does deteriorate with age and older men produce fewer male sperm.

How many children do you already have? -None

This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
EXPLANATION: The research here shows that the more children you have, the more likely you are to have a girl. This may be linked to the fact that the more pregnancies you have, the higher your levels of the hormone gonadotropin. This seems to be linked to a higher chance of having a girl.

Were you eating a high or low calorie diet when you became pregnant? -Low

This answer suggests it could be a girl
EXPLANATION: A study divided 740 British women into groups according to their calorie intake. 56 per cent of the women who had the highest energy intake had boys. 45 per cent of the women who had the lowest energy intake had boys. The average calorie intake for women who had boys was 2,413. The average calorie intake for women who had girls was 2,283. It has been suggested that our bodies only invest in boys (who are more fragile and statistically less likely to survive) when food is abundant. In times of famine or low food production we "play safe" with more robust girls. Remember, whether you're having a boy or a girl, a healthy diet is very important before and during pregnancy.

Does the father of your baby work in any of these occupations: airline pilot, deep sea diver, submariner, timber mill worker, flour mill worker? - NO

This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
EXPLANATION: Some studies have looked at the father's occupation and the ratio of boys and girls. Occupations that involve stress or pollutants seem to lead to more girls. But these are small-scale studies that have only looked at certain occupations.

Were you under stress before you became pregnant? - No

This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
EXPLANATION: We know more boys are born at times of stress, such as after wars, and research carried out so far seems to confirm this. One theory is that the mother's high stress levels lead to increases in both testosterone and cortisol. This may lead to changes in the egg, which makes it easier for male sperm to penetrate. Just how this happens no one is sure, but there is much mystery still about the moment of conception.

Which season did you conceive in? - Winter

This answer suggests it could be a girl
EXPLANATION: Farmers have noticed this effect in animals for many years. A study of 63,976 births in the area of Essen, West Germany, from 1965 to 1970 showed that more boys were conceived in early summer, and more girls in winter. In spring and autumn the figures were the same. This may be related to a better diet in summer, or could be because more viral and infectious diseases are around in the winter. Male sperm and embryos are acknowledged to be more fragile and it may be that they are more affected by mothers catching infections.

Did you conceive after having your ovulation induced hormonally? - NO

This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
EXPLANATION: Studies carried out among women who used hormones, such as Clomid, to induce ovulation show that you are slightly more likely to have a girl if artificial hormones are involved.

Based on your answers, the research suggests that you are slightly more likely to have a girl!

Hmmm...