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Gender reveal parties were all the rage amongst expecting parents a few years ago, and a well-planned creative one is still super cute to watch online now. But if you’re having a baby in China, you’re going to have to miss out on it. Why? Well, because in China, it’s illegal for doctors to reveal the sex of a baby.
This law dates back to 1979 when China established its one-child policy. Chinese families desperately wanted boys over girls, leading to sex-selective abortion, which in turn affected the human sex ratio – the relative number of males to females in a given age group. To try to mitigate the practice, hospitals in China forbade doctors from telling parents the sex of their bundle of joy. But if you think it’s totally impossible, you should know that just because disclosing the sex of a baby is not allowed, it doesn’t mean curious parents haven’t been finding ways around it.
At my international hospital in Beijing, while my doctor still technically isn’t allowed to tell me the sex of my baby, it’s an open secret that we can ask in some sort of indirect way. The most common questions to ask are, “Doc, do you think we should buy pants or dresses for our baby?” and “Doc, do you think we should paint our nursery blue or pink?” And for the parents with a sense of humor who aren’t afraid to watch their doctor crack up during the ultrasound, there’s always, “Doc, does my baby come with a handle?”
Recently, friends of mine who ended up having boys shared that during their ultrasound, after they asked the doctors about the sex of their baby and the doctors blatantly said they can’t tell, they’d freeze the ultrasound screen during times when it’s relatively easy for even the untrained eye to see a small penis.
Then, there’s always the old midwives' tales of telling whether you’re carrying a boy or girl. Granted, these have zero scientific basis and are purely superstitions passed down from past generations. In no way should you base any of your pregnancy on any of these. These old midwives’ predictions are just for your amusement.
Some of these tales suggest that if a pregnant woman has a smooth pregnancy with minimal morning sickness, it might indicate a boy. On the other hand, if she experiences more fatigue and stronger food cravings, it could supposedly mean a girl. From personal experience, I had a smooth pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby girl.
Another one believes that if you’re craving a lot of meats and high-protein foods during your pregnancy, then you’re likely to be carrying a boy. If you’re craving fruits and leafy foods, it’s a girl. This one’s hard to tell since your cravings change during the nine months you’re pregnant, so when are you supposed to be paying attention?
Then there’s how you look. If you’re glowing the dewy porcelain skin, it’s believed that you’re carrying a girl. But if you’re breaking out with pimples during your pregnancy, you might be carrying a boy.
When your baby bump gets big, if your baby tends to be on the left side and is relatively still, then it’s believed that you’re carrying a boy. If it’s on the right side and tends to have wavy movements, then it’s a girl. And if you’re still relatively mobile even with a giant belly, you’re carrying a boy. But if you’re waddling like a penguin, it’s a girl.
Then there’s one that I really don’t get. It’s believed that if you dream of flowers, you’re carrying a girl but if you dream of melons, you’re carrying a boy. Do they mean you’re supposed to dream of these things every night or just once during the nine months you’re pregnant?
Finally, the last one is that the shape of the pregnant woman’s belly can be a clue. A pointed belly is thought to signal a boy, while a rounder one is said to suggest a girl.
Enjoy guessing!
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