When I got pregnant with my third child I was so excited to figure out the gender of our little one. I had two girls and everybody was anxiously awaiting our gender reveal of the third baby. I was only 10 weeks along when my friends suggested the string gender test.
I jumped onto the internet to figure out what the string test was all about and if it was actually a legitimate experiment.
What is the String Gender Test?
The string gender test is a test to figure out the gender of your baby. Simply tie your wedding ring on the end of a piece of string and hold it above your belly as you lie on your back. Relax and let the string move on it’s own without any help from you.
If the ring begins to circle then you’re carrying a girl, if the ring swings back and forth then you’re carrying a boy.
String Gender Test Alternatives
If you do not have a wedding ring you can use a needle in place of the ring. If you can’t find a piece of string anywhere you can pull out a piece of your hair and use it instead.
The string test can also be performed over your palm, or in front of your navel while you are standing up straight.
Is the String Gender Test Accurate?
There are no scientific reasons why this test would work. If the test is accurate about the gender of your baby then it is complete luck. This test shouldn’t be used to actually predict the gender of your baby, but can be used for fun.
Nobody really knows the exact beginning of the String Gender Test. This test is just an old wives tale that has been passed through the generations. Much like most wives tales, the string gender test should not be used to determine the sex of your child.
When I performed this test the ring began going in circles, but a few weeks later we found out that I was actually having a boy. I am the proud mother of two adorable little girls and a handsome little boy. Clearly the test did was not accurate and did not predict the gender of my baby.
Why Does the String Move?
According to Critical Thinking Psychology Today, “Ideomotor actions are unconscious, involuntary motor movements that are performed by a person because of prior expectations, suggestions or preconceptions.”
In other words, if you would like to have a girl then your unconscious thoughts might begin to spin the ring. The test would then show that you were having a girl. Your mind wanted a girl and so that is what the string concluded.
It is interesting because when I did the string test I didn’t care about the gender, but I thought the baby might be a girl. Hence why I believe that the ring predicted that I would be having a little baby girl even though I was carrying a boy.
Other Wives Tales Gender Tests
Everybody is so eager to figure out the gender of their baby. Although I didn’t care one way, or another, I really wanted to know the gender of my children as soon as possible.
Once you know the gender their little life becomes more real and I had an identify for them. Many people use old wives tales to predict the gender.
This is a silly one and I really wish that I knew where the origination came from, or how women began doing this to figure out the gender. If you eat a clove of garlic and you are able to smell the garlic when you sweat then you are having a boy.
This is another silly one that I would love to know how it got started. All you do is go to the mirror and stare right into your pupils. If your pupils immediately begin to dilate then you are most likely carrying a boy.
When I first read about this gender test I laughed, because part of me wanted to make fun of the test and the other part of me wanted to try it with my next pregnancy. To determine the gender with baking soda all you do is mix your urine in with the baking soda.
If the baking soda begins to fizz and bubble then you are expecting a little boy. The wives tale suggests that when you are pregnant with a boy that your urine will become more acidic and will cause a chemical reaction with the baking soda.
Accurate Ways to Determine Gender
The most accurate way to determine the gender of your unborn child is to wait for the anatomy ultrasound that is usually performed anywhere from 18 to 20 weeks. At this point you will be able to see the gender of your baby (as long as the baby isn’t shy and cooperates).
If you can’t wait until your anatomy ultrasound then you can consider getting a blood test performed.
The blood test is usually performed as early as 10 weeks. The test can determine the gender by checking the DNA in the placenta. There are also at home tests that can be purchased to perform the test on your own.
Conclusion
There is no harm in performing the string gender test. The test doesn’t harm you, or your unborn baby. However, it shouldn’t be used to actually determine the sex of your baby. The test should only be performed for fun and not in place of an actual anatomy ultrasound.
The only way to figure out the gender of your baby before your gender ultrasound is to get a blood test. The blood test will test the DNA in your placenta to figure out the gender.
