New parents believed these quirky myths during pregnancy - which turned out to be false

By just looking at the bump and analysing pregnancy cravings, the challenge is to decide if it's a boy or a girl. According to these commonly believed myths, carrying the baby high in the womb means it's a girl, while lower means a boy. And salty or sour cravings point towards a boy whereas those craving sweet things are carrying a girl. It comes after research, commissioned by Vitabiotics Pregnacare, found 47 per cent of new parents originally believed well-known myths during pregnancy that they later realised weren’t all true. A poll of 1,000 parents of children aged 0-10 found 11 per cent of those believed having sour cravings during the first trimester indicated you were expecting a boy. While the same percentage (11 per cent) thought carrying the baby high up in the womb meant you would be welcoming a little girl to the world. And 12 per cent believed that experiencing an influx of spots on your skin also indicated a female. But 79 per cent feel at least a few of the superstitions about pregnancy that they’d heard about and believed in ended up coming true. As a result, 51 per cent of those who had heard of a superstition used this to try and predict their baby’s gender. With 44 per cent of these trying the ‘swinging ring test’ - where you tie a ring to a string and swing it over the belly to see which way it moves. Carly Sandland, doula and founder of The Doula Club, which matches pregnant women with doulas to provide support to families during pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum, said: “As a doula, I’ve heard every pregnancy myth going. “Carrying high? Must be a boy. Bad skin? Definitely a girl. Craving savoury food? That’s obviously a boy. “It’s amazing how confidently people will make these calls - even from complete strangers in the supermarket. “What this research shows is how common these myths still are - and how many people believe them, even just a little. “But why not enjoy the guessing games? Have a laugh at the wild ones, and let people guess if they must. But don’t let any of it carry more weight than it deserves. “Myths aren’t facts. And they definitely aren’t a substitute for understanding your own body and the right professional advice. “If something feels off, ask questions. If it doesn’t sit right, trust yourself.” Parents-to-be who have heard about pregnancy myths also believed severe morning sickness would suggest a female baby, while mild sickness pointed towards a boy (14 per cent). While 10 per cent thought jumping up and down vigorously after sex would stop conception happening. It also emerged 30 per cent of those who tried to use a superstition to guess the baby’s gender had a go at the ‘key test’, where the expectant parent is observed picking up a key and if they opt to grab it by the narrow end, it means a girl is due. And while 53 per cent of new parents asked friends and family for advice about their baby’s arrival, 42 per cent turned to Google – and 23 per cent searched social media. But 13 per cent of parents who had heard about myths or superstitions claim they influenced their expectations of pregnancy ‘a lot’, according to the OnePoll.com figures. A spokesperson for Vitabiotics Pregnacare added: “Of course, not all of these tales are rooted in fact - but they can still be surprisingly persuasive. “While these stories are usually fairly harmless, it’s always best to check anything that may be concerning or unusual with a midwife or medical professional.”

New parents believed these quirky myths during pregnancy - which turned out to be false

Can you guess the unborn baby's gender in this video - based only on these often passed down pregnancy myths?