If she has a swollen nose in pregnancy could it be a girl?

Have you heard your fair share of wacky pregnancy myths about your baby’s gender yet? You’re probably tired of hearing your senile grandmother telling you that you should eat more prunes to have a baby girl, or of your nosey coworker sharing way too much information about how the color of her pee during pregnancy told her she was having a boy. Before it can be determined on an ultrasound, you’ll be endlessly curious about the gender of your baby, and you might even be tempted to listen to some of those weird old wives’ tales about gender prediction. Some of them are obviously a lie, but some are harder to fact-check. One more enticing myth about determining your baby’s gender involves the swelling of your nose. 

Some women report that when they were pregnant with a female baby, their nose swelled at the tip. This reported swelling is separate from congestion, which is common during pregnancy. Instead, it was swelling on the exterior portion, in front of the nostrils. Like I said, this one is tempting to believe because swelling is so common during pregnancy.

Likely due to swelling

Though believable, a swollen nose bears no indication about whether you will be having a baby girl or a baby boy. If you’re looking for telltale swelling, it might actually be in your breasts. Studies show that women who are going to have a baby girl often have more swollen breasts than women who are having a boy. This is because a baby girl requires more protection, so the increased curviness is actually meant to entice the male partner to stick around. A swollen nose certainly won’t be doing the same.

Waiting for that ultrasound when your doctor can finally tell you whether you’re having a girl or a boy can be painful, but the wait will be worth it. In the meantime, pass the time by placing bets or even finding gender-neutral toys and decorations to prepare. If you’re waiting until after delivery to find out, you’ll need to find a nursery theme that could suit either gender. Your grandma’s and coworker’s tricks for finding out the sex of your baby in advance seem plausible sometimes, but keep in mind there is really no way to know your baby’s gender until the ultrasound reveals it. Even then it can be difficult to tell, and some doctors refuse to make guesses to avoid lawsuits.