"Boys" fetal heartbeat

[Bunnylion]

I'm pregnant and have a fetal doppler to listen to my babys heartbeat.

I've let a few family and friends listens and no less than 7 people (including my midwife) have told me that my baby's heartbeat sounds "so strong that it must be a boy".

When I had terrible morning sickness early on I was frequently told that I must be having a girl because "boys don't make you feel sick".

So a female fetus is poisonous to a pregnant woman and male ones are noticeably strong?

Why in 2013 do people still spout such nonsense? I'm pregnant and hormonal but it really pisses me off.

[NiceTabard]

Oh dear.

When you put it like that it's terrible isn't it.

Both of my babies were identified as boys when I was in labour (thanks midwife - so we say "no" at the scans so as to get a surprise only for someone to tell us in a confident professional tone anyway???? WTF??????????)

Anyway they were wrong both times. They didn't however say for what reason the heartbeat was a boys.

It's bollocks isn't it.

[SanityClause]

There are physiological differences between males and females (well duh!) and men, on average, have lower heartbeats that women. So a midwife can take an educated guess about the sex from the heartbeat.

The morning sickness thing is a myth, though.

[LynetteScavo]

I've never heard anyone say boys don't make you feel sick.

[Bunnylion]

Nicetabard I guess being right 50% of the time is enough for some people to continue a myth!

Sanityclause I know there are physiological differences but I don't think the strength or size of a male foetus and a female foetus is any different. The heartbeat sexing is also a myth.

[SanityClause]

It's not entirely a myth. It's not hugely accurate, but as I said, an experienced midwife can have a pretty good guess whether it's a make or female. But you wouldn't want to bet more than a fiver on it.

[tribpot]

yes, I thought the myth was that boys gave you worse morning sickness, along with heartburn meaning the baby has lots of hair. Etc etc.

But a heartbeat 'so strong it must be a boy' is really bloody annoying.

[YohedYoshoulderYonisandYotoes]

I know, why not a heartbeat 'so emotionally intelligent it must be a girl'

[namechangeguy]

If I was hearing that from a friend/relative I might ignore it. But I think if I heard it from a medical professional I might ask what he/she was basing their statement on, rather than just getting pissy about it. Perhaps there is a scientific reason, as Sanity suggests. Why does it have to be immediately offensive?

[Twit]

I had HG when pregnant with ds1 & 2. None with dd.

[awkwardsis]

Is this really a feminist issue? Really!? Fwiw, both myths were true for me. Heartbeats for both were as per the old wives takes and dd made me sick as a dog, to the extent that with both subsequent pregnancies I 'knew' they were boys as I felt fine. But honestly, you're being silly to even get her up about this.

[HarderToKidnap]

Gizza, a mIdwife absolutely CANNOT under any circumstances tell the difference between male and female feotuses from the heart rate. That is bunkum.

[SanityClause]

Now that's annoying, Yohed. Males may have slightly lower heartbeats than females, but are just as capable of emotional intelligence.

[AmandaPayneAteTooMuchChocolate]

It is abject bollocks. Heartrate may, on average, be lower in a male, but there is so much variability within both genders that it tells you nothing. DD1 was 'ooh, could well be a boy' too.

Never sick, two DD's.

And it is important to get 'het up' about this crap because it is gender stereotyping before birth, which is reductive and confining to all our children, or whatever gender.

[awkwardsis]

Gender stereotyping? Bollocks. Honestly. It's anecdotal snippets of chit chat. You're a pregnant woman, people fall over themselves to tell you this stuff just smile and nod if it offends you so much

[CognitiveOverload]

I really think linking these comments with gender stereotyping is tenuous at best.

[badguider]

OP - I know what you mean and I agree, I am pregnant too and if i hear one more 'strong kicks' must be a boy or 'strong heartbeat' must be a boy I will scream.

Why can't a female fetus be as strong as a male one? there's no difference in strenth and size between boys and girls until puberty.... and even then I am a hell of a lot stronger than some adult males despite my sex and I know a lot of women much stronger than me.

[SplitHeadGirl]

The strongest person I ever met was a woman...she used to beat EVERYONE at arm wrestling!!! And I am curently 39 weeks pregnant and getting battered by my baby whom I know to be a girl (well...was told at the scan). She is one strong baby - it was never like this with my son!!

[badguider]

guessing at the sex of the baby is fine... guessing on the basis of "if it's all gentle and fluffy and weak it's a girl" and "if it's robust and active and strong it's a boy" IS gender stereotyping.

[AmandaPayneAteTooMuchChocolate]

Thank you badguider, exactly.

[NiceTabard]

Hmm

Well not to take away from the lovely pregnant OP who I'm not surprised is getting narked at so many people spouting such stupid stuff

But still

Why do midwives feel the need to tell you the sex of the baby in a "this is a fact" way based on the heartbeat when a. is the difference in heartbeat in a foetus really that different that it can be differentiated and b. without askig whether the parents want to know the sex - when many want to wait and for the midwife to make a pronouncement when you're on the final stretch is surely just taking the piss. Especially when it turned out they were wrong both times anyway

[abbyfromoz]

Nonsense! I found out the sex by scan (confirmed 3 times was having a girl) and STILL had friends and total strangers tell me i was having a boy due to the shape of my tummy...eeeerr so like..does that mean a penis makes your belly go more oblong? LOL.. Btw..i had a girl

[abbyfromoz]

Oh btw my sis had HG with both her boys!