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Original poster

"Boys" fetal heartbeat

40 replies

Bunnylion · 19/04/2013 20:22

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.

OP posts:
awkwardsis · 19/04/2013 21:18

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 Grin just smile and nod if it offends you so much

AmandaPayneAteTooMuchChocolate · 19/04/2013 21:16

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.

SanityClause · 19/04/2013 21:11

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

HarderToKidnap · 19/04/2013 21:10

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

awkwardsis · 19/04/2013 21:10

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.

Twit · 19/04/2013 21:10

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

namechangeguy · 19/04/2013 21:06

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?

YohedYoshoulderYonisandYotoes · 19/04/2013 21:05

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

GizzaCwtch · 19/04/2013 21:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tribpot · 19/04/2013 21:01

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.

SanityClause · 19/04/2013 20:59

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. Wink

Original poster
Bunnylion · 19/04/2013 20:51

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.

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 19/04/2013 20:49

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

SanityClause · 19/04/2013 20:37

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.

NiceTabard · 19/04/2013 20:26

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.

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