Is there any truth in the rumour that boys' heartbeats are slower than girls?

[Miaou]

I'm driving myself mad now.

Saw the m/w on Thursday who mentioned that db's heartrate was 140bpm. I suddenly remembered hearing that boys' heartrates are around 140bpm and girls' are around 150-160bpm.

I didn't find out on my scan if I was having a boy or a girl because...I know that if it was a boy I would be disappointed. However I reasoned that if I was presented with my newborn baby boy I would get over it straightaway! I'm sure that once I have my baby I won't mind what sex it is, but in the abstract I want it to be a girl. This is really hard to admit, even to myself. Even Dh doesn't know.

I'm waffling now but it's good to get that off my chest... Anyway, I don't think it matters whether there is a correlation between bpm and sex of baby, but having started thinking about it I'm really getting my knickers in a twist.

Please can you help put me out of my misery so I will stop obsessing about this?

Well, it worked for me. Ds - slow and steady, dd fast and furious (to use the midwife's description). She said that IHO it is a very good rule of thumb - but I'm sure there will be others who will have a different experience.

same here Ds heartbeat was around 140ish.

not sure but even if u had been told at the scan it was a boy/girl they not always right. a mate of mine was told she was having a boy and has had a girl i have been told im having a girl but still not here so dont really know for sure

Before I gave birth to my DS (just before they induced me) his heartrate was about 160... actually after a while he got over excited in there and they though about doing a C/S so I'm not sure if that counts! I wouldn't go with the heartrate thing as a rule.

I was told it was about 120-130 for boys and 160 or above for girlies... DD was fluctuating between 130 & 160 the day we were watching Awkward from the beginning!!!

dd1+2 heartrate was 150+. dd3 was slower around 130-140bpm. my mum was convinced i was havign a boy. found out at 34weeks scan that i was having a girl.

memory is a bit of a blur but I remember being told the other way around - boys' hearts faster. So that's confusing.

More distinctly I remember being told the difference only shows up during labour - so unless you're having db right now (!) the heartrate isn't evidence for either

Miaou - I just wanted to say that this is EXACTLY how I feel. I have a dd already and just can't imagine having a boy. . I love the little boys I know as well. It can make you feel awful can't it. I should be blooming grateful I can even have a baby at all. Incidentally bumps heart rate was also 140 last time I went to see the m/w. I have come round to the idea of a boy now as I have been convinced the whole way through that this is a boy and I too know that when the baby is here I will fall in love with it regardless. When are you due? Try not to feel bad. I think wanting one sex or another is very common but people are scared to admit it. I did tell my DH and he couldn't understand my view which made me feel even worse . Is this your first baby?

it was totally the other way round for me - DD was around the 140's and DS around the 160's throughout the pgs

In my experience (2 boys and 3 girls), there's no pattern.

My OB in the States thought that he could play God and tell me I was having a boy from listening to the hb. If he had bothered to read the scan report, he'd have seen that I was having a girl. OMG, there must be something wrong with my baby!

Fortunately, I knew not to read anything into the hb. Way to panic a nervy mother though.

Thanks everyone. The fact that it doesn't always hold true is vey comforting, if only because I really don't want to know what it is before it's born!

Cooperoo, thank you for your kind words. You are right, it makes me feel guilty as hell. I've got two dds already, and with each one I was convinced I was going to have a boy, and part of me wonders if I was only convinced of it to try and deal with the (possible) disappointment if I was right - and I feel pretty pathetic for thinking that to be honest! I adore my dds, and really do have a "what would I do with a boy" complex. I'm due on July 31st but I'm on the Aug antenatal board.

in my last few weeks of pg, 3 different midwives guessed I was carrying a boy based on heartrate. I had a girl!

Miaou, I secretly wanted another boy, I dont konw why but I was a bit scared of having a gril, maybe because my relationship with my mother is not that great. Anyway, when my baby was born and I was told I had a girl my first thought was surprise. Then I held her and loved her with all of my heart from that moment. Boy or girl, you will fall totally and utterly head over heels in love with your baby.

Deep down I know you are right, I will love a boy just as much. I think it's just pregnancy hormones playing havoc with me - normally I don't obsess about things, and can usually take myself in hand and give myself a good talking to - it's just not working at the moment!

DS's was about 152 iirc. Didn't change at all while I was having him either - steady little chap he is

miaou, pregnancy makes me irational too! but I can honestly say, being mother of a boy and a gril, both are equally astonishing, amazing and endearing, I am besotted with them both. Boys are beautiful and they are always loyal to their mums (my brother is much closer to my mum than I am)

Miaou - I hope you are feeling a bit better about things. I think the main reason I am convinced this is a boy is in an effort to get used to the idea. . If you and I are going through such similar experiences I am sure we are not the only ones and Bunny2's posts are lovely and reassuring! I hope you enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and good luck in Jul/Aug. I will look out for your birth announcement.

I have two dss.
ds1 heartrate from about 30 weeks was 130-140
ds2 heartrate from about 30 weeks was 130-140 too
d?? (26 weeks) is around the same. I therefore reckon I will be the proud mother of three lads!!!
Boys are great. My sons are only 1 and 3 and they are just SO affectionate and cuddly.
Like someone else said - I have a terrible relationship with my own mother and a houseful of boys suits me just fine!

... jut to add - I think it is perfectly natural to have a preference. Such preferences come from our own experiences etc. I just find it odd that rather a lot of people assumed I was disappointed with having a second son - I was not. When people see I am pg again, the majority assume I am 'after' that little girl, or that I must be desperate for her. I suppose it's only natural for them to think that way.

Mommy D, I have been asked if I am hoping for a boy this time too, having got two dds - annoying, isn't it? And I think you are right about having a preference, although I think mine probably comes from the "better the devil you know" school, as I had a pretty poor relationship with my mum as a child, I'm sure she preferred my db's.

Bunny and Cooperoo, thank you so much for your kind words. I do feel a lot better about it this morning - if only because I came out and admitted how I was feeling. It made me realise how much the guilt was becoming almost overwhelming. I'm finding the pg hormones rather difficult to cope with this time round! Had an argument with dh yesterday, went up into my bedroom, slammed the door and threw things round the room! That is totally unlike me. I'll be so glad when I am back to normal again!

I don't think there is that much truth in the hb thing.
The babies hb is higher when they are active & lower when they are not so active.
My ds2's hb was VERY high when I was attatched to the monitor giving birth.
At one point it went up to 180 bpm!
The MW was getting a bit concerned & he is all boy!!!
Don't feel worried about having a boy.
They are lovely & very affectionate!
I do know kind of where your coming from though, because after 2 ds's I would not know what to do with a girl!

my dd2's heart beat was always whatever they recommended would be for boys.... so the theory did not work in our case.