How Early Can You Find Out Your Baby's Gender with Ultrasound?

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For centuries, expectant parents had to wait until the moment of birth to learn the sex of their babies. Of course there have always been old wives tales and superstitions about figuring out baby gender but thanks to the wonders of modern technology, moms and dads these days are able to find out a babys gender with ultrasound months before delivery. This is most commonly done between the 18th and 26th weeks of the pregnancy, but some newer ultrasound technology can determine the babys gender as early as 12 or 13 weeks.

Finding Out Your Babys Gender with Ultrasound

Ultrasounds dont just reveal the babys gender; the procedure is done mainly to take an early look at the fetus to make sure its developing properly. During an ultrasound, the technician moves a device over the mothers stomach that sends high-frequency sound waves through her uterus. The sound waves create a picture of the fetus that is viewed simultaneously on a monitor.

Depending on the age and position of the fetus, the technician should be able to accurately tell if its a boy or a girl. This is based on the technicians recognition of its male or female genitals. Before 18 weeks of gestation, male and female sex organs can appear similar, which is why most ultrasounds are performed after this point of fetal development. No obvious evidence of a penis may lead to the assumption that the baby is a girl, but this is not 100% proof, so if youre having an ultrasound to find out the gender of your baby, be sure to ask the technician how clearly he or she can see the babys genitals on the monitor. Other medical procedures performed on some pregnant women can also determine the babys gender, such as amniocentesis, which is recommended for women who become pregnant at a later age or might be at risk for genetic diseases or birth defects, and chorionic villus sampling (CVS), a test on pregnancies that are at high risk for genetic or chromosomal defects. If youre having an ultrasound but dont want to find out the babys gender, you can still look at the image; its unlikely that youll be able to recognize a developing babys genital organs without the help of a trained professional to point them out.

Should You Find out Your Babys Gender with Ultrasound?

Having ultrasound to find out your babys gender is a fairly straightforward and safe procedure, and many expectant parents want to know this before the baby is born. That way, they can settle on a name for the baby and start decorating the nursery for either a girl or a boy. Baby shower gift choices are also simpler this way. Some people feel this might also strengthen the bond with the baby, who now has a specific identity. At the same time, there are couples who want to wait and choose not to find out the babys gender until the moment of birth. They want the discovery of whether the baby is a boy or a girl to be a surprise. The suspense can make pregnancy, labor and delivery more exciting. The nursery can be decorated in neutral colors, and theres plenty of time once the baby has arrived to buy gender-specific clothing. In these cases, if ultrasound or other procedures which can determine the babys gender are performed during the pregnancy, those results arent shared with the parents-to-be but sometimes just knowing that someone else knows their babys gender is enough to convince parents to find out for themselves!

38 ways to guess your baby's sex

What could be more fun than trying to guess the sex of your baby-to-be? Everyone wants to get in the game... Don't be surprised if someone you've never met stops you at the supermarket, offering a prediction of your baby's gender. For hundreds of years, expecting mums have relied on timetested methods of guessing their baby's sex. Even though these old wives' tales are far from foolproof, they are certainly more fun than their more reliable successors, amniocentesis and ultrasound. Enjoy guessing your baby's sex!

It's a boy if...

You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute You are carrying the extra weight out in front Your belly looks like a basketball Your areola have darkened considerably You are carrying low You are craving salty or sour foods You are craving protein - meats and cheese Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy The hair on your legs has grown faster during pregnancy Your hands are very dry Your pillow faces north when you sleep Dad-to-be is gaining weight too Pregnancy has you looking better than ever Your urine is a bright yellow in colour Your nose is spreading If you hang your wedding ring over your belly, it moves in circles You are having headaches You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived the number is even

It's a girl if...

You had morning sickness early in pregnancy Your baby's heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute You are carrying the weight in your hips and rear

Your left breast is larger than your right breast Your hair gets red highlights You are carrying high Your belly looks like a watermelon You crave sweets You crave fruit You crave orange juice You don't look quite as good as normal during pregnancy You are moodier than usual during pregnancy Your face breaks out more than usual You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread Your breasts have really blossomed! Your pillow faces south when you sleep Your urine is a dull yellow in colour If you hang your wedding ring over your belly, it moves from side to side If you add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived the number is odd

Read more: 38 ways to guess your baby's sex | iVillage UK http://www.ivillage.co.uk/38-waysguess-your-babys-sex/81912#ixzz2Vi2sUvxo Parenting: Information & advice Actually at conception. The male sperm may either have an X or a Y chromosome. The female egg can only have an X. If two Xs get together, the result is a girl; if an X and a Y, it's a boy! It is very depressing that so many answers here show so much ignorance! Where did all that sex education go? Yes, it's true that the physical signs aren't evident until the embryo has developed some.

Gender Determination
In the past there was no decision to be made: to find out the sex of the baby or not. There was simply no way for it to be done. The ultrasound machine wasn't invented until the 1960's so up until that time, if you wanted to know what you were having you simply had to wait for the big day or rely on the old wives tales for gender determination. There are the basic myths: if you're carrying low it's a girl, high it's a boy (I've also heard the reverse). If you're carrying any differently than your first child it's the opposite sex as the first child. If you put a needle or wedding ring on a string above your hand or belly and it moves in circles it's a girl or back and forth, it's a boy. If you're pregnant for the second time and your whole pregnancy is very different from your first pregnancy than it's the opposite sex as your first child. There are many other myths due to pregnancy but those are the only one's I can think of regarding gender determination.
There are many ways to determine the sex of one's unborn child. But you cannot for sure determine whether it will be a boy or if it will be a girl. There are traditional methods that can guide you along the way as well. One method is to look on the stomach form. If stomach putting out forward it should be a boy and if the stomach is wider and can seen when looking at the pregnant woman from behind, then it should be a girl. Another method for baby gender prediction is to go by the taste of the mother. Sweet or salty food, which is your favorite? All this might help you determine the sex. Remember though, that traditional gender prediction methods are not 100% reliable. There are other methods that do not either works. One of them is to measure the baby's heart rate and then predict whether it is a boy or a girl. It is said, that girls have higher heart rates than boys. Medical research has proved that the heart rate changes during the different phases of pregnancy and applying this method to gender prediction is therefore not reliable. The safest and most reliable way to predict your babys gender is by ultrasound. Women have to make several ultrasound examinations any way and adding a gender prediction is not uncommon. This is the easiest and safest way to predict your babys gender. More medical research also suggests that it should be more complication-free to wait for a girl than to wait for a boy. This study carried out in the U.S. discovered that pregnant women who are waiting boys developed pregnancy diabetes and had lengthy birth. Also, most boys were boys through a caesarean if complication arised. The same study shows that you can affect the chance to have a boy or a girl when fertilizing the egg at the right moment. This is tricky though, as the study also claims that making a baby boy is even easier when the woman is moving out of her fertile cycle. To be on the safe side for baby gender prediction, you should visit a hospital and take an ultra test for best results or wait until your baby is born. Which may well be exciting? Week Development

The fetus is created when the sperm hits the egg. The fertilized egg will divide itself into an embryo and a placenta. The placenta will provide the food for the fetus. The baby itself is not created until close to the end of pregnancy week 1. The fertilized egg makes its way to the womb and attaches itself to the womb. Although this is the third pregnancy week, it is counted as the first week of the fetus. This is a safe time to take a pregnancy test. This is when you might experience mood changes. The fetus is now between 4-8 mm. Morning sickness it not uncommon. The fetus is roughly 9-14 mm and trapped in amniotic fluid. The fetus is between 15-22 mm long and weighs 0,5 gr. The woman will feel additional tiredness and even pains in her breast. The fetus is now 45 mm long. It will now decide what sex it will be. The fetus is now as big as the mothers little finger. The woman will slowly grow wider in the stomach area. The fetus is about 17 cm. You will now be able to hear your babys heartbeat. The rate is about 170 beats per minute. You will also be more aware of your babys personality. The baby is now lying in the right birthing position. It is about 47 cm and weighs about 2,6 kg. The estimated date of birth. The woman will feel more pain and have severe troubles sleeping. It is not uncommon that the estimated date of birth is not figured out correctly. You are in good hospital care and when too many days overdue, you will be helped giving birth.

2 3 4-5 6-7 8 9 10 12 18 26 35 40 41-42

When you're pregnant you have to ensure that you get a nutritious diet and also that you eat regularly. It is also good to have a balanced diet, and totally avoid dieting when youre waiting a baby. This can harm both you and your child. If you are afraid to gain too much in weight you can avoid sweets and unnecessary calories and eat regularly. During pregnancy, you should be careful not to take supplements, and always ask your doctor if you thinking about dieting. Pregnancy food Here are some basic tips for things to look out for during your pregnancy. What you eat is really important, as it affects the baby as much as you. You should eat at regular times; avoid sweets if you do not want to gain too much in weight. Eat fruit every day; this is healthy and good and they provide lot of vitamins. Vegetables are also useful and there are many so that you simply can choose your favorites.

Eat fish a couple times a week; fish is rich in vitamin D and in some fat fish there is the healthy fat Omega 3. Remember that in a few types of fish, there's mercury and you need to avoid these altogether. Consult at doctor or nutritionist for what will be best for you diet. Be sure to eat enough things that give you energy: meat, eggs, lentils or any other source of protein is vital for any diet. You also need extra minerals and vitamins when you during your pregnancy, because you're two now that need food to function. Here are some of the most common vitamins and minerals needed. Be sure to consult professional help if you are on a special diet or have certain food preferences. Iron is needed for the blood and blood production. Iron is naturally present in the liver, beans, and whole grain bread. Folic acid is a B vitamin needed for fetal development and your own blood formation during the pregnancy. Vitamin D helps the body to take up valuable calcium. Calcium is needed for the child's bones and teeth shall grow. Iodine is good for both your baby and you. It protects the body. A simple thing is to use kitchen salt with iodine. And last but not least: avoid alcohol, smoking and any other drugs. Using any of these well affect you baby badly directly and might cause irreparable damage. If you want to know more about good and healthy food for pregnant women ask your local doctor or pharmacy. There is also more information available online. Preparing Preparing for childbirth is essential. However, be also prepared for the fact that nothing you read may apply on you. Every birth is said to be unique and not even a mother of nine children will experience any similarity when the gives birth to the tenth. Even is the birth is special for every woman, there are certain issues which are the same for all women. Firstly, you and your partner will get an estimated date when the child is going to be born. You may as parents often have two different dates of birth, one from your midwife as is calculated from when you had your last period and one when you have the first ultrasound testing. Most reliable delivery dates are the ones given from the ultrasound. Always take that date as a hint only you can become parents up to two weeks before or after. But be sure to be ready by then! Attend childbirth classes where you prepare together with your spouse for the important moment. Here you will practice breathing and learn about various birthing techniques. In many cities you also have the possibility to go to the hospital and see the station and meet the nurses. This is a really important part as you will see the individual rooms, meet people and get more mentally prepared into actually giving birth.

Childbirth how does it work? Childbirth may be different from case to case. The first signal is most often labor pains and that your water will brake (the amniotic fluids will be released). This is a slightly unpleasant feeling and it is hard to prepare for this phase of childbirth. Then the contractions will start and when they are about three minutes apart you should be on your way to the hospital. If you feel pain or if you are bleeding in the genital area, you should immediately call the hospital and seek advice. Once you get to the hospital a doctor will examine you. Be sure to tell the attending personal how you want your childbirth to be. Even if you have something special in mind and have prepared for it, it might not be that way. Childbirth can be complicated, despite it being such a natural thing. Be ready for a caesarian even if you do not want to have one. Being prepared for childbirth means to be ready for anything. The childbirth takes basically place in three stages. How long each phase will varies greatly and cannot be said in advance. During the opening stage your uterus will open up and make space for the baby. The second stage is the actual birthing of the baby. In the last stage the placenta will come out. Childbirth is a wonderful thing and you should include your spouse into this experience. Be sure to prepare together and walk through different scenarios. You need to talk about your expectations of each other, as this will help the mother through the birthing stages. Preparing Preparing for childbirth is essential. However, be also prepared for the fact that nothing you read may apply on you. Every birth is said to be unique and not even a mother of nine children will experience any similarity when the gives birth to the tenth. Even is the birth is special for every woman, there are certain issues which are the same for all women. Firstly, you and your partner will get an estimated date when the child is going to be born. You may as parents often have two different dates of birth, one from your midwife as is calculated from when you had your last period and one when you have the first ultrasound testing. Most reliable delivery dates are the ones given from the ultrasound. Always take that date as a hint only you can become parents up to two weeks before or after. But be sure to be ready by then! Attend childbirth classes where you prepare together with your spouse for the important moment. Here you will practice breathing and learn about various birthing techniques. In many cities you also have the possibility to go to the hospital and see the station and meet the nurses. This is a really important part as you will see the individual rooms, meet people and get more mentally prepared into actually giving birth. Childbirth how does it work? Childbirth may be different from case to case. The first signal is most often labor pains and that your water will brake (the amniotic fluids will be released). This is a slightly unpleasant feeling and it is hard to prepare for this phase of childbirth. Then the contractions will start and when they are about three minutes apart you should be on your way to the hospital.

If you feel pain or if you are bleeding in the genital area, you should immediately call the hospital and seek advice. Once you get to the hospital a doctor will examine you. Be sure to tell the attending personal how you want your childbirth to be. Even if you have something special in mind and have prepared for it, it might not be that way. Childbirth can be complicated, despite it being such a natural thing. Be ready for a caesarian even if you do not want to have one. Being prepared for childbirth means to be ready for anything. The childbirth takes basically place in three stages. How long each phase will varies greatly and cannot be said in advance. During the opening stage your uterus will open up and make space for the baby. The second stage is the actual birthing of the baby. In the last stage the placenta will come out. Childbirth is a wonderful thing and you should include your spouse into this experience. Be sure to prepare together and walk through different scenarios. You need to talk about your expectations of each other, as this will help the mother through the birthing stages.