When a woman gets pregnant, one of her first big questions is always whether or not the baby will be a boy or a girl. Of course, it will take a while before doctors can officially see which one it’s going to be on an ultrasound, but what parent wouldn’t wonder?

If only the pregnancy test could tell future moms right away, but even in 2018, that’s still not the case. Parents just have to patient before a doctor can let them know whether they will be having a son or daughter. But clearly, this is a big deal for many parents—after all, that’s why people are having gender reveal parties! Yes, parents will love their babies either way, but naturally, it’s totally normal to be curious about whether it will be a girl or a boy.

It’s true that doctors can’t immediately tell parents if they’re having a baby girl or baby boy during their first ultrasound. It takes a while for the baby to develop to the point where it’s possible to tell. But what if your body gave you some clues? Here are 10 baby girl symptoms in the second trimester (and 10 that mean it’s a boy).

20 It’s A Girl: Craving Sweets

Pretty much all pregnant women experience cravings during their pregnancies. It’s totally natural to experience this, and of course, it’s okay to indulge in sweets once in a while! According to Mom Junction, if a pregnant woman is craving a lot of sweets rather than salty or savory snacks, she is most likely going to have a girl. There doesn’t seem to be much scientific evidence behind this, but of course, many women who have daughters now say that all they wanted was sugary snacks during pregnancy! If you’re always drawn to sweets, the baby just might be a girl.

19 It’s A Boy: Hair Growing Faster

According to Healthline, many pregnant women notice that their hair grows faster, especially once they get into the second trimester. However, this does not happen to all pregnant women (symptoms can always vary from woman to woman). According to Baby Centre, women who are going to have sons will notice fast hair growth during their second trimester. This one seems to be more of an old wives tale, but if you do notice that your locks are getting long and luscious during pregnancy, who knows—it could be because you have a son on the way in a few months!

18 It’s A Girl: Carrying The Baby High

Some women carry their babies low, while others carry their babies high—this is a major reason why one woman’s baby bump could look so different from a friend at the same stage in her pregnancy! According to Medical News Today, some people say that if a woman notices during her second trimester that she is carrying the baby high, it is going to be a girl. It looks like there isn’t much research supporting this—however, women who have given birth to both boys and girls say there is a grain of truth to this theory! It’s fun to think about.

17 It’s A Boy: Headaches

Pregnant women are no strangers to headaches—after all, stress leads to headaches for most people, and pregnancy can be a very stressful time! Between the doctor’s appointments, budgeting for baby’s arrival, finding a good midwife, and strangers wanting to touch your belly, even all those prenatal yoga classes may not be enough! According to Being the Parent, women who experience a lot of headaches during pregnancy are more likely to have boys. Some say this is because of the increased testosterone in the body. It’s an interesting theory that just might prove to be true with some more research.

16 It’s A Girl: Oily Skin And Acne

Many women report changes in their skin during pregnancy—this is because during pregnancy, hormones are all over the place, and hormones have a major impact on the way our skin looks. Some women say their skin clears up, while others actually report more acne rather than a pregnancy glow! According to Mom Junction, experiencing oilier skin and acne during pregnancy could indicate that a baby girl is on her way. Once again, this is supposedly because increased estrogen can have this effect on a woman’s skin. It’s not a sure skin, but hormones can do some crazy things to women!

15 It’s A Boy: Your Hands Feel Dry

As you now know, pregnancy can cause changes in a woman’s skin. This is perfectly natural and nothing to be alarmed about—even if a pregnant woman notices more frequent breakouts, they should disappear after her pregnancy is over. According to Baby Centre, women who are going to have boys might also notice that their hands feel very dry during pregnancy—they might feel the urge to rinse and moisturize them more often to prevent cracks. It seems like this theory is mostly coming from anecdotes that women have shared, but it’s always interesting to think about old wives’ tales.

14 It’s A Girl: Intense Mood Swings

Because of the cycles of women’s bodies, we all deal with mood swings every once in a while throughout our lives. However, because of all those hormonal changes during pregnancy, those mood swings can get even more intense during any trimester! According to Mom Junction, serious mood swings can sometimes indicate that the baby is a girl. It can definitely be frustrating to deal with, but many women experience this. Once again, some women think this is because of the increase in estrogen. It’s amazing how just a few tweaks to key hormone levels can result in such major changes!

13 It’s A Boy: Cold Feet

No, we don’t mean getting cold feet about the pregnancy itself—according to Beauty Health Tips, women who are expecting baby boys might literally feel like their feet keep getting cold during the second trimester! There hasn’t really been any research done into whether or not this is scientifically accurate or not, but what if you find yourself getting cold feet throughout your pregnancy? Well, we suggest stocking up on some thick, cozy socks and keeping a pair of slippers tucked away in your closet just in case! Sometimes, you just have to bundle up and let yourself relax a bit.

12 It’s A Girl: Faster Heart Rate

So, here’s an interesting clue that a woman might be having a baby girl—according to Medical News Today, baby girls will supposedly have faster heart rates when measured by a doctor during pregnancy. This used to seem like a fairly straightforward guideline, but of course, there are always new studies coming out about information like this. Now, doctors think that baby boys might actually have slightly faster heart rates! But more research will be needed to confirm that. If you want a baby girl and get a faster heart rate reading, you might just be getting your wish for a daughter.

11 It’s A Boy: Craving Salty Snacks

 

If a baby girl is on the way, you might be craving sweets—but if a baby boy is on the way, you might be reaching for pretzels, chips, and nuts, because you just need to eat salt! According to Essential Baby, many women find that when they are having a boy, they can’t resist eating all the salty and savory snacks they can get their hands on. However, doctors say there probably isn’t a huge correlation—while there is a possibility that the different hormones could affect a woman’s sense of smell differently, it’s probably just some random cravings.

10 It’s A Girl: Dull Hair Texture

Earlier, we mentioned that if a woman is having a baby boy, she might notice her hair growing longer and faster. Other changes to hair can occur if she is having a baby girl—or so the midwives used to say! According to Baby Centre, women who are expecting girls might notice that their texture of their hair looks a little dull and flat. However, it’s unlikely that is truly pregnancy related—it is probably just a coincidence. As always, there is the possibility of a hormonal influence, but this is such a minor detail that it does seem unlikely.

9 It’s A Boy: Carrying The Baby Low

If a woman is going to have a baby girl, she might be carrying the baby high—but according to Essential Baby, if she is having a baby boy, she might be carrying the baby low. This is one of those wives’ tales that is probably just impossible to prove one way or the other, but it has stuck around for so long that women will probably always be guessing based on how they’re carrying! Doctors say that this sign is simply too ambiguous to really tell you anything, but come on, who isn’t going to speculate based on the bump?

8 It’s A Girl: Sleeping On Your Right Side

Pregnant women pretty much always end up sleeping on their sides by the second trimester—once the baby starts to grow and the bump really starts to appear, it’s just so much more comfortable! Sleeping on your belly becomes impossible at a certain point. According to Being the Parent, sleeping on your right side is a sign that you may be having a baby girl! On the other hand, sleeping on your left side means that you should be getting ready for a baby boy. This one is just fun to think about, but maybe there’s a little truth to it!

7 It’s A Boy: Clear Skin

Ah, those pregnancy hormones—it’s so hit or miss to see how they will affect a woman’s skin. She just never knows until it’s already been a few weeks! According to Beauty Health Tips, women who are carrying boys may find that they are the lucky ones whose skin clears up, especially in the second trimester—and that’s when that lovely pregnancy glow kicks in! Is this a guarantee that a woman will have a boy? Well, no—but it could be a good sign if you’ve been dreaming about having a son. It never hurts to daydream a little, right?

6 It’s A Girl: Your Nose Widens

What is one of the most prominent physical changes that occurs during pregnancy? Well, aside from the baby bump, women will always experience a little weight gain—according to Healthline, anywhere between 25 to 38 pounds is a perfectly healthy amount. And a little weight gain can make a woman’s face look slightly different—according to Being the Parent, if you’re having a girl it may even look like your nose is getting wider! Could this simply be a trick of the light? Sure. But if a woman does notice, a baby girl could just be making her presence known.

5 It’s A Boy: Excessive Saliva

If you’ve ever gotten that uncomfortable feeling of having too much saliva in your mouth—which can sometimes occur when people are feeling nauseas—then you can imagine how frustrating it would be to deal with this during pregnancy. According to Baby Prepping, if this happens to a woman during pregnancy, it is a sign that she is going to have a boy. However, it seems like there is actually a pretty easy explanation for this—if a woman is feeling ill because of morning sickness, it could have that affect on her regardless of whether it’s a boy or girl.

4 It’s A Girl: Your Hands Feel Soft

If a woman is going to have a baby boy, they say that her hands will feel dry and cracked during pregnancy—but according to Baby Prepping, her hands will feel smooth if a baby girl is on the way. Now, this might sound a little bit like it would just be a coincidence, but once again, there actually could be a slight hormonal connection here. Increased estrogen could account for that soft, smooth feeling. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, and it’s only a small sign, but those little clues can always be exciting!

3 It’s A Boy: Shiny Hair

 

Once a woman reaches her second trimester, she can start to look more visibly pregnant to the people around her—but those effects don’t just mean a bump! According to Mom Junction, one wonderful sign that a woman might be having a baby boy is the appearance of her hair. If she notices that the texture of her hair is becoming smooth and shiny, she just may be having a boy! No special styling products required for the look. What a nice perk, right? Especially once she gets to the third trimester and no longer wants to bother with doing her hair!

2 It’s A Girl: Your Face Looks Rounder

Back in the day, people used to have many more little theories about how a woman could tell if she was having a girl. According to Essential Baby, many midwives (and mothers themselves) used to say that a woman would know she was going to have a daughter if her face looked rounder during the pregnancy. But nowadays, doctor say that this simply depends on how much weight the mother has gained! Sure, it’s fun to imagine that it could be a clue, but it is most likely a universal experience amongst pregnant women because all of them gain some weight.

1 It’s A Boy: Big Appetite

If a pregnant woman is wondering whether or not she’s having a baby boy, she could take a look at how much is on her plate. According to Healthline, women who have baby boys actually consume an extra 300 calories per day on average compared to women who have baby girls. This rule may not apply to everyone, and it could also have to do with the fact that women having daughters are more likely to have severe morning sickness, causing them to lose their appetites! Either way, having a son goes hand in hand with having a big appetite!

Sources: momjunction.com, healthline.com, babycentre.com, medicalnewstoday.com, beingtheparent.com, beautyhealthtips.com, essentialbaby.au, babyprepping.com