Predicting a baby's gender

[naomi24]

I don't quite know how to word this, and I know it's going to sound daft, but when women are pregnant, their friends often dangle a metal necklace or a needle and cotton over the bump to detect the gender of the unborn child. If the item swings back and forth, the baby is deemed to be a boy, if it goes round and round, it's a girl. I can honestly say I can never remember it coming up with the wrong result. It seems like hocus pocus, but since hocus pocus is just that, there must be a logical explanation. Does anyone have any idea what it could be?

[factor-fiction]

It works 50% of the time

[gen2]

It fails 50% of the time as well.

[rov1200]

A Japanese fraudster sold a potion to mothers-to-be claiming that by taking it would result in having a boy. He ended up very rich.

[wildwood]

Really Naomi! I'm surprised that you would subscibe to such twaddle.

What happens with one girl and one boy twin?

[naomi24]

Oh, blow! No takers then? And there's me thinking it was something to do with the proverbial animal magnetism! ;o)

[jake-the-peg]

I saw this "method" tried on a TV program about 20 years ago - the needle went up and down -they declared it a boy - then they did a scan and the doctor agreed.

About a month or two later they went back to the story - the woman had had a girl. The umbilical had tangled between the babies legs and fooled the doctor!

Scan technology's moved on a bit since then!

This is seriously hocus pocus of the highest order - If you believe this I'm expecting to see you posting in Religion in defence of spirits in the sky any day!

[whiskeryron]

Are you seriously saying Jake there are not spirits in the sky ?

[jake-the-peg]

Only on the night of the 24th of December

[heathfield]

It works in the same way as divining for water. Scoff all you like - but there's no doubt whatsoever that water divining works. That said, it's degree of success depends on the expertise of the individual diviner.

[naomi24]

Ha ha! Watch this space, Jake - or not! :o)

I was talking to someone who firmly believes this works, which is what prompted my post, and I must admit I asked the question with tongue firmly in cheek just wondering if anyone would come up with some outlandish explanation to support it. If Wildwood hadn't instantly hit upon the very obvious fly in the ointment, I would have let it run a little longer. Incidentally, the reason I say I can never remember it coming up with the wrong result is because by the time the baby's born, I've forgotten what the result was!

[naomi24]

Do you believe it then, Heathfield?

[jake-the-peg]

There's no doubt at all that water diving works?

In your mind perhaps!

Personally I'd say it was all just ideomotor action

This is the classic article on it - probably the baby one too not to mention Darren Browns "haunted" tables

http://www.quackwatch...Topics/ideomotor.html

[ummmm]

I thought you done it over the hand. Anyway, we done it on my Dad and we got the right results.

Not saying I believe it though because according to that method I have 4 boys and 1 girl.

I have 2 boys and 1 girl.

[naomi24]

Ummmm, what do you mean you did it on your dad? Was your dad pregnant?

[Sqad]

naomi....LOL

[ummmm]

He looked it...lol

That's why I said always thought you done it over the hand...that's how we done it anyway. It worked for him..

[jake-the-peg]

I did also see a challenge to dowsers where all comers were asked to do certian tests like determine which cardboard box hid a glass of water and some others.

There were dozens of them - crucially before they tried - each was individually asked if it was a fair test and whether they thought they'd be able to do it

To a man/woman they all said the could - to a man/woman they all failed

What was really interesting was the stream of excuses that then came forward - they're so invested in the idea that they have special powers that they simply couldn't accept failure

[naomi24]

Ummmm, so you mean it confirmed he was a man?

[ummmm]

No...it came up that he had 2 daughters by doing it over his hand.

[naomi24]

Oh, I see what you mean, ummmm. I've never heard of it being done on a man.