ROYAL BABY NEWS: How to get a flat stomach after giving birth

With the Princess Kate sporting her baby bulge after giving birth on Monday, here are a few tricks to help all new mums get a flatter belly fast.
 
Five years ago, three celeb mums told Mirror.co.uk how they battled the bulge after giving birth.

Predicting Your Baby’s Gender – Myths Busted! By the Portland Hospital

According the Portland Hospital London's top treatment centre for women and children, it is not possible for you to determine the sex of an unborn baby. The only realistic way the hospital says that you can predict whether a baby will be a boy or a girl is during an ultrasound that takes place during the 20th week of pregnancy.

Photo Credit : voiceinthedesert.org.uk

Here is are few great myths which claim to predict the sex of your baby according to Mr Mohamed Abdel-Aal, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at The Portland Hospital:

Morning Sickness 
Myth: if a woman experiences severe morning headaches there are good chances that she may have a baby girl.
Reality: This myth has provided fodder for a heated discussion among the obstetricians in the UK but to no conclusion due to lack of scientific evidence. If a woman is experiencing severe headaches in the morning, it is more likely that she is experiencing high blood pressure!

Heartbeat
Myth: It is believed that if the heartbeat of the baby is less than 140 then it will be a baby boy and if the heartbeat exceeds 140, it will be a baby girl.
Reality: Although this myth is a popular one there is only one particular study that favours it. The study was conducted at the University of Kentucky in 1993 which concluded that this sex prediction method was true for 91% of baby boys and 74% of baby girls.

Placement of Foetus
Myth: If you are carrying a girl it will be high up in the belly and if you are carrying a boy the foetus will be held low and down. This myth is based on the English folk wisdom that boys need greater independence and are carried down below while the girls need more protection therefore they are carried high up in the womb.
Reality: There are no scientific studies or experiments to support this myth.

Food Cravings
Myth: If the pregnant woman has a high tendency towards sweets like chocolate etc, she will give birth to a baby girl while a tendency towards salty foods can depict the presence of a baby boy.
Reality: This myth is particularly untrue because some people like sweets more than others. According to this myth, they may never be able to have a baby boy but this is not true and scientifically every couple has equal chances having either a baby girl or a baby boy.

Foetus Activity
Myth: Boys are more active inside the uterus while the girls are more placid. If the baby inside the belly shows more movements then it will be a boy and if it stays calm mostly, it will be a girl.
Reality: The activity of a foetus inside the uterus always ignites discussions amongst obstetricians and doctors. This particular myth is untrue because the movements of the baby inside the uterus depend on many other factors.

So scientifically how can expecting mothers determine the sex of their baby?
There are two methods to determine the sex of the baby. The first one is a part of invasive testing i.e. CVS or amniocentesis (the needle test). If one of these tests is carried out to find out about chromosomal abnormalities then the sex chromosomes can also be checked to identify the sex of the baby (XX for girls and XY for boys). This is extremely accurate however this invasive test cannot be performed just to find out the sex of the baby.
The other most common scientific method is ultrasound scan usually from 16-17 weeks onwards. It is over 95% accurate depending on the experience of the operator. Usually 2D scans are used to find out the sex but sometimes 3D, 4D scan can be useful and fun to watch for parents-to-be!

So, how do you predict the sex of a baby in your culture? Do your predictions come true?

Post your comments below.

Princess Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant!

LONDON, UK – Prince William and his wife Catherine are expecting their first child.