A netball’s a boy, a wide bump’s a girl
IS KATE expecting a boy? It’s said if a woman has a bump that sticks out in front like a netball, it’s a boy — and Kate’s bump, as seen here on Sunday, fits the description to a T.
This could be because boys are, on average, larger when they’re born than girls (and therefore the bump may be slightly more pronounced). Shape on top can also be a predictor — women carrying girls develop larger breasts during pregnancy than women carrying boys (their bust increases by an average of 8cm compared with 6.3cm) as male foetuses require more energy from their mother, causing her to grow less.
There’s another reason Kate might be more likely to be having a boy — because William has a brother.
Corry Gellatly, a research scientist at Newcastle University, analysed 927 family trees and found men with brothers are more likely to have sons, while men with sisters are more likely to have daughters. This pattern is found in men but not in women.
Zara, on the other hand, is displaying all the tell-tale signs of a woman who is carrying a girl. According to perceived wisdom, if it’s a girl, the weight is spread out around an expectant mother’s middle and hips — and Zara’s bump appears to be spread more widthways than poking out to the front.
Pictured here, Zara, who is believed to be around six months pregnant, has a similar bump to when she was carrying her daughter, Mia, in 2013 (below).
This theory also works with Sophie Wessex who displayed the classic girl bump at eight months pregnant with her daughter, Lady Louise, in October 2003 — her bump full and wide across her waist and hips. Seven months pregnant with James, in October 2007, Sophie’s bump is the rounder, ‘netball’ shape.