Long before the arrival of pregnancy tests, our grandmothers had their own techniques for finding out if they were pregnant, using their urine. Find out which homemade tests can help you detect pregnancy when in doubt! Be careful, they are not 100% reliable.
Did you know ? Pregnancy tests have only been available on the market for… 47 years! Yep, they started to be marketed in 1973. Before that, our grandmothers had their own methods of finding out if they were pregnant. Some women even performed homemade pregnancy tests to assess the level of the hormone HCG in the urine (which occurs when the placenta begins to form). With a little sugar, salt, white vinegar, or even toothpaste… they could see if they were having a baby or not.
Today, these techniques seem obsolete as there are so many different pregnancy tests (urine, saliva, blood, early test, etc.). And yet, they can come in handy if you don't have a test on hand and suspect you are pregnant.
In general, the body shows us fairly quickly that you are pregnant: swollen and / or painful breasts, nausea, late period, fatigue. If you don’t necessarily have all of these symptoms but are in doubt, why not try a home pregnancy test first? This is a fun way to find out if you're pregnant! Be careful to always use the first "pee" of the morning, for more efficiency. This is when urine is most concentrated in the hormone HCG.
Warning: These homemade pregnancy tests are not 100% reliable and have not been scientifically studied. They do not replace pregnancy tests bought in pharmacies or supermarkets. It will also be necessary to go to your doctor to confirm your pregnancy with a blood test analyzed in the laboratory (Beta HCG). It will allow you to know the start date of gestation.
The sugar test
As soon as you wake up, urinate into a cup. In a tall glass, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar and about the same amount of urine. Wait a few minutes before seeing the result. If the sugar has dissolved, it unfortunately means your test is negative. If, on the other hand, it has clumped in the urine, it is positive!
The toothpaste test
No, you're not dreaming. You can also tell if you are pregnant by using toothpaste. To do so, nothing could be simpler: pee in a cup then add a little bit of toothpaste in your urine. If after 10 minutes the toothpaste changes color (turns light blue) or starts to foam, you are probably pregnant and soon to be a mother. If there is no reaction, you are not having a baby.
The needle test
This homemade pregnancy test comes straight from Morocco. To make it, you will need a container with a lid and a new needle. When you wake up, urinate into the jar. Then add the new needle and place the jar in a dark place such as a cupboard. Wait eight hours. If the needle has turned black or rusted, you are sure to become a mom! If not, you are probably not pregnant.
The white vinegar test
This is one of the fastest homemade pregnancy tests! Pee in a container and then add white vinegar to it. Wait a few minutes. If the vinegar changes color, the result is positive. Otherwise, it is negative.
The coarse salt test
This test is somewhat similar to the sugar test. Pee in a cup and add a pinch of coarse salt. Set the container down and wait at least two hours. If the salt has melted, your test is positive and you will become a mother. If so, you are not expecting a baby.
The bleach test
Just add a capful of bleach to a glass of urine. If the urine becomes an organ and the fluid foams, the test is positive. If not, the test is negative. Please note, this test requires vigilance. Although very popular, it can be dangerous. Indeed in contact with urine, bleach can cause an irritant and toxic reaction to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. So give preference to other home pregnancy tests.
The whitish cloud or "pee in a glass" test
For this test, you will just need… your urine and patience! Pee in a transparent container, such as a jar. Then place it in the fridge for eight hours. If a whitish cloud has formed on the surface of the container, you may be expecting a baby. If not, the answer is no. If you are not by nature patient, you can do the test in the evening and then place it in the fridge overnight. But remember that pregnancy hormone levels are highest in morning urine.
Granny techniques for predicting the sex of the baby
Our grandmothers have more than one string to their bow. In addition to making homemade pregnancy tests, they also had techniques to tell if it was a girl or a boy. No need for sugar, salt or white vinegar, they were mainly based on physical or mental changes.
For example, if your skin does not have blemishes or acne during pregnancy, you will have a daughter. If, on the contrary, you have small buttons, they will be boys. Another old myth is that if during those nine months a baby girl appears in your dreams, then you will have a boy. And vice versa. When it comes to food, women thought at the time that if they had a craving for salt, it was because they were expecting a boy. If they had a sweet tooth, it was because they were pregnant with a girl.
Of course, none of this has been scientifically proven. These are, again, just fun little tests to do while you wait to find out your baby's gender.
When are you most likely to get pregnant?
To maximize your chances of getting pregnant, watch your menstrual cycle closely. On average, the menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and begins on the first day of your period. Around day 14, you enter the ovulation phase. Ovulation only lasts for a day, but it occurs during the fertile window, which lasts for five days (four or five days before the ovulation date and one or two days after). This is when you are most likely to get pregnant. Note that sperm can stay in the vagina for up to 4 days. So, your baby can be conceived if you have had sex two to three days before ovulation.
The menstrual cycle can be different for different women and their health. Do not hesitate to talk to your doctor and / or gynecologist about your pregnancy plan, to increase the odds in your favor.
Read also:
When and how to use a pregnancy test?
Pregnant or not? The first signs that never fail
See as well :
9 months pregnant in 90 seconds