The girliest boy nubs ever

[JJ66]

Hey all! I had a recent post with my baby's 12w 3d nub. It looks very girly, but we don't know gender yet. All guessed girl.

Atomic warned that she's seen many girly nubs can end up being boys, so naturally, I've been obsessed ever since. I don't mean this to scare anyone with a girly nub (although I myself am pretty nervous), but thought I'd show this gallery of nubs that have turned out to be boys. All taken after 12 weeks.

The middle one is mine that I included to compare. Again - I don't know gender yet, and we're team green.

P.S. Any super duper nub experts out there who can tell why some seem more "boyish" than others, I'd love to hear.

[atomic sagebrush]

All babies start off looking like girls. It's just how fetal development works. The Y chromosome is dormant till the 10th week, at which point it "wakes up" and starts giving orders to make testosterone. It is only once the testosterone is being made, that the genitals in baby boys turn from looking 100% girly, to looking like a boy. (this is the exact same thing that happens when trans people start taking testosterone - the clitoris turns into a penis, without any surgery required.) By the end of the 13th week this is generally a visible difference on an ultrasound (but there are exceptions which is why you really need to wait till 18-20 weeks for confirmation.)

For some babies, this happens slightly faster. So if you go to an ultrasound at 12 w and there's a huge ding dong there, it's ~likely~ but not certain the baby is a boy. It's not certain because position can make a flat nub looked angled up, and also because leg bones and cord can trick the ultrasound tech (or US!) But if you don't see a dingdong at 12 w, that doesn't mean your baby is a girl, because many, many nubs still rise after that point. There is also to be considered the notion that you may have your dates a little off, so a 12 w 3 nub could actually be an 11 w 6 d nub, for example. End of 12th week is better, end of 13th is even better, early 14th is best. After that, things get temporarily confusing again and are less reliable from 15-18 weeks at which point potty shot becomes reliable.

[JJ66]

Yes, and from the looks of it, these others were all later risers. Some of these I think were even from the 13th week. Just goes to show your point about waiting until weeks 18-20.

I actually have another scan tomorrow, which will be 15-ish weeks. So you're saying that's a less reliable time too. I didn't realize that! Drat.

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, and from the looks of it, these others were all later risers. Some of these I think were even from the 13th week. Just goes to show your point about waiting until weeks 18-20.

I actually have another scan tomorrow, which will be 15-ish weeks. So you're saying that's a less reliable time too. I didn't realize that! Drat.

I think we talked about this already JJ so forgive me for being repetitive but I"ve seen 2 late in the 13th week I would have sworn were girls (and I mean I was 100% convinced!) that were boys. So nubs can be great, but they're not a guarantee that the later ultrasounds are.

15 is actually less reliable because it's too soon for potty to be reliable, but getting an accurate nub is more difficult than early on. I would put more faith in the potty shot at 15 weeks, but even then it isn't a sure thing.

[Nell_]

I'd say the top nub looks boyish anyway as it's at an angle compared to the spine - not that I'm an expert! Your one definitly looks girly at the moment though. The bottom left looks girly and right one id say raised so boyish all very confusing! Shame there is such a thing as the nub theory kind of ruins surprise if someone is team green

[JJ66]

I'd say the top nub looks boyish anyway as it's at an angle compared to the spine - not that I'm an expert! Your one definitly looks girly at the moment though. The bottom left looks girly and right one id say raised so boyish all very confusing! Shame there is such a thing as the nub theory kind of ruins surprise if someone is team green

They are confusing! Yeah, I'm not very good at this Team Green business.

[JJ66]

Well, I have more photos from today's scan (although I know still unreliable). The cord was wrapped around the baby's thigh so it was tricky, but I have to say, I couldn't see anything that screamed boy. This is 15 weeks, 3 days.

I circled the 'nub' or what's left of it. The other is a potty shot which isn't very clear. Thought welcome as always!

[atomic sagebrush]

I just don't feel good about guessing on these, I"m sorry! Just not clear enough for me.

[JJ66]

I just don't feel good about guessing on these, I"m sorry! Just not clear enough for me.

No worries, I understand!

[Nell_]

Sorry wouldn't have a clue from those xx