Gender selection and how many children..

[JammyK]

Hi, just want some advice as I've got a decision to make. I have 2 ds's and I'm very happy with our little family but there is a part of me that really wants a dd. Dh said that if I want another 1 we can try for 1 but I'm not really sure that his heart is in it. Also I read somewhere that if you've got 2 ds's then you're 75% more likely to conceive another ds, I'm not sure how true this is. I'd be happy with another ds but would be absolutely thrilled with a dd. I just want to know about the different methods of trying to conceive a girl and whether or not you all think I'm mad for even considering going in for number 3 when my youngest ds is only 5 months old!? Anyway, look forward to your advice, thanks.

[dontwanttogetoutofbed]

my sil sort of 'gender chose' her fourth. she had 3 ds's and wanted a dd.
she went to the doctor and he asked her - what level of external intervention do you want - she said as much as possible without undergoing any operations or ivf's.

he tested her with an ultrasound every month to tell her when she was ovulating. they were supposed to have sex only during the 24hours of the ovulation, not after.

it was a 60% chance for a girl
they got what they wanted.

[JammyK]

But that was with private healthcare? I can't imagine them doing that on the NHS lol!!! Thanks though - it shows that there is hope.

[JammyK]

Bump...

[alicet]

We tried this for a dd this time but are expecting a ds. There is a book by someone called Hazel Chapman-Phillips (or something similar!!) called how to select the sex the natural way (or something similar). Book is at mates's so can't check exact title. Can buy on Amazon.

Basically the idea is that x sperm (that make girls) swim slower but live longer. y sperm (that make boys) swim faster but die in about 24 hours. So if you have sex when you are ovulating you are more likely to get a boy as the y sperm will get there first. If you have sex a few days before ovulation you are more likely to get a girl as the y's that got there first will have died to make room for the x's to win the race!

The book has loads of advice how to work out when you're ovulating and claims high success rates. They also have loads of stuff about manipulating sperm counts to improve your odds - low sperm counts (lots of sex, make him wear a jock strap) favour girls as x sperm are more hardy where as high sperm counts favour boys (infrequent sex, keep his bits cool!).

I was impatient and just did it with ovulation tests so probably messed up as we went too close to ovulation. Not disappointed to be having another ds now though!

Good luck!

[twoplusone]

I know they do say that if you have two of one sex then the third will probably be the same sex.. Both my grandmothers.. (pmaternal and paternal) had 2 girls then a boy.. ( then paternal had another 2 girls.. maternal then had another2boys and last one a girl.)

Not much help I know..

They do say that certain foods can help determin.. not sure how true this is though..

Good luck in your decision

[TuttiFrutti]

My sister was in exactly your position, read the book on how to determine your child's sex and followed it to the letter, and did have a dd. She was thrilled after 2 dss. However, who knows if the book worked? You have roughly a 50% chance of either sex whatever happens.

Have heard anecdotal evidence of other people who have tried the book though and are convinced it worked for them.

[Idobelieveinfairies]

I had DD and then had 6DS's and then another DD at the end (she is twin with DS6)...

She was convinced later than her twn brother though, by 2 weeks according to early scans. considerign i concieved ds on day 25/28 day cycle..it was all amazing!!

[dejags]

We have two DS's and a our newborn is a DD.

I wish there was a science to it, but there wasn't.

The only thing different with DD is that we weren't actively trying for a baby and we were not having sex frequently at the time she was conceived. I reckon she was conceived from sex on day 11 if I look back at my diary, so really early in my cycle.

The DS's on the other hand were conceived on day 18 & 19 respectively.

Just a warning - girl pregnancies are vile - I puked for 7 months

Good luck.

[frazzledazzle]

I also have 2 DS's and a newborn daughter.
I did nothing different to conceive her and the pregnancy was identical to the other two.

I was convinced she was DS3, in fact she was called he for the first week .

I don't really beleive in it but the chinese gender prediction chart was right all 3 times for me too!

[nails]

I looked on this board while ttc:
www.ukparents.net/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=31
(just copy & paste the link)
Its a gender selection board full of info & support, it has got info on the diets, methods etc.

[chipmonkey]

I followed Hazel Chesterman Phillips absolutely to the letter and got ds3! I'm pretty sures ds1 and ds2 were also conceived well before ovulation.

[evenhope]

I tried Hazel Phillips method. The first one was the DD we wanted but took 18 months to conceive. The next 3 were all boys (only wanted girls) and took not quite as long as DD but still longer than most people I knew TTC.

DD2 was a "surprise". We weren't actively trying and I think we'd only actually had sex once in the 2 months following a m/c (not mid cycle either).

[nails]

From what I have read on various sites many people that have tried the different methods think that it's more to do with your internal environment, hence the taking of supplements and the diet rather than the timing (which Chesterman-Phillips & Shettles recommend).

[chipmonkey]

The diet is so boring though!

[nails]

LOL chipmonkey, it doesn't look very appetising does it! Can't say that I could stick to something like that, I'd find it far too restricting. I'm sure some of the people just relied on the supplements to alter their environment.

[nails]

I've read that some people tested the ph of their cervical mucus, so if it was alkaline (for boys) or acidic (for girls) then they didn't really need the diet to alter it.

[CoteDAzur]

alicet's explanation is spot on. For a DD, you need to conceive before ovulation, ideally days before.

My DD was conceived on day 11 of a 32-33 day cycle.

Don't think sex of baby has much with morning sickness, though. I had none with DD. A friend has two DSs, puked her heart out when pregnant with DS1, had nothing with DS2.

[appletree3520]

I have to say, I thought I'd like a girl after 2 ds's, was very broody, but once I was pregnant wasn't too bothered whether boy or girl, and when I had a scan and saw the baby I was just exhilerated to be having another baby regardless of gender. Suddenly didn't care. Had another ds and think I must just have wanted 3 children because now I really don't think about having a girl any more, don't want one at all! Love my 3 ds's, feels quite special. So yes go for 3 (but not yet!!!) and all I'd say is don't worry if it doesn't turn out to be a girl - try if you must but you may end up more disappointed than otherwise if it doesn't work - and if you have another boy I'm sure you'll love it regardless and may even end up feeling complete!

[daisybo]

i have a book called 'choose the sex of your baby the natural way' by hazel chesterman phillips worked for me, got 1 ds and 1 dd.
if you'd like it you can have it for £3 inc p&p