May BFP Bus

Morning girls how are we all today? It's Friday and that means, depending on everyone's current situation, or ! Or all three of course...

I have to agree I think the 'times to have a boy' etc sounds so unscientific!

I know several families who have five girls, or four boys, despite being desperate for one of the other sex, so think it must be really hard to achieve. At the moment it seems getting upduffed is enough of a challenge for me

hanflan there is some very unscientific evidence to suggest Y(male) sperm prefer a more alkaline environment than X (female) sperm. Certain dietary changes can affect vaginal pH. So, according to this theory, you could make your fanjo more boy friendly or girl friendly. That's why you hear "eat more meat" or " avoid dairy" etc etc.

I actually think it's a load of nonsense, but TTC is boring, so WTH!

You are quite correct Lilly, sperm are either X or Y (XX= female and XY =male so only the male decides the sex and all eggs are X). I'm not sure how true it is that it runs in families- it would have to be passed down through the male side either way so it has to involve a man somewhere even if they predispose for girls! It would make more sense for it to be to do with genetic links with sperm production and the fact that female sperm are heavier, slower but longer lasting and the male sperm are lighter, faster and las a shorter period of time. Probably more do with a genetic link to sperm count and motility rather than an actual link with some men producing more of one gender over another!! I shall point out that all this waffling I'm doing is based entirely on the AI courses that I do for cows and horses...

In other news, OH lasted a sterling 4 days of AF before he just couldn't contain himself any more. I believe he may be regretting his "abstinence for a boy" suggestion...

Oh and with dominant genes...my son looks exactly like DH's side of the family. DH's grandad is one of three boys, he had three boys, who each had two boys (except one had one boy one girl) and then of dh and his cousins, they have gone on to have three more boys.

My understanding is that sperm is male or female and that is how gender is decided. So in DH's family it would seem that they are genetically predisposed to have more make sperm than female, meaning more chance of boys. The genes are very dominant on the side as well as they all look so similar.

Happy to be corrected on any of this science...but in pretty sure that's how it works!

Yes I am just starting the tww as I'm now cd13 of a 26 day cycle. I don't think dh could manage another dtd tonight!

I don't bother with opk's or temping, just go by ewcm and ovulation pain. But to be honest this is cycle 5 for me now so if we don't conceive this month I think I will start with telling next month.

Yeah I found temping great but only because I didn't know if I was ovulating so that confirmed that I was definitely, but if you're sure you're ovulating I possibly wouldn't bother. It's a fair bit of hassle!

Yeah if the sonographer was right (which I'm pretty sure he probably was) then tracing the family tree might give you an idea. But there are plenty of anomalies in families though so there must be some other factors at play!!

Ooh thank you Sunny that's really helpful. I may do the OPK's for a week then to see if they indicate anything, otherwise I think for now I'll leave it to EWCM. Interesting reading about what you said re the dominant genes, me and DP have been wondering about this - DP is one of 2, both boys , his dad is one of 3 again all boys and I am one of one of each! Dp thinks we'll have a boy and I think I'm inclined to agree! But only time will tell

Yeah so basically just do what you want then hanflan! I have no idea re trying for one or another. The sonographer who did my 20 week scan last time said it's just down to male genes as to whether you get a boy or a girl. Something to do with which gender producing sperm is more dominant, so basically I don't think there's a lot you can do really! But then again I don't get how that works when people have one of each?! Who knows, maybe someone more knowledgable can answer that one!

minty I temped last time because I had crazy cycles coming off the pill. I won't be doing any OV tracking this time, other than ECWM, but that's no effort. Basically you should be temping from the start of your cycle, roughly same time every morning and the minute you wake up. It needs to be after you've been asleep a while as well. You'll notice you have lower temperatures in the first half of your cycle, then it dips and spikes after OV and then stays consistently higher and gradually increases until AF arrives when it drops, or you're pregnant and it goes even higher still. That's a basic overview anyways!

Morning all....waves just been catching up with everyone's updates, hope everyone is ok. My cycles since coming off the pill have been 27, 31, 24, 33 (chemical). Ovia is averaging them at 28 days so as for when AF is due, she reckons 12th May and that my fertile window starts on 25th at cd12 . So it's out with the OPK's again.... Can someone please give me a bit of info re temping? What should/shouldn't our bodies be doing and whats the norm for ov? And does anyone not bother with OPK's/temping and just go by EWCM for predicting your fertile days and ov?

So what the general hints and tips if you want to sway things towards having a boy? I've heard eating lots of meat helps?! Not a big meat fan so we'll have to see about that one haha.

I've been told that unless the man actually has sperm quality/quantity issues then there is no harm DTD every day. Worked for us first time round! I ov'd on cd16, we DTD cd 15 16 and 17. That was it!

Oh and on DTD days, there seems to be a mixed bag of advice. Some people say sperm quality isn't as good if you DTD every day, where as others day the more the better! So who knows, good luck!

Yeah 14 day luteal phase is standard isn't it so your dates sound right to me there. I OV much much later than that, each cycle seems quite long sometimes but when I'm not TTC it's nice!!

Lily I had a 26 day cycle last month and ovulated on Day 12 (well that was when I had a positive OPK and ovulation pain as it was Easter Sunday and I felt terrible!) so I think I ovulate on Day 13. I do wonder if Fertility Friend is more accurate than Clue, as it picks up other symptoms too. Hoping to dtd tonight and ideally tomorrow if that is my OV date as it'll be Day 12.

Are you now in the 2ww then?

You all seem to ovulate much later than me. I have a 26 day cycle and I start getting signs of ovulation around cd8. Fertility friend says I ovulate on cd12. Does that sound right? I haven't done temping or opk's yet, trying to avoid it if possible.

If I've got the dates right then I'm hopeful this month, we managed to dtd on cd 9,10,11 and 12. Although dh struggled with cd12!!

Previous months we have been doing every other day but thought we would really go for it this month!

I should be OVing tomorrow according to Fertility Friend. Clue says it'll be later.

My DH is suffering anxiety and working really long hours at the min so we haven't DTD all week so I feel a bit frustrated! Going to try to do it tonight but I'm not holding my breath that I'll get my BFP this month.

OPKs and temping aren't yet showing a rise so maybe I'll be lucky...

I'm ovulating Gin. I'm CD 18 and had my positive OPK on CD 16. Just waiting for a temp rise but I would have thought it would have gone up today.

This is my fourth month temping but the first time using OPKS. I have had a few months with two temp dips though, I hope this isn't a false LH surge! I've managed to time dtd really well but I was hoping for a rest.

I guess I'll keep doing OPKs if I don't get a temp rise.

lucy that's hilarious! Def think OH's have it easier. Hi minty so sorry to hear you have had a rough time. Thinking of you too kellz, holding out hope it is your month! CD21 today and think I might be ovulating; EWCM and a positive OPK plus a temp dip this morn. DTD this morning, a couple of nights ago and plan to try again tonight so fx. Cycles have been crazy long so if it is tonight then this will be a week earlier than my shortest cycle to date post implant so fx! Maybe Angus castus is doing the trick, but also mindful I've had false LH surges most months so we will see. I'd be overjoyed at the prospect of a 35 day cycle though; the last one was 56! Anyone else OVing around now?

I just suggested SMEP to my OH and I could have sworn he did a little squeal of delight!! I then mentioned to him that it would scupper his alleged plans for a boy and the look on his face could not have been more torn if he'd tried... OHs definitely have the easier end of the deal!!

everdene yeah I would start much later. But I'll stick to my own plan anyways! It is pressure for DHs but I do think in the grand scheme of things they massively have the easier job!!

Kellz yeah I guess most people go in to it expecting to conceive reasonably quickly. Are you not managing to DTD much then?

Sunny I guess you'd adapt to fit your own cycle!

My poor DH is struggling with anxiety so was too stressed to dtd - I suggested we put off TTC this month but he says he wants to, just wasn't feeling up to it last night.

Just googled it and do you start DTD at cd8?! That's way too early for me because I have 33-35 day cycles. But we are planning to just DTD a few times a week and then every other day from about cd17 for a week or so, so it's not too dissimilar to my plan I don't think?! Other than I won't be doing OPKs. Last time I temped so I just stopped a few days after I thought I'd confirmed OV. But hoping not to have to get in to that this time!