Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Swaying the sex

139 replies

Orangesandlemons1 · 29/11/2017 21:36

I have a wonderful ds and I am thinking about trying to conceive a second. If I do this baby will definitely by last. I’d be delighted with a baby of either sex and I know it is not a right to have a child. It may not even happen this time I’m older now and people don’t always conceive as easily second time.

I would if I was to be completely honest be thrilled with the idea of a little girl because I already have a boy who is fantastic, so would like one of the other sex to experience having a daughter. I will probably get a flaming for this but if I was to choose I would choose to have a girl this time. Are there any mumsnetters who tried to sway the odds with diet/conception timing to a baby girl, and did you have a girl?

Then I think to myself is it even reasonable to try doing this (even if it’s not very scientifically effective). A healthy baby is all anyone should really be aiming for and I would be equally happy with a another ds. Is it reasonable to try to alter the course of natures sex selection with natural methods? I just can’t shake that nagging feeling a little girl would be lovely.

OP posts:
Original poster
Orangesandlemons1 · 30/11/2017 08:19

Cherryontop as I have said a child of either sex child would be loved and welcomed. So please keep the don’t bother with a second child comment to yourself. I am in charge of my ovaries thank you, I won’t be heeding advice not to have a second child by a random stranger online. Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
Orangesandlemons1 · 30/11/2017 08:22

Thanks to all sharing their methods. I think it probably really is 50/50 but you never know and I may read up a bit more about the diet methods.

OP posts:
Jenala · 30/11/2017 08:36

I can't see how dietary changes can possibly make even a tiny difference. You do know how sex is decided right? The sperm. The winning little guy is X or Y and boom you have your girl or your boy.

Whether you've eaten more carbs that day or not won't change that.

Columbine1 · 30/11/2017 08:45

I read somewhere ages ago that you are more likely to have a baby of the same sex as yr previous child.
I also know someone who had 4 boys when desperate for a girl then no5 was a girl.

Oysterbabe · 30/11/2017 08:47

I think the theory is that your diet can affect the PH of your cervical mucus and that girl embryos are more likely to implant in an acidic environment. I have no doubt it's all nonsense but that it will work around 50% of the time...

Original poster
Orangesandlemons1 · 30/11/2017 08:55

I do know sex is determined by the sperm but believe that he theory is certain factors can make the vagina more hospitable to xx or xy.
This will be my last child because of health reasons amongst others. I would be delighted with a boy but can’t shake the feeling I would like a Daughter in our family. There is no way I would keep trying after two as I could have ten boys who and I wouldn’t continue as I don’t want more than two children of either sex. I feel slightly guilty for saying I have a preference for a girl But I can’t be the first woman in the world who has had a preference. So whilst there is little or no evidence, neither are the theories disproven. There would be no harm to me or baby from trying.
Columbine that’s interesting what you say about more likely to have a child of the same sex as previously, so that would mean there are more families with ds ds and dd dd than ds dd.

OP posts:
Ansumpasty · 30/11/2017 09:00

I did. I had a boy and would have been happy with another but thought I would try as if it worked, great, if it didn't, so what. DH told me 'if you want a girl, best have it with someone else as the men in my family don't make girls.' He was joking, of course, but I saw it as a challenge Wink Could be a load of s**t so take with a pinch of salt and not too seriously but here's what I did.

I usually drink hot water and lemon every morning (not out of choice, I have IBS which means no tea or coffee and I want a hot drink). I read about the alkalising properties of this and how I want to make my vagina more acidic. Possibly TMI but does your discharge ever bleach black underwear very slightly? Mine did as a teenager and stopped when I started the lemons. So, to make myself more acidic, I drank lots of peppermint tea for a month (maybe 4 cups a day?) and soda, which I never drink. Bleach crotch came back Grin.
I also read about the timing of intercourse and how the X chromosome sperm swim slower and the male faster, but the x live longer. This was actually chance as DH worked abroad and was back for one night, about 3 days before I was due to ovulate. Did it then and well, it worked.
I don't know if it was the things I did that worked, obviously, but I know that I did the opposite (alkaline vagina and sex on day of ovulation) when I conceived DS and the opposite with DD.

paxillin · 30/11/2017 09:09

IVF followed by pre-implantation genetic diagnostics is effective. All other "methods" are nonsense.

Blobby10 · 30/11/2017 09:13

I 'tried' for a girl for my third by only having sex during or after ovulation and it worked! Mind you I was VERY tuned into my body at that point and when ovulation was happening.

Who knows whether it was predestined or just luck or whether this theory worked? Anyway I got my daughter after two amazing sons and love the three of them to bits.

Robinkitty · 30/11/2017 09:17

i planned on following the shettles method ttc dc3 ended up dtd peak boy time and ended up with a girl.

Corkscrewbetty · 30/11/2017 09:18

Use preseed lube and have sex four to five days before you ovulate. I'm not sure if it works, but I have a girl. I read that the X sperm hangs around longer and the preseed lube creates a nice little environment for it. You say you would be happy with a DS anyway, but if you want to give it a try, it can't hurt. Do what you want!

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 30/11/2017 09:20

Have a look at the Ingender forum OP. That’s where my friend got all her info from, she is adamant it worked.

specialsubject · 30/11/2017 09:30

All cobblers as anyone capable of understanding probability can see.

You can have sperm selected or abort the wrong type.

Columbine1 · 30/11/2017 09:35

Yes more likely to have repeat children of same sex.
I very much wanted one sex & got the other. I very quickly got over it.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 30/11/2017 09:36

At any rate, if you do try 'swaying' and it doesn't work, please keep quiet about it to anyone near. Otherwise some tactless arse will eventually let no. 2 know that they were a disappointment, even a little one, when they arrived.

It's bad enough even when you're entirely happy with either, having people ' commiserating' when you produce a 2nd the same. I found it very hurtful after the arrival of much loved and wanted dd2, having people saying, 'Never mind, next time...' etc.

ElizabethLemon · 30/11/2017 09:36

Jesus, lime juice soaked tampons 🤯!

Every time I read one of these threads the preference is for a girl never a boy.

user1499786242 · 30/11/2017 09:41

Shettles doesn't work
Has been completely debunked

You need to follow the LE diet
Make some other changes

You need to go on gender dreaming, you can download the app Tapatalk and it's all on there
A woman named atomic (well that's her online name)
Created the method and it's got a pretty good success rate

Good luck! X

bigfishlittlefishtupperwarebox · 30/11/2017 09:54

My DH has 3 DS with precious partner. Was convinced he only "made" boys, but he cut out all salt from his diet when we were ttc and we got a fabulous DD. He usually has a LOT of salt. Could have been chance, but you never know!

TeaAndToast85 · 30/11/2017 09:55

I am carrying a girl, we were on holiday in santorini at point of conception so was eating lots of Greek lamb and drinking a LOT of beer. Somehow I don't think that is particularly good advice though Grin

TeaAndToast85 · 30/11/2017 09:58

We used fertility lube (the stuff in the little tubes that you squeeze into yourself...kills the moment a bit...) and we did it 3 or 4 times leading up to O but I don't think on the actual day. Not on purpose, just because. Good luck with DC2, as you said you will love them either way x

Italiangreyhound · 30/11/2017 10:00

I think it is totally fine to have a preference, I had a preference but didn't tell anyone in real life.

However, using a method which is unproven and which actually weakens your chances of becoming pregnant at all, that doesn't seem like a good idea.

No idea if these links are accurate but do your research first.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1440662/

www.newscientist.com/article/dn19048-bumpology-choosing-the-sex-of-your-child/

Don't let anyone make you feel bad.

Rebeccaslicker · 30/11/2017 10:04

Getting - who on earth would think that was an ok thing to say??

I think 2 of the same would be lovely. I know it's in no way guaranteed of course, and of course boy/girl can be close too, but so many of my friends are so close to their siblings when they are the same sex, and my nieces are inseperable; it's like an instant best friend!

FourForYouGlenCoco · 30/11/2017 10:14

What upsets me about these threads is that the preference is always, always for a girl. I know it’s nothing to do with me, but I can’t help but take it a little bit personally that somebody might think my beautiful, amazing, incredibly wanted DS is somehow ‘lesser’ because he’s not a girl. Not you so much, OP, but some people are scarily set on a girl and it makes me very sad for any boy they might end up having.

elQuintoConyo · 30/11/2017 10:20

Lime juice tampons Shock fuck my eyes!

Bicarb · 30/11/2017 10:40

Confirmation bias is strong in this thread...