Trying until having a baby boy

[TunMahla]

An acquaintance of mine basically kept trying to have a baby boy after having had only daughters previously (4 of them!). I personally find it shocking that there can be such a preference for male progeny in this day and age. Note, I am talking about clear preference for a boy, not trying for another child of a different gender.

YABU: it is normal to keep trying pregnancy after pregnancy to get a baby boy
YANBU: it is weird as hell to keep trying pregnancy after pregnancy to get a baby boy

I wanted a boy. I had a girl. I wasn't disappointed to find out I was having a girl at all. Having had IVF I was thrilled to be pregnant at all and knew how lucky I was. Now I have her I think she is fricking awesome and am glad I had her and not another baby. She is perfect for me. If I only ever have her I will remain thrilled that I had the chance to be her mum.

I wonder if this is why my mum is one of four girls

@helprequiired

I wonder if this is why my mum is one of four girls

But 4 girls sounds amazing! Some people just want lots of kids.

I have a boy. If I have a girl next, I'd still want a 3rd of either sex!

I know a family who had twin girls, tried for a third supposedly for a boy and ended up with triplet girls in the second pregnancy. Five kids under 3! Not quite the same as only two pregnancies but God I can't imagine it.

Fuck the environment, I want a booooy!!!!!

Why don't these people just pay for gender selection.... pretty sure the Beckhams did this and I think Danielle Lloyd is planning too.

I have two beautiful girls and I often get asked if I want a boy. My answer is always
No. I am lucky enough to have 2 healthy children, why would I tempt fate at the chance of my next child being unhealthy?

I know a family of 5 boys and one girl. They kept trying until they finally got what they wanted. What I’ve never understood, if it’s that important why wouldn’t you not go abroad and get gender selection fertility treatment. Surely that would be cheaper than an entire brood of kids.

@BigBreastedMumma

Why don't these people just pay for gender selection.... pretty sure the Beckhams did this and I think Danielle Lloyd is planning too.

I have two beautiful girls and I often get asked if I want a boy. My answer is always
No. I am lucky enough to have 2 healthy children, why would I tempt fate at the chance of my next child being unhealthy?

It’s illegal in the UK.

@BigBreastedMumma

Why don't these people just pay for gender selection.... pretty sure the Beckhams did this and I think Danielle Lloyd is planning too.

I have two beautiful girls and I often get asked if I want a boy. My answer is always
No. I am lucky enough to have 2 healthy children, why would I tempt fate at the chance of my next child being unhealthy?

Funnily enough I often say the same when asked if I will have a second child (I am quite old) - I am lucky enough to have a wonderful healthy boy, why take the risk of a second being unhealthy? But people tend to think that having a sibling is worth the risk. That’s a whole other debate though!

I think there's a baseless illogical assumption in this thread that wanting one sex over the other mean that (a) when your baby turns out to the opposite sex from what you wanted you will love it less and (b) that any future baby of the desired sex will be favoured over the previous child. I dont think that this is true at all, every decent parent I know loves their children equally, and those that i read about that do show a preference, are usually shitty questionable parents anyway, not just solely with regards to the desired sex of their child.

Well, as long as the parents aren't expecting the taxpayer to support their sexist desires. I just wonder how the daughters of these parents must feel - knowing that they're not good enough?

Terrible awful parenting.

Well my father was one of 11, girl, girl, 8 boys, girl - no access to contraception rather than wanting a particular sex! I'm one of 5 girls

HoboSexualOnslow

Innit. I'm sorry I think its just awful. Its the epitome of selfishness, designed to make your "wrong sex" children feel awful about themselves, encourages sexism and bad for the environment.

@FurrySlipperBoots

I ran the creche at the wedding for a Chinese couple once. Boys outnumbered girls 5 to 1.

That could just be luck on a small sample of children. Of the DGC on DH side all are boys. Looking at all of my cousins children their are 3 girls to 12 boys.

I hadn't thought of that. 🙈

@haggistramp, sadly, I know of people where that is the case.

My DM was the youngest of 14, the others were all boys.

If money and health were no.obstacle I'd have 5 kids. I stopped at 2 boys. I have had a few digs about "completing the set" and both my siblings have a boy and a girl.
I'm generally an upbeat person so I look for the positives in any situation - I like being the only girl in my little family, one day I might have a daughter in law to make friends with, one day I might have granddaughters! Great. Honestly though it breaks my heart to think anyone could look at my youngest boy and imagine I am disappointed in him! He is the sweetest most loving little boy and a total delight (just like his big brother). Kids are so much more than the contents of their pants!

Who care what anyone else’s preference are? So people want the experience of parenting both genders. As long as all the children are loved and looked after I don’t see the problem.

I do find it strange. We've one DS and 2nd baby is due in less than 2 weeks. Everyone has assumed I want it to be a girl. I've found it really annoying. I honestly don't care either way, part of me feels it would be easier if it was a boy (and cheaper given the clothes this far!) But this is it for us either way.

I wonder if the people who had five boys and then a girl and stopped would have done the same if they had had five girls and then a boy. Maybe it is about having both genders rather than a particular one.

My nana was child number five after four boys. Then her mother was a bitch to her. Her dad was lovely.

I have a friend who is one of six girls .One night when she had a few too many she confessed that when she was pregnant and told she was having a son that she was devastated . She never really felt comfortable having a son and really didn't know how to handle him or what to do with him.When he was a baby and playing with him the cars and trains that he loved just bored her.She maintained that because of this she had never really bonded with him.

Sorry not sorry, but she's pathetic. She would have known perfectly how to care for a female baby human, but not had a clue how to care for a male one?

All baby toys are boring for adults - they're not designed to interest or stimulate a mature brain. You play with baby toys with your baby for your baby's benefit - the parent isn't expected to be fascinated by a rattle or bits of shaped plastic.

@readyfortea

Who care what anyone else’s preference are? So people want the experience of parenting both genders. As long as all the children are loved and looked after I don’t see the problem.

Except if you grow up knowing you were only born because your parents wanted a boy and you weren't, and that by extension of they're known they wouldn't have had you, that's going to have an impact on you

Some don't appreciate how lucky they are to have a baby at all.

My friend was 'gutted' when she had a boy. She always said she only wanted one child but she's pregnant with number 2 now, and desperately hoping for the girl she wants.

I don't get it. A child is a child.