To all mum's with DD's only please look here!

[DungunGirl]

Hi there

I am just a regular mum but I am really interested in the link between diet and possible slight effect it might have on the gender of your babies.

I have 2 DS's and I definitely have a higher intake of carbohydrates in my diet...however this does not explain why all my friends who live in the far east and eat rice 3 times a day can end up with all girls either...so ?

They may be such a tiny link that it makes total nonsense..but I am really interested in hearing what mumsnet mums in the UK have to say about it.

So to all mum's with only daughters, could you give me an idea of what a normal day's diet for you looks like ?

My first child (with ex/p) is DS but then I had 2 DDs and am pregnant with DD3.

My diet is crap.

Whilst it is true that the male sperm determines the sex genetically, it is also true that the mucous in the vagina can favour either male/female sperm and influence the outcome.

The more children you have of the same sex the more likely it is that you will have another one of that sex.

2 DDs.. slightly raised chance of another dd
4DDs .. HUGE chance of another dd

xx

Wow..thanks ladies...all really interesting.

I am FULLY aware that the X sperm produces a girl and the Y Sperm produces a boy...however, I am also interested in the possible link between acidity/alkaline properties of the womans vagina and whether this favours the male or female sperm more.

Based on this, they say diet can influence the acidity or alkaline properties down below!

I know that the timing of intercourse can influence things and I would lay money on the fact this is why I have 2 boys as we were at it like rabbits pretty much EVERYDAY from day 10 through to day 25 of my cycle! So a fresh batch of fast swimming Y sperm deposited everyday surely HUGELY increases the chances of boys. My husband has the patience of a nat, and he wanted to get pregnant like yesterday!

Anyway...I am just interested in all this as I also have PCOS ( HEY Fruity!!! ) and I am forever modifying my diet to best suit my body and well...it is an area I am constantly looking into. With my 2 boys, I was exercising regularly, eating healthy - was on the low gi diet and also was eating LOADS of fruit!

I am interested in the comment by some of the ladies that their diet is crap...interesting...Pasta came up a lot as well which is interesting as the 2 people I know with all girls eat pasta a LOT as well.

Anyone else have anything to add?? Please feel free!

I have a DS and a DD and dont think there was anything different?

I have 2 DDs & 1 DS.

All I remember about the conception of one of my DDs was a bottle of white wine, a lot of baby oil and me on top.

HTH.

I eat low carb to control PCOS and weight (not Atkins low, I still eat fruit and some very heavy breads) and have had one DS and am pregnant with another.

I have the vaguest memory of an idea from the middle ages as to why more wealthy families tended to have boys and poorer ones girls. It was something to do with red meat. DH does eat a lot of red meat!

Who knows, doesn't actually matter does it?

That's really interesting Morloth, and weirdly enough there was a science story on the BBC website recently that showed single mums were much more likely to have girls than boys. It also works in animals, those higher up the pecking order have more boys... possibly because males need more resources to raise and are sicklier or harder work?
As for the OP the final sex of a baby is determined by BOTH parents! Yes to those pointing out the obvious that it is the sperm which determines the X or Y, but the female body has a big say so too, in terms of determining which type of sperm can survive. There's the timing thingy that people mentioned above, as the Y chromosome is half the size of an X, so future male sperm are lighter and therefore faster, but also more fragile, so the final sex depends on the woman's pH. According to old folklore if you want a girl you need to eat an acidic diet, so think citrus fruits, sweet things and lots of orange juice. If you want a boy you need an alkaline environment so think soda bread, fennel tea and add dill seeds to salads etc.
Hmmm I should probably point out I studied sex selection as part of my evolutionary biology degree incase anyone thinks I'm just a weirdo who knows far too much about sperm!!

I read somewhere, I think it was the BBC website, that studies have shown that if a man has more brothers than sisters, he's slightly more like to have boys and vice-versa.

Poppet45

Your degree sounds really interesting! Yeah..I think there is more to it than just X and Y sperm. It also fills me with doubt whether if i decide to try for a no.3 child whether i would just end up with another boy due to my body PH!!!

My DH is one of 3 boys...however, his other 2 brothers both have 1 daughter each! So...doubt that has too much bearing. I am on the other hand from a family of 3 girls and only 1 boy!

I have one DD. My diet is carb laden and lots of dairy. My DP has two other children - a older girl/younger boy. Nearly every member of my extended family has a girl first and then a boy. I'm not planning on more but am certain that if I did it would be a boy. My mum is oldest with younger brother. My dad is second born with older sister too...

And I know it's not logical!

i have definately read in one of my books about the female environment killing off sperm if too alkaline, i'm pretty sure it was the male. i will look it up and let you all know exactly what is said.

btw, i have 1 dd and do eat a heavy carb diet, lots of pasta and bread and lots of cheese too. not very good with my 5 a day but try v hard when pg!

I practically live off sweet stuff and fruit in particular. I have two boys. I'm just like you, dungun. I would absolutely LOVE a girl although I'm well aware I'm so lucky to have any children at all given my pcos. I ADORE my boys and am so over the moon to have them but a little girl would be the icing on the cake. I always wanted three children, another boy would lovely but, you know

Also, I eat to tonnes of carbs so not sure if the diet thing will work for me!

Have 4 DD's. Am sure there is no dietary signifance, going through different foody phases before and during pregnancies with each. Also think the pre/post ovulation theory is probably an OWT as 2 were before, 2 after - and all DD's. I heard that the older and fitter the DH, the more likely it was to have DD's - I tell my DH he's the exception to prove the rule...!!

I hate to be a kill joy, but for every "scientific" study out there, its usually possible to find another one that contradicts it!!! I was desperate for a girl after 2 boys and did loads of research. My obstetrician reliably informs me that it really is 50/50 unless you have agenetic predisposition to not be able to carry a particular gender - in which case you would still conceive, but tend to miscarry a particular gender. Didn't stop me from trying all the "methods" though, and I am now pregnant with DD1, so maybe something worked!!! (though not sure what?!)

BTW, couples who have one of each gender are more likely to go for a third child as there is less pressure in terms of what sex they end up with.....therefore, it just "seems" to be more rare to see families where the third baby is a different gender as (a) less of them try and (b) half of them will end up with another of the same sex!!!

i ate the same diet when i had my DS as i did with DD.

Even the theory that boys are born on day of ovulation due to speed and male sperm dying out in one day and female sperm being slow but living 5 days - meaning, do it 4-5 days b4 ovulation.....didn't happen here. both DC concieved on day of ovulation and one of each.

im one handed typing - dd fell asleep im arms!

Sorry to hijack, but this thread reminds me of an article I read somewhere a while ago that said sex of yr baby was determined in part by who was the more dominant partner in bed.

Apparently, if mum was the more dominant partner, you had an increased chance of having a DS.

Obviously, if the father was the dominant partner, the chance of having a DD was increased.

I laughed, alot.

Hang on, think I just got that the wrong way round ha ha

It's supposed to be

dominant man = DS
dominant woman = DD

think that's right

Hi ladies..

some very insightful posts and some just downright entertaining!

hi dungungirl how are you hunni not heard fromyou in ages you will never quess but cam 75 is pregnant we talk via email and msn i always try you on her but nothing ever seems to come up lol
how is baby
i had a little girl she is 36 weeks now

PCOS, vegetarian (both myself and dh, since childhood), plus being 'old' conceiving dds... Have one dd with another on the way
Did read somewhere that all three are factors and dh is convinced we'd only ever have girls - so far he's right.