Can You Choose a Boy or a Girl?
Is it possible to plan having a baby in a way as to choose whether you will have a boy or a girl? Many experts say yes! There are some theories that make sense others which have been medically proven. Still some people believe it, others don’t.
Choosing the Sex of Your Baby
A popular book written by Landrum B. Shettles, and David M. Rorvik How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby goes over the basics of this popular idea. The ideas revolve around when you have intercourse, how you have intercourse, what the man drinks before having intercourse, the speed of sperm and more.
It is generally believed in the medical reproductive community that once an egg is released and enters the fallopian tube that it is able to be fertilized for approximately 24 hours. Research has shown that sperm also has a “shelf life”, however it is different for the male and female sperm. Female sperm swims slower but is stronger and lives longer, while male sperm is faster but weaker and will die earlier than female sperm.
Per Dr. Shettles theory, if the results of research is true and the female sperm lives longer but is slower moving than the male, then if a couple wants a girl they should have intercourse at 3-5 days prior to ovulation, but then stop till after the woman ovulates. This will increase the chance of ONLY female sperm being alive when the sperm comes in contact with the egg. On the other hand, if a couple wants to have a boy they should refrain from having intercourse until 2 days prior to ovulation and then have intercourse daily until ovulation has occurred. It has also been suggested that a man drink a big cup of caffeinated coffee or a big caffeinated soft drink before intercourse to help give the boy sperm an extra little push.
The position is also important as it is believed that deeper penetration will help the sperm reach the egg faster. It is suggested that if you are trying for a girl to have intercourse in the missionary (man on top) position and if you are trying for a boy to have intercourse doggie-style which will get the sperm there quicker. In relation, during an orgasm a woman’s body releases a substance that makes the environment more alkaline which favors boy sperm, so if you are trying for a girl the woman should refrain from orgasm’s during intercourse.
Sperm count also affects a woman’s conception of a boy or a girl. If a man has a low sperm count it doesn’t help the case for either the boy or girl, but if they have a high sperm count the chances lean more towards a boy than girl. There are some suggestions that you can do to help lower the sperm count a little helping out the girl sperm a little bit. If you want a girl have sex daily from the time your period ends until 4-5 days before ovulation. Another suggestion is for the man to sit in a hot bath prior to intercourse since the hot temperatures will kill off some of the weaker, male sperm leaving more female sperm.
Dr. Shettles only claims that the ideas in his book work 70-75% of the time for those trying to conceive a girl and 75-80% of the time for those trying to conceive a boy. Before you try it you should definitely buy the book to see all the tips, hints and suggestions the authors have for you.
Not everyone believes that the Shettles Method is the way to go, or at least that ALL of the ideas that Shettles has makes sense. However, most agree with the idea that the timing of ovulation and conception go hand in hand.
Some women do natural family planning where they focus on taking morning temps so that they know when they are going to ovulate, when they have already ovulated and can plan out the times that they will have intercourse. Doing this also helps a woman see a pattern in her cycle.
Other women focus on using an ovulation predictor kit where they pee on a stick and as they body starts getting closer to ovulation they will see a line that gets darker and darker. They use this stick to tell them when they are about to ovulate and when they are ovulating as to determine when to “do the deed” in hopes of having the boy or girl that they want.
There is no right or wrong way to have a baby. As a couple, if you are trying, it is important to remember to have fun and not make intercourse a “job” as you try to get pregnant. As long as you can be happy with whatever sex of baby you conceive, then it will be easy to enjoy the entire process.
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