We have had 5 girls and are planning on starting our last baby here soon does any one have any advice or wives tale to help us increase the odds of a son. Another girl would be great but would like to have a son. My hubby is the last of his line and would like the name to live on non of the girls are keen on keeping the name if they marry.

Thanks for any ideas.

-- Theresa Darby (windwillow@fuse.net), December 29, 2001

Answers

What's in a name? A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), December 29, 2001.

I have heard that if the male increases his Testosterone levels that the chances of having male children increase.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), December 29, 2001.

The ONLY way to conceive a male child is to go to a fertility specialist, take some fertility drugs to excessively ovulate, fertilize the eggs, and find the male in the petri dish. Then after all of that, it may not take.

Pretty expensive and risky I'd say. Not to mention the ethical issues of disposing of the rest of the embryos.

-- Laurean (cranston_06010@yahoo.com), December 29, 2001.

Pray :) Good Luck

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), December 29, 2001.

there have been articles in magazines about how to increase your chances of concieving one sex or the other. i forget exactly how it is but you have to chance the environment of the vagina to more or less acidic and the timing is crucial with ovulation... more of the sperm that produces boy babies swim more or less fast than the sperm which produces girl babies... you should be able to look for books on the subject. try amazon.com

-- js (schlicker54@aol.com), December 29, 2001.

There is a book out there that has theories on how to conceive a boy or a girl depending on your choice. I've read it but can't remember the title or author. Check the library they probably have it. If I remember the title I'll post it.

Personally I'd just be happy to get pregnant and not have another miscarriage.

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), December 29, 2001.

I don't know how the subject came up, but this is the gist of a conversation I had with my mother years ago. She is from a family of 13, 8 boys, 3 girls, a boy and another girl.

My mother's theory is that when they were in the early years of their marriage her parents lived quite a bit on pickled foods, such as sauerkrat and pickles. This made her body acidic, which was more conductive to males. Since the kids were spaced apart, by the time of the ninth child, they were old enough to help out and the farm was more prosperous. This mean more purchased foods, especially sweets. These changed grandmother's body to more neutral, resulting in a mix of the last five. She would say you need to cut severely back on anything sweet and start eating more acidic foods. (And the fact you have had five girls may support this.)

However, on my father side there were four children. The first three were daughters (born under almost poverty conditions) in Croatia (where much of their winter food would have also been pickled). My father was born three years after they emigrated, and her diet improved. Also, I can trace my family genealogy back to the late 1700s in Croatia. Girls noticeably outnumber boys. These would be opposite to my mother's theory. Plus, a craving for pickles and ice cream would seem to cancel each other out. (When my brother's wife was pregnant, she had a craving for starch and would eat it right out of the box.)

I know at one time dousing with either vinegar water or Coke before sexual intercourse were popular theories.

There is also the theory male sperm have speed but not endurance. Female sperm have endurance but not speed. Thus, if you wanted a girl the sperm was deposited at the opening of the vagina. If you wanted a boy it was deposited as deep as possible.

I suspect whatever you do your chances are still about 50/50.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 29, 2001.

Amen to that!

-- Terri (Hooperterri@prodigy.net), December 29, 2001.

Ken, I had read and heard that when your body is more acidic you are apt to have girls. Also, just a note to all, apple cider vinegar will help you conceive and carry the child to term. I speak from experience and will share personally with anyone who emails me...

I had heard that you need to know when you ovulate and have sex right when you begin to ovulate, as the male sperm cannot live the 24 hour or so period that the girl sperm can. Read about natural family planning. They will help you in their books as well as a group...

I just wanted to say that I think it was a good and valued question...

-- Jackie in Northern New York (homefarm@webtv.net), December 29, 2001.

Check with your OB GYN doctor. After I had my third son (that we just KNEW was a girl), he was teasing me about ways to increase the odds. They even had a list of things you could do to increase the odds. I can't remember what they were, but they were suspose to increase the odds to around 70%. We didn't change anything (other than planning this child) and our next child was a girl-9mths later we had a boy (very unplanned). A friend of mine followed the list both times and had a boy first (what they were hoping for) and a girl next (what they were hoping for). I know how you feel. You are going to love the child no matter what. But when you have all of the same sex, it sure would be nice to have one of the different sex. If my little girl had been a boy, that would have been fine (as a matter of fact, I am closer to our "suprise" baby), but I am very thankful that I have a girl. They are soooooo different from the boys. Good luck!

-- Lisa B. (j5diecast@aol.com), December 29, 2001.

I just saw a TV show on the subject on The Discovery Channel (I think). Sorry, I can't remember what it was called but they were interviewing all types of fertility doctors, scientist, etc. who were tops in thier field. According to every one of them, it is impossible at this time to increase the odds of having either a boy or girl child. Some day in the future, perhaps (and research is going in that direction with DNA, etc.); however, it is the man who determines the sex of a child and we cannot, at this time, alter the sperm itself (which is what it would take) in order to predetermine the sex of a child. All the old wives tales have absolutely no evidence they work (scientifically it is impossible since the DNA itself has to be altered). It only sometimes appears to work because, after all, you do have a 50/50 chance of being right!

I keep wondering what it is with men that they feel you have to "carry on the family name". Gez, having responsible, loving, caring girl sure would be more important that a boy who is irresponsible, mean, and nasty - just to carry on the family name. Not saying all boys are like that, so don't misunderstand. Only saying that if you have great girls and are happy with your family size, why have a another child just to carry on the name? Better than a child who embarasses the family name and you wish he didn't carry it on!

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), December 29, 2001.

I think Jackie in New York is right - heard the same thing from my 72 year old sister, telling about our grandfather, who had 4 girls, then used "the method", and had 5 boys, then one more girl. All these old Germans figured they needed large families back then to help with the farm & house work. I come from a family of 8, my father came from a family of 8, my mother came from a family of 10, and her brother had 10 kids, my father's uncle had 16 kids (from 2 wives, 1 died after 6 kids, he remarried and had 10 more kids). I have an old picture of the family with 16 kids - awesome!

On the other hand, prayer never hurts....

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), December 29, 2001.

Find out when you ovulate. Get an ovulation thermometer from the drug store and start tracking your temp every morning before you get out of bed. Do this for several months until you see a distinct pattern which is usually somewhere around Day 14 your temp will drop about 1/2 a degree. This means you have just ovulated. THAT'S the time to *do it*. The fastest sperms, which are the males, will reach the egg before the females. The male sperms swim the fastest but die the soonest - that's why when you have sex *before* the egg pops out the male sperms have already died.

By the way, we have 3 boys and 1 girl, and I distinctly remember that she was a two-days-before-ovulation conception.

Good luck!!!!

-- gita (gita@directcon.net), December 29, 2001.

Bonnie:

On prayer never hurts. Prior to my generation my family was devote Catholic. For women who were trying to get pregnant there was a Novina metal passed around (if you're Catholic you'll know what I am referring to). The woman pinned in on her bra and/or nightgown. It seems to have worked in a number of cases. Have no idea what happened to it. Perhaps something along the lines of a couple who have tried for years to have a child adopting one, then having one of their own within a year or so. Once they stopped worrying about it, conception happened.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 29, 2001.

Here's the name of the book I mentioned earlier, check and see if your library has a copy.

How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby : The Method Best Supported by Scientific Evidence / by Shettle Landrum, David M. Rorvik

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), December 29, 2001.

Before we tried to get pregnant last time, my doctor said there were some specific things, and here are the ones I can recall....

1. Male sperm are the newer ones (less mature) and the female sperm are the more mature (older). That means if your husband can ejaculate on Mon., Tue., and Wed (without you) and then you both get togather on Thur. your chances are better. He will be down to new sperm fresly made. (You need to either use a fertility predictor, or monitor your basil body temp. a month or two to find out when you ovulate.) GOOD OVULATION PREDICTION IS NECCESSARY! If you buy a test today, and it says you are ovulating, let hubbie get rid of his excess once or twice today, then go for it at 12 hours intervals tomarrow and the day after. Once your down to the newbies, keep 'em coming. (no pun intended) The sperm stop maturing after they leave the nest.

2. Make the new sperm swim less far, that means deep ejaculation. If you wanted a girl, you'd have sex every third day, and he'd ejaculate just inside the vagina. Then both male and femals sperm would have to swim for it, and the females (bigger and stronger more mature sperm) would likely win. You want the swift little males to beat the fat slower old mature females, so get close and snug here!

3. In a nutshell, let hubbie ejaculate a lot (like daily) starting a 4-5 days before ovulation, and continue through and beyond your 3 fertile egg days. (Remember sperm can live three days, and you don't want any robust female sperm left inside waiting when you ovulate). Place yourself in a position that allows deep ejaculation, and hold still for 5 minutes afterword. (A pillow under the heiny helps angle and speed for male sperm)

4. Pray, and best of luck. Things work out how they are supposed to, and you should be prepared with boy's and girl's names until you find out otherwise. Oh, and if your over 30, your chances of twins increase, and possible your chance for two boys at once! ;-) Now wouldn't that be lovely???

-- Marty in KS (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), December 29, 2001.

Find a male that has had all boys and try with him - it is probably your best bet (although I doubt you want to do that!!)

-- kel (kellytree@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.

You asked for old wifes tales so here is one. I always heard that the sex of the baby is determined by who is under the most stress at the time of conception. Your husband needs to get real stressed.

-- fred (fred@mddc.com), December 30, 2001.

Do not worry about Male or Female and take what you are blessed with.

It is the good Lords intention you wlll have whichever it is at the time.

-- William Rutter (wrutter@uniontel.net), December 30, 2001.

Theresa, get the book. After my two daughters I was only going to try once more for the son. In fact with my second daughter I had standing orders that if it was a healthy boy I was to be "fixed" then and there (c section) if a girl than no tube tying. We used the book How to choose the sex of your baby, I for a son, my cousin for a girl. It worked for both of us. It was fun to use, especially if the husband wants a son, and he knows it is his last chance :)

I looked at it this way. Even if my last child had turned out to be a girl, I would have loved her anyway. And if it had been a girl I know I had tried everything :) in my power to swing the odds. If it worked great, if it didn't I wasn't going to beat myself up. I followed the book to the letter, douches before sex, change of diet for both me and my husband, it actually mimmics a very italian diet high acidity, etc. because they are a group of folks with much higher boy to girl ratio's. We didn't have the ovulation help over the counter 17 years ago that you have now, so your odds should be better than ours! We will be pulling for you! vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.

There is a very high rate of male infants resulting from artificial insemination, due, it is hypothesized, to the greater accuracy with which ovulation is pinpointed. Basically, the closer to ovulation, the more likely that the more motile (squigglier/faster) male sperms will get to the egg and penetrate than the slower but more hardy female sperms. Male sperms cannot handle an acid environment as well as female sperms, which is why advice about acid (dilute vinegar)or alkaline (baking soda or borax) douches is not unfounded. And which is why male sperms dies off more quickly (since the vagina and uterus are generally acid) but female sperms are still hanging in there if sperms are introduced a day or two before or after ovulation.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), December 30, 2001.

Hi Theresa, here's another old wives tale I've heard. Have your husband throw his pants on the left bed post. :-) Don't know that it works, but I have 2 boys!

-- Diana (rock_hunter83@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.

Baking soda douche every day of fertile week.

-- Elizabeth Quintana (rockshelter@webtv.com), January 02, 2002.

Theresa,

In the Old Testament, somewhere in the first 5 books, there are a bunch of hygiene laws for women and married people.

The there was to be no sexual contact between husband and wife during her monthly cycle. Intercourse could take place I think after the 7th day after the begining of her period. This means most any virile man is going to be about to burst and will be more energetic in his lovemaking thus most likely depositing the sperm further in. It also happens that between 7-10 days after the first day of a woman's cycle, ovulation takes place.

This is all I know. It worked for us.

-- LBD (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), January 02, 2002.

If your husband is concerned about just the name living on, consider adopting a son. Or is he concerned about his genes? They'll live on in your daughters anyway...

Other than that, you could just keep having more kids. Eventually you might get a boy. Seems like the more you have, the more likely you'll get a boy. But what do I know!?

-- sheepish (WA) (the_original_sheepish@hotmail.com), January 03, 2002.

Check out the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility."

-- ere (eedeen@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

Hi,

Go to www.webmd.com . They have an ovulation calendar which lets you factor in a sex choice. It also has a very nice pregnancy calendar that lets you follow your pregnancy from day one 'til the end - very cool. Good luck!

Lori

ps - I believe you will be happy either way - lord knows I always wanted girls and had a boy and wouldn't change a thing!!! Wanting something doesn't make one bad - it makes one normal.

-- Lori Smith (la_lori1970@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.

Really, the girls would all change their last name upon marriage?

I could never see the reason for changing your name anyway (new driver's license, social security number, etc. what a hassle), unless you didn't like your last name.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), March 26, 2002.

Yeah - I'm with you GT. What self respecting woman, in htis century would change her name , just for a man? What are we teaching our daughters?! I didn't, my sister didn't, and thankfully most of my friends haven't - so I feel pretty good. And I _love_ the couple that combined their names into one - now THATS a mutual relationship! Take care all. Lori

-- Lori Smith (la_lori1970@hotmail.com), March 27, 2002.

ive got a good wives tale for you....im not positive it actualy is true BUT it has been right on for me... go to www.thelaboroflove.com/websearch/links/pregnancy/gender_predictions/ and go to the chinese gender predictor ....hope this helps(or at least entertains) you

-- heather (iansmommy@ewol.com), May 03, 2002.