There are many reasons why parents want to have a daughter. Maybe you already have one son (or two or three). There may be concern that you are passing on a certain gender-related genetic disorder. Or maybe you just like girls. The only guaranteed method of determining the sex of the baby is after conception in a medical facility or laboratory, under the care of a medical professional. However, there are some traditional methods and techniques before conception that some say can affect the sex of the baby. While the techniques are still being debated, you might think it's worth trying. Either way, the 50/50 odds aren't that bad, are they?
Step
Method 1 of 3: Implementing Dietary Changes to Try to Influence Baby's Gender
Step 1. Talk about the possibility of making dietary changes with your doctor
Dietary changes to affect the sex of the baby are still controversial. Many doctors and scientists doubt that diet can produce a strong influence on a baby's sex and they assume that a baby's sex is based on random chance. However, if your doctor says that changing your diet to encourage the birth of a baby girl is safe for you, there's nothing wrong with trying the "baby girl diet."
Step 2. Change your diet to change your body chemistry
Dietary changes are expected to affect the likelihood of conceiving a baby girl by altering the acidity and mineral content of the uterine environment. According to this theory, a woman's diet in the weeks leading up to conception can make her body more "friendly" to X chromosome sperm (which produces a baby girl) and less "friendly" to Y chromosome sperm (which produces a baby boy).
Step 3. Eat foods high in calcium and magnesium
Foods recommended in the diet for conceiving a girl include low-sodium dairy products, eggs, rice, and low-sodium breads and crackers. Fruits and vegetables may also help you conceive a baby girl.
Step 4. Avoid foods rich in potassium and sodium
A recent study found that women who ate sodium-rich cereals were more likely to conceive boys. Other foods rich in potassium include bananas, salmon, mushrooms, beans, tuna, sweet potatoes, and potatoes.
Method 2 of 3: Timing of Conception to Affect Baby's Gender
Step 1. Record your ovulation cycle
You can determine ovulation in many ways. The most accurate method is to use an ovulation predictor kit (OPK). If you have regular menstrual cycles, you can also predict your ovulation date range by counting down 12–16 days from the start date of your last period, although this prediction is not entirely accurate.
- Tracking the time of ovulation can also increase the chances of getting pregnant (regardless of the sex of the baby) because women are usually most fertile in the few days leading up to ovulation.
- Other signs of ovulation include abdominal pain, changes in vaginal discharge, and changes in basal body temperature. Consider keeping track of your cycle carefully on a calendar to understand your body's response to ovulation.
Step 2. Have sexual intercourse 2–4 days before ovulation to conceive a baby girl
According to the theory, at this time the male sperm swim faster but not so long in the uterine environment. Therefore, having sex 2–4 before ovulation will result in a girl, while having sex closer to ovulation will result in a boy. This method is known as the Shettles Method.
- There is an alternative theory called the Whelan Method which recommends that sex should take place 2–3 days before ovulation to produce a girl and 4–6 before ovulation to produce a boy.
- The Shettles Method also says that having sex in the missionary position can help increase the chances of conceiving a girl. Although this theory is also said to be a myth, the missionary position does not have a detrimental effect on health.
Method 3 of 3: Using Medical Procedures to Conceive a Baby Girl
Step 1. Determine the amount of money you are willing to pay to choose the gender of the baby
Although the medical procedure is the most accurate method of conceiving a girl, it is also very expensive. The costs range from a few million to tens of millions of rupiah. Sometimes this procedure is not available in all countries, so the cost is added to the cost of travel. Create a budget to plan how you will pay for the procedure.
Step 2. Discuss with your doctor about the options you have in depth
Although the side effects of this procedure tend to be mild, the technique is relatively new and involves some risks of its own. Talk to a trusted doctor to determine what risks you are willing to take.
Step 3. Follow the sperm sorting technique with the clinic
Sorting sperm into Y chromosomes and X chromosomes can be done by a technique called cytometric sorting, then the egg is fertilized by the desired sperm by artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization. Because the X chromosome is slightly larger than the Y chromosome, sperm that produces baby girls can absorb more fluorescent dye (a dye that glows under ultraviolet light or unusual lighting) than sperm that produces baby boys. The sperm are then separated, and the sex of the baby can be selected. Sperm sorting is very effective, although not 100% effective. However, it is expensive and may not be available to all parents-to-be.
Step 4.
Step 5. Carry out a Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
This procedure can be performed on embryos produced using in vitro fertilization. With this procedure, the doctor can identify the sex, thus providing a choice of sex before implantation. In addition to identifying (and possibly selecting) sex-specific embryos, chromosomal disorders and problems can also be identified with PGD.
- Although highly effective, this procedure is very expensive and invasive, and raises an ethical dilemma about the appropriateness of selecting the sex of the fetus. In fact, seeing the sex of the fetus is prohibited in some places. Certain countries, such as the UK, make exceptions only when there is a medical need to determine the sex of the fetus, such as certain gender-related genetic disorders.
- Other doctors also support sex selection after conception in cases of medical necessity, but reject the practice of sex selection after conception out of personal preference.
- This procedure works by identifying the sex of the embryo while it is still in the laboratory before it is inserted into the uterus, and claims 100% accuracy.
Tips
- The odds of getting a baby girl will always be more or less 50/50, unless you undergo sex selection after conception. Try to accept the baby's gender with a philosophical approach and don't fall for a particular gender. Remember that the most important thing is that your child is healthy and happy.
- If you're sad that you can't have a daughter, it's called "gender disappointment." It's a common condition, and don't feel guilty if you experience it. Instead, you should accept the feeling and talk about your disappointment with a close friend or doctor. Usually, these feelings of sadness will pass once your emotional bond with the baby is formed, regardless of the gender. If these feelings do not go away, you should see a pediatrician.
- If having a child of a certain gender is important to you, consider ways to raise a girl other than giving birth to her. For example, you might consider adopting a child or becoming a foster parent. You will not only raise a daughter, but also give a home to a child in need.
Warning
- Talk to your doctor before making any drastic dietary changes (including taking a new vitamin/mineral supplement) to ensure that the changes are safe and do not conflict with other medications you may be taking, or with your current health problems.
- Many medical professionals do not believe in the possibility of influencing a baby's sex through methods such as changes in diet, sex positions, or fertilization based on the ovulatory cycle. However, some companies claim that they have found the key to choosing gender. Beware of preconception services that guarantee the baby's gender. Such services are expensive and may not be effective.
- There are sex-determining drugs on the black market that are not only ineffective in influencing the sex of the baby, but also have the potential to harm the fetus. Do not take any medications or supplements without discussing it with a professional doctor first.
- Biological sex is not the same as gender expression or gender identity. Even if you give birth to a baby who is biologically a girl, it is possible that your child will reject the feminine gender expression in favor of the more masculine gender. Similarly, a child born biologically a boy may grow up to be a girl or a woman. Make sure you support the child, no matter what gender he or she expresses.
- Some of the most accurate methods for determining the sex of a baby are also the most controversial and may raise ethical questions and objections. Make sure you really think about the implications of gender selection.
