Shettles Method

alexisz523

I was wondering if any of you used this method and it worked? I have two boys and would really love to try for a girl. Many people had mentioned "Shettles Method" and wanted to see if it holds any truth. 

+ASH+

It's been a while since I read up on the Shettles method, but if it is what I think it is (you have sex days before ovulation so only the stronger, female sperm survive?) then it worked for us. Not that we used it intentionally, but I ovulated extremely late in my cycle and it worked out that the odds were higher for a girl. 

I have no idea how accurate it is for the boys (faster sperm - boy - reaching the egg quickly the closer it is to ovulation) because we didn't know anything about that when we had our boys - it just worked out that way.  

It seems to have more scientific basis than some of the other things out there (the Chinese Lunar Calendar for example - which was incidentally, right for me lol!).  

Good luck! I honestly thought this one was a boy (I think when you have two boys, you just expect a boy), so I was shocked when we were told it's a girl - and still a little worried that the ultrasound was wrong, even though she gave me her guarantee that it was definitely a girl lol! 

t.bird

my sil tried the shettles method & is due with her 4th boy in March.

i really think it's a crapshoot. 

musicalsilver

I think you still pretty much have a 50/50 chance.  If it really worked, than most/all IVF/IUI babies would be boys!  This is obviously not the case.

That being said, I don't know what we're having yet, so I don't know if the general theory was right for us or not. 

+ASH+

musicalsilver:

I think you still pretty much have a 50/50 chance.  If it really worked, than most/all IVF/IUI babies would be boys!  This is obviously not the case.

That being said, I don't know what we're having yet, so I don't know if the general theory was right for us or not. 

Not necessarily - since IVF and IUI would put all sperm next to the egg, so it's a 50/50 shot. It's supposed to be the female sperm are slower swimmers, but survive more days, so it takes them longer to get to the egg - if they are put up next to the egg with IUI, they have as good a shot as the male sperm.

At any rate, I agree, I don't think it's entirely accurate - just possibly a slightly better chance for one gender over the other. 

AngelNDavid

My first two are girls and we were just dtd to have a baby.  No method.  This time I wanted to try for a boy so we followed the Shettles method and it worked for me. We only dtd on ovulation day. I think I read it increases your chance by 80% if followed correctly.

BekW2009

If the Shettles method is true, I should be having a boy, I guess we will find out in 16 weeks!

EVA116

We tried Shettles for a boy but I won't find out if it worked for a few more weeks.

I hope it did.

prolixity

I asked my OB about the Shettles Method and his response to me was, "Don't you think if it worked that I would have a son?"  He has FIVE daughters.  lol 

blush64

According to that I should be having a boy but I'm having a girl. It might work for some people but it's clearly not going to be a sure thing.

EDIT We only had sex on the evening of ovulation and the morning after.

MAdams728

Most research I've read on Shettles has debunked it.

If I went by Shettles, I *should* be having a boy since I was tracking ovulation and timed sex as closely as possible.  She's a little girl.    I wasnt using the Shettles method, just the "best chance of getting pregnant this month" method. 

ChisenaBlasko

t.bird:

my sil tried the shettles method & is due with her 4th boy in March.

i really think it's a crapshoot. 

I agree.  I think it's 50/50 any way you spin it.   

luvmyducks

There's no way to tell with me since I BD'd every chance we had in the fertile window with DD and with this one.  With this one we did EOD up to 7 days before O and with DD we did ED but one the 6 days leading up to O.

jaymiegerard

We intentionally tried the Shettles Method and just found out (tonight) that it worked and we are having a girl. :-) 

ladybugpjb

We went by shettles last time and had a boy. I've heard it's harder to intentionally have a girl. That's what we sort-of attempted this time, but I don't know the sex yet.

AFBTB

I know someone who swears by Shettles and she has a boy and girl, and got the sex she "wanted" using shettles. I tried it, and I also tried some other OWT, but I'm not so sure about how accurate it is. Also, we don't know what we are having yet (though I'm pretty sure it's a girl).

But the Shettles method also says that because the male sperm are so fragile that some men who work in certain fields can only have girls, because their work situations kills off all their male sperm.

But I wouldn't put much stock in this.

Elinetrouwt

It is nonsense to say the Shettles Method "worked" because you got a girl. You have a 50/50 percent chance in the first place, so while have the couples who try it get their way, that doesn't mean it works.

I read the book "The impatient woman's guide to getting pregnant" and it has an interesting chapter on gender choice. It says that research has shown that the Shettles method is actually more likely to give you the gender that you didn't want! Research shows that with the right combination of timing (which is silly if you want to optimise your chances of conception) and food choices (extra calcium for a girl, I believe), you can change your odds. But it would be something like 53/47, not anything to base your nursery theme on. 

sourpatchkids

We were not trying for a certain gender, but we did dtd on the day I ovulated this last time and we're having a boy.

Amanda&EricB

I know two women who used it to get a girl after having boys and it worked for them. I think you have to read a LOT about it and commit to following it completely. And of course, you have to be ok with possibly not getting what you want.

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

A.C.Soup!!!:

I was wondering if any of you used this method and it worked? I have two boys and would really love to try for a girl. Many people had mentioned "Shettles Method" and wanted to see if it holds any truth. 

(I hope I don't sound too creepy) 

Hey! Weren't we on the tri boards together way back when - I believe you were on bedrest for a good part of your pregnancy? Anyhoo, just wanted to sy congrats on the 2nd LO - Hope you are doing good