Whelan’s technique for gender selection is basically the exact opposite of
Shettles’ method. She purports that the biochemical changes in a woman’s body
happen earlier than Shettles theorized, and that you should time intercourse 4
to 6 days before ovulation to get a boy, and 2 to 3 days before ovulation for a
girl. Critics of her method say that having intercourse 4 to 6 days before
ovulation is too far away from the release of the egg to even get pregnant, let
alone with a boy baby.
Whelan also suggested that women follow a certain diet: if you want a boy,
make sure your diet is rich in salt and potassium. If it’s a girl you’re after,
your diet should include lots of calcium and magnesium. Examples of “boy diet”
foods are salty meats such as bacon, ham, or sausage, salted chips and nuts,
and lots of carbohydrates. Some “girl diet” foods include dairy products, ice
cream, fruit juice, and very low- or no-salt items.
Other ways to determine your baby’s sex …
There are a few other techniques that you can use to determine the gender of
your baby that are statistically more accurate than either method we’ve just
discussed – but they’re all expensive, high-tech laboratory-type procedures
that most people aren’t willing to fork over thousands of dollars (or go
through the hassle) for.
The bottom line is, we can do things to try and increase the odds in our
favor, but inevitably it isn’t up to us – we get what we get. And for most
couples, although they may have a slight preference, a healthy baby is a
blessing and a gift regardless of what gender it turns out to be.