# If you could choose your baby’s gender, would you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669 "2003-09-19T20:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/1 "2003-09-19T20:05:28Z")
It isn’t yet possible to easily choose what sex you baby will be. But now there are somewhat-successful techniques for trying to get your boy or girl. And more companies are coming out all the time with new ‘discoveries’ to get the gender you want. So, if it were easy and safe, would you could choose your baby’s gender? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/2 "2003-09-19T20:36:16Z")
Yup. If I was in the baby-making mode again. Something tells me it’s probably nice to have one of each. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/3 "2003-09-19T20:41:24Z")
Nah. I have a girl. If/when I get pregnant again, it doesn’t matter to me if kid #2 is a boy or girl. Whatever God decides to give me. I don’t see the harm trying to pick your kid’s gender, as long as the parents have no psychological hangups that would make them screw up a kid that was born the “wrong” gender. I think most people fall into this category, but there are some screwballs out there. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/4 "2003-09-19T20:43:06Z")
I don’t plan on having kids, so I don’t know if I qualify to answer this; because I’ve never had dreams of being a mother, I haven’t even given much thought to whether I’d want boys or girls. However, safe or not, I don’t generally feel like it’s good to dink around with Mother Nature. I mean, I guess you could say that I dink around with Mother Nature by using hormonal birth control (though if I were _really_ dinking around with Mother Nature, I’d be a lesbian, so I wouldn’t need birth control), but I think this is one of those situations where I’m old and set in my ways. I was born in 1970, and have never known a world WITHOUT hormonal birth control, so the idea of it is not disturbing to me. However, I’ve lived 33 years without technology that allows people to choose a baby’s gender, and the idea kind of makes me uncomfortable. I kind of like the idea of letting Fate choose. That’s just me, though; if a friend of mine were considering it, and I knew it was safe, I’d tell her to do her thing, especially if she had five boys and really wanted a girl or something. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/5 "2003-09-19T20:48:28Z")
Well… right now I’m _hoping_ for a girl (don’t most mom’s? lol) but really it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll be happy as long as caterpie is healthy. Besides I can just imagine if I do have a girl and she turns out to be all well… girly and here’s me only partially girly and a decent tomboy at times. :dubious: I could show her makeup and clothes and such like that but I can imagine freaking that she wants to spend _how much_ on clothes and makeup?! lol ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/6 "2003-09-19T20:48:46Z")
If you are thinking along the lines of eating certain foods, and having sex in certain positions to help determine the sex, then I’m all for it. I mean, I don’t see the harm in trying. At the same time, I wouldn’t be disapointed if it turned out not to be the sex I had in mind… MAN, I want to have a baby… haha ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/7 "2003-09-19T21:07:32Z")
Of course. It must be a girl or a litter of kittens. Girls grow up to hate their mothers and love their fathers. Kittens will love everyone equally. I will have it no other way. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/8 "2003-09-19T22:05:04Z")
Hmmm. I have one of each, and it is nice in a lot of ways, although neither of them is likely going to know what it is like to have a sibling of the same sex. We’re also going to need another bedroom eventually, which is kind of a pain. Now that they actually exist, though, I can’t imagine changing either one of them. I am always shocked when I hear someone say that their parents were disappointed in them because they weren’t the “right” sex–and, apparently, continued to be disappointed long enough for it to show. This is unfathomable to me. However, if someone had presented me with the opportunity of magically pressing a button before either of my pregnancies that would have allowed me to choose, I’m not sure what I would have done. Probably nothing. I’ve never heard a really good reason for wanting to choose. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/9 "2003-09-19T22:09:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Obsidian Flutterby \* > \*\*Well… right now I’m _hoping_ for a girl (don’t most mom’s? lol) Nope. I hoped for boys. (Got 'em too without dinking around with nature.) ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/10 "2003-09-19T22:13:25Z")
I wouldn’t do it, as it would be unnecessary. It wonder matter to me what gender the baby would be. It would just feel wrong to mesomehow to decide the gender. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/11 "2003-09-19T22:15:08Z")
Damn typos. That should be “wouldn’t” not “wonder”. lol. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/12 "2003-09-19T22:15:33Z")
I’ve always believed in those sage words of wisdom, “You can’t always get what you want but you get what you need.” I have 3 kids and am preggo with my 4th. My kids were a boy, a boy, and then a girl. I really wanted a girl so my daughter could have a sister, and the sleeping arrangements would be so much easier. If I could have easily chosen the sex, I would have. So we’ve just found out that #4 is a BOY. I guess Mr. Jagger and his cohorts were right, I’m not getting what I wanted, but it’s probably what I need in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![MPangloss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@MPangloss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPangloss)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/13 "2003-09-19T22:17:34Z")
Pick the gender?? Maybe if you’ve had 4 boys already and feel the need to have a girl but its best to leave this decision to Mother Nature. The saying “as long as its healthy” goes a long way here. And it is far-fetched to think that the combination of boys and girls you decide on would somehow be optimal. All boys: House gets trashed. Many trips to emergency room All Girls: Cute to begin with but wait until the PMS starts and don’t think you’ll ever get to use shower or telephone again. Combo: Definitely need separate rooms and hand-me-downs don’t work. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/14 "2003-09-19T22:18:36Z")
I wouldn’t choose the sex of my first kid. I’d choose the other sex for my second. Just for variety. ---
**Author:** ![pencilpusher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d6d6ee/32.png) [@pencilpusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pencilpusher)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/15 "2003-09-19T22:28:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auntie em \* > \*\*[snip]However, safe or not, I don’t generally feel like it’s good to dink around with Mother Nature. I mean, I guess you could say that I dink around with Mother Nature by using hormonal birth control (though if I were _really_ dinking around with Mother Nature, I’d be a lesbian, so I wouldn’t need birth control), but I think _this is one of those situations where I’m old and set in my ways._ > > _as born in 1970,_ > [snip]\*\* HEY I’m older than you and I’m not old!! ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/16 "2003-09-19T23:07:12Z")
Is there ANY way of making sure you get the ‘right’ sex of your baby? (I would think Ariticfial Insemination (sp?) would do the trick.) ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/17 "2003-09-19T23:32:46Z")
There’s a new product called GenSelect, but I have no idea if it’s effective or not. [http://www.genselect.com/](http://www.genselect.com/) It costs $200 for one month though. Even if this is a crock, eventually someone will find a way to make it possible, so it’s not a totally theoretical question. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/18 "2003-09-19T23:39:02Z")
hijack When my mom gave birth to my little brother, she said, "What the hell am I supposed to do with a boy? /hijack I don’t think I would choose. Any child of mine will, of course, be wonderful and perfect no matter if it is a boy or girl. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/19 "2003-09-20T02:25:42Z")
I thought I wanted one of each, but when I found out my second was a girl, I was delighted and wouldn’t have had it any other way. If she’d have been a boy - if the first had been a boy, for that matter - I’m sure I’d feel the exact same way. I wouldn’t trade either one of them for anyone else, no matter what. I suppose if the baby was in danger of inheriting a sex-linked genetic problem, I’d eagerly choose the sex, but in the absence of something of that magnitude, no. I’d take the child who came along, boy or girl, and I’d be overjoyed with it. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669/20 "2003-09-20T04:49:15Z")
YES! And I’d invent a new gender too, and I’d call it “Yes please” so that whenever a form called for it’s sex, it would have to write “yes please”. That is THE BEST idea I have EVER had. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-choose-your-baby-s-gender-would-you/202669.md?page=2)