Well, it means that a couple decides they are ready to bring a child into their family, but instead of the good ol' fashioned method of getting pregnant, they try to manipulate the situation in order to affect the sex of the baby. This is most prevalent in couples who want to conceive a female child.
The basic assumption is that Y or male sperm swim faster then X or female sperm. This means that families who either want a girl right off the bat or perhaps have a few boys and are desperate for a girl, can use this method of "planning a baby" as they try to conceive.
According to Dr. Shettles, leading proponent of "planning a baby," these are a few things you can do to ensure the baby turns out a girl:
1. Have sex every day from day 1 to day 5, then stop three days before ovulation.
2. The man should take a hot shower immediately before intercourse.
My opinion?
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. If a couple decides that they are ready for a baby and are fortunate enough to get pregnant, they should be absolutely, ecstatically happy. End of story. Trying to decide the sex of the baby means, in my opinion, that if they don't end up with the girl (or boy) they are trying for, they will be less excited about the tiny life they've created. So many people can't ever even have a baby so if a couple is lucky enough to conceive, they should be thrilled.
My question to you
Should couples interfere with the natural process of conception in order to get the girl (or boy) they desire?
No, I don't believe they should. I think that they should be happy with the child they get and keep in mind that some people, no matter how hard they try or how much they want it, can't have children. I agree with you when you say they should be "absolutly, ecstatically happy" that they will have a child.
ReplyDeleteI also don't believe that people should be able choose the sex of there baby, or what color eyes and hair it will have.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to do this reminds me of the movie Gattica, I believe it's called, where before the baby is born, they know exactly when it will die, how, what he/ she will be good at, the sex of the baby, any diseases that they might possibly have, and the parents find this out, to see if they want to keep the baby or not.
I also agree with you that the parents should be "absolutely, ecstatically happy" that they got a child, because some couples want children, but can't have them.
When I first started reading your blog I thought "planning a baby" referred to genetic alterations. I'm told that stem cell research along with other mind numbing experiments have made choosing a child's human features possible. Unfavorable characteristics in a fetus' DNA can now be recognized and changed according to the parents preference. It is simply a matter of rearranging the order that the components of DNA appear. Talk about playing God. The parents in our near future may be provided a choice for every characteristic of their unborn child. It seems like it is robbing a person of their individuality.
ReplyDeleteI am on board with your thoughts about the type of "baby planning" you were discussing. After reeling in my thoughts about genetic alteration the hot showers and planned dates for sexual intercourse did not seem so taboo at first. The more I thought about it the more I thought it would be best to let nature takes it's course. Every child is indeed a gift. I agree that a parent should be thankful for whatever gift they are given.
What a thought provoking idea!