TTC Archives - Page 10 of 11 - Life with Gremlins

I’m Having a Girl After 3 Boys!

I wouldn’t say we tried to conceive our fourth child for the sake of having a girl, but we did really want to have a girl after 3 boys. So, I set out to research how to conceive a girl and tried some things out, and I am happy to announce gremlin 4.0 is a girl! Before my efforts to conceive a girl, I was not aware how many other women have issues conceiving one gender or another. It did, however, seem girls were the harder of the two for many, so I thought I’d share what I did.

baby girl after 3 boys — Aeris Aurora June Vin Zant at 17w2d

First off, if you want to have a girl after 3 boys, or even 1 or 2, what should you keep mind?

There are no guarantees. If you set out to gender sway (that’s what it is called to attempt to sway your chances of having one gender or another) you have to be ready to accept that you may end up with the opposite gender. If a happy, healthy baby is not good enough for you or you don’t really want another child unless it is a girl or boy, I recommend you just not try. Be honest with yourself in this department—kids are forever.

Second, there are a lot of different ways to sway, and there is a lot of conflicting information. Some sways can require some pretty drastic life changes, and others are quite minor. Either way, your commitment to those changes is important. The best resource I found in my 4-year attempt for a girl was genderdreaming.com. There is a forum full of very supportive women along with extensively researched methods of swaying. On top of that, the site is active. Members submit their sways and the results and everything is tracked. If something is or isn’t working, that’s addressed and examined. It truly is an invaluable resource that is free.

How did I personally conceive a girl after 3 boys?

Once I started my research, I found that much of my lifestyle was contributing to my all boy line-up. For instance:

Diet: I love cheese and meat. You have no idea how much, but it turns out that women who eat high-protein, nutrient-rich diets conceive more boys. In fact, vegetarians tend to conceive more girls. I drastically changed my diet for several months. I cut meat out during the day and switched to low-nutrient meals such as iceberg salad. I kept my dinner meat portions very small. For me, this was a huge change.

Another thing I did was skip breakfast.

Exercise: Next, while I’m by no means a couch potato, I have 3 boys, after all. I didn’t often make time for exercise before, but the stats over at genderdreaming were showing incredible results for weight loss and cardio. So, every morning I started riding my stationary bike in my living room for minimum of 60 minutes. I lost almost 20 pounds in 3 months.

I honestly think the exercise and diet were the main contributors to me having a girl after 3 boys, but I did do a couple of other things as well.

-I was taking cinnamon and Pregnitude, as blood sugar is said to have a roll in gender determination.

-I was taking vitex and saw palmetto. Lower testosterone and balanced hormones are also said to sway girl.

-I was taking baby aspirin. This is suggested to help conceive in general, as most of the methods to help conceive a girl also lower fertility.

Finally, I also had quite recently suffered a miscarriage. As far as I know you won’t find a study to support this, but many woman report conceiving a girl after a loss.

Anyway, I certainly am not suggesting doing exactly what I did will work for you if you are trying to conceive a girl, just putting my story up as a it-does-happen encouragement for those feeling they can never have a baby girl as well as some insight into how my baby girl came about.

As a helpful quick look for those just getting into gender swaying, you can read a short overview of gender ratio and factors of swaying supported by studies right here. We also have a new gender determination quiz based on the science of gender swaying found here. This quiz can be taken before or after conception.

Inaccurate Pregnancy Test Results: False Negative and Positive Causes

If you think you might be pregnant, chances are you already took a home pregnancy test. Whether you got a positive or negative test result, chances are you’re wondering whether that result was accurate. How common are false-negative pregnancy test results? False positives? What if there’s just a faint second line? Can you really trust what that tiny result screen is telling you? Can a pregnancy test be wrong? Let’s take a closer look at pregnancy test accuracy.

How do pregnancy tests work?

To understand the accuracy and possibility of false-positive pregnancy tests or false-negative pregnancy test results, it helps to understand how a pregnancy test kit works.

Home pregnancy tests detect a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), also known as the pregnancy hormone. hCG ensures progesterone production continues to maintain your uterine lining during pregnancy. Cells that will later form your placenta immediately begin releasing this hormone after the fertilized egg implants in your uterine lining.

While a blood test can detect any level of hCG, most home urine tests have a threshold of about 20-25 mIU/mL. However, the most sensitive home test (First Response Early Result) can detect levels as low as 5.5 mIU/mL. Either way, these levels aren’t typically reached until 3 to 5 days after implantation. You can read more about when to take a pregnancy test for the most accurate results here.

How common is a false-negative pregnancy test result, and why do they happen?

By definition, a false-negative pregnancy test is a test that says not pregnant when you are pregnant. False-negative pregnancy test results are actually rather common in early pregnancy as they have numerous causes.

For instance, a retrospective cohort study performed by researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine in 2021 found that among 10,924 urine hCG tests performed during emergency room visits, 1.6% yielded a false negative result. Rates were higher among women suffering from ectopic pregnancy (3.6%), a condition where a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, such as in the fallopian tube or ovary, as hCG levels are typically lower than normal in these cases.

Keep in mind these rates were in a hospital setting with the instructions for completion and test results being read by a trained medical professional. There currently are no studies on the prevalence of false-negative results in the real world, but as you can imagine, they are likely much higher.

You may receive a false-negative pregnancy test result if:

-You tested too early, and hCG levels were not yet sufficient.
-You didn’t test too early, but hCG levels were still insufficient.
-Your hCG levels were too high (the hook effect).
-Your urine was too diluted.
-The test was done incorrectly. For example, perhaps the test was not saturated entirely in urine.
-The test was expired.
-The test results were read too long after testing.
-You misread the result (1 in 4 women are said to misread traditional pregnancy tests).

If you think you may be pregnant or are experiencing symptoms of pregnancy and get a negative pregnancy test result, it’s best to test again in around a week. If the second test is negative, but symptoms persist (including missed periods), it’s time to consider seeing your healthcare provider. In the meantime, you might also find our page on missed periods with a negative test helpful.

How common are false-positive pregnancy test results, and why do they happen?

True false-positive pregnancy test results, meaning the test result is read properly, are far less common than false-negative results, but they can happen. As an example, in the substantial equivalence laboratory report for First Response’s Gold Digital Pregnancy Test, which included 575 tests, only .18% (a single test) yielded a false-positive result. These pregnancy tests feature an easy-to-read digital result screen that shows a plus sign and yes for positive results or minus sign and no for negative results. In the review, 98% of test-takers read their test result correctly, meaning the .18% is a fair representation of the prevalence of real false-positive test results.

You may receive a false-positive pregnancy test result if:

-You misread the result. Some tests will leave a very faint line as the urine passes the test indicator window that can appear to make the test positive. Tests that come back with very faint results should be re-done in a few days to a week.

-You got an evaporation line. Some tests, usually the cheaper variety, will show a “ghost line,” which is typically colorless or thin even if you are not pregnant. Reportedly among conception circles, this is more common in blue-dye tests. If you have to squint to see the line, test again in 48 hours.

-You waited too long to read the results. In most cases, an aged pregnancy test result will appear negative, but it is possible for a negative test to look positive after the recommended read time. This line is more likely to be colorless.

-You were pregnant but aren’t anymore. Even if a pregnancy fails within days of implantation, hCG is still produced. This is called a chemical pregnancy. Chemical pregnancies often present with no other symptoms, unlike a miscarriage, which typically comes with heavier bleeding and cramping at the least. Early pregnancy loss is common, occurring in roughly 1 in 4 pregnancies.

-You are taking a drug that contains hCG or causes analytical interference in hCG testing. A few select fertility medications, such as Pregnyl and Profasi, contain hCG, but a longer list of common medications can interfere with the accuracy of hCG testing, including anticonvulsants, like Carbamazepine, and antipsychotics, like Chlorpromazine and Thioridazine. Your pharmacist should be able to offer guidance as to whether any medications you’re taking could lead to inaccurate pregnancy test results. Note that birth control use can not cause a false positive.

-You have cancer or an ovarian cyst. Certain medical conditions, including gestational trophoblastic diseases (molar pregnancy), breast, ovarian, and lung cancer, and ovarian cysts, can release hCG, which could result in a false-positive test result. If you receive a positive pregnancy test, don’t wait to visit your health care provider, as these conditions, among others, such as ectopic pregnancy, can become life-threatening if left untreated.

-You are post-menopausal or just got a really sensitive test. Even women who aren’t pregnant have low levels of hCG. These levels are higher in some post-menopausal women, and the accuracy of pregnancy tests varies. In very rare cases, a test will read positive as a result of normal hCG levels in the body.

Can you trust home pregnancy tests?

A home pregnancy test is a good first step in determining if you are or aren’t pregnant if you miss a period or are experiencing other pregnancy symptoms. Keep in mind, though, they aren’t without fail, making them a better first step than last. When in doubt, see a health care provider, especially if what caused that doubt continues.

You may also find helpful:
Can you have a period and be pregnant?
Early Signs of Pregnancy Quiz
DIY Pregnancy Tests: Are They Accurate?

Implantation Bleeding Quiz: Implantation Bleeding or Period?

Whether you’re trying to become pregnant or hoping you aren’t, when it comes to end-of-cycle spotting or bleeding, you’re likely wondering: how can I tell if it’s implantation bleeding or a period?

What is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is bleeding that occurs as a result of a fertilized egg implanting in the uterine wall. This bleeding is the first recognizable sign of pregnancy and does not occur in all cases.

What is menstrual bleeding?

While most women already know what a menstrual period is, just for knowledge’s sake, a menstrual cycle is on average 28 days in length but may vary from woman to woman. In this time, an egg should be released (about mid-way through your cycle). If the egg is fertilized, it implants in the uterine wall, and implantation bleeding may occur. Otherwise, the egg travels on and is shed with the uterine lining during your period. If you don’t release an egg, your period may be delayed, but you will likely still experience bleeding. Ovulation, or the release of this egg, can be confirmed by charting your basal body temperature.

Now that we’ve defined both types of bleeding, let’s talk about how you can tell them apart. If you prefer, click the start button below to take our implantation bleeding quiz for a quick answer on the likelihood of your bleeding being implantation. Otherwise, beyond the implantation bleeding quiz start button, you can read about the methodology used in the quiz.

Implantation bleeding or period: How can you tell?

When does implantation bleeding occur?

Implantation bleeding will generally occur 6 to 12 days after intercourse or ovulation so pay attention to when your period should start and when this mysterious vaginal bleeding occurs. If you experience bleeding slightly earlier than you should, this could be a sign of implantation bleeding. If the bleeding is more than 14 days after your last sexual act, it’s unlikely to be implantation.

What does implantation bleeding look like?

Implantation blood is usually a different color than your average menstrual blood being either darker and more brown (old blood) or lighter and pinkish (very new, light bleeding). Keep in mind that the implanting egg is the size of a pinhead. Implantation bleeding is very light and shorter in duration than a normal period with no clots—unless, of course, you don’t normally have one. It’s usually just the faintest pink showing up on toilet paper, blood-tinged discharge, or even just one to two tiny drops of blood. Implantation will not cause heavy bleeding, but there are other ways one can be pregnant and still experience period-like bleeding.

Some women also get a slight hormone dip at implantation, which may cause both a temperature dip on basal body charts and possibly some light spotting. This type of bleeding is not a heavy flow.

How common is implantation bleeding?

Only about one in three women experience implantation bleeding. If you suspect pregnancy or have had unprotected sex, don’t assume that you’re not pregnant simply because you didn’t experience this symptom. Some women become pregnant and exhibit no symptoms whatsoever.

Whether after reading this page or taking our implantation bleeding quiz, you feel you’ve experienced implantation bleeding or not, a home pregnancy test will always be the best way to ease your mind. Be sure to take the test after your regular period should have been and not immediately after the bleeding.

Even if it is implantation bleeding, a pregnancy test will probably still read negative as hCG, also known as the pregnancy hormone, levels will be insufficient. On average, it takes about 48 hours to get even a faint positive test. It’s recommended that you wait to take a pregnancy test until at least four days after your period should have started or roughly 14 days after the sexual act.

Does implantation cause cramps?

Some women do experience implantation cramping, but then, many women also get period cramps and lower back pain. Experiencing cramping alone isn’t an indication that implantation has occurred.

I have pregnancy symptoms. Does that mean it was implantation bleeding?

Unfortunately, many common early pregnancy symptoms, such as breast tenderness, swollen breasts, fatigue, headaches, discharge changes, mood swings, and nausea, are caused in part by the same hormone that peaks just before your period (progesterone) making it just as difficult to tell PMS from pregnancy symptoms as it is to tell implantation from a period.

What else can cause late-cycle spotting or period-like bleeding?

Beyond implantation and a period, there are also other causes of spotting and light vaginal bleeding, such as:

Bleeding from sex or trauma to the cervix
Hormonal imbalance or fluctuations
Infection
New medication use
Diet, stress, or sleep changes

If you are trying to decide if its implantation bleeding or a period, you may also enjoy:
How to Calculate Your Chances of Pregnancy (includes quiz)
Period Blood Colors and Textures
Early Signs of Pregnancy Quiz
Period While Pregnant: Is It Possible?

A note on comments: I usually respond to comments within 48 hours. All comments are moderated before they appear on the site to eliminate spam. Each and every comment is responded to as approved, but please remember, I am not a doctor nor a substitute for medical care. I can’t possibly tell you if you are pregnant over the Internet. I do have a medical background (medical assisting) and am a mother of four who struggled with infertility and multiple miscarriages, but I am not a doctor nor claim to be one.