question about DH and swaying factors

[vanasse2002]

Well, here I am again. DH and I are thinking of giving it one more try for that boy that we both want.
Alot has changed since we had our girls. Youngest is now 5.
Here is what I've been doing.
Supplements: EPO, vitamin E, B-complex, flaxseed oil
Working out 5 days a week (CIZE dance video) - I am not losing weight, but have actually put on a couple pounds doing this (I'm thinking it's muscle).
Diet: trying eat protein-carbs at each meal
The BAD: diet soda (I am cutting this out today!)
Here is what DH has been doing.
DH used to do basically nothing back when we had our girls. He lost over 50 pounds over a year ago and has been maintaining for the past year. He is very active with paddleboarding and does this as much as possible. My biggest concern is how much of a factor he is in the sway. He drinks diet soda daily, 2 cups of coffee in the morning, does not eat breakfast and usually just eats a couple piece of fruit and maybe a tuna sandwich for lunch. He does eat a very good dinner every day. The other big thing that he will not give up is smoking. Back when we had our girls, DH did not exercise at all, drank regular soda, and ate alot more than he does now.
Any suggestions on what we can do to improve our chances? - Thanks!

[Boyzmommy]

Start eating eggs and start prenatal. Vit for husband as well. Thats wht i hve been doing when i conceived my boys.

[atomic sagebrush]

I would drop the Vit. E and B complex and replace with just a good general multivitamin or prenatal for you, and add up to 1000 IU Vit. D as well.

Choose either flaxseed OR EPO, not both, and if you take these you have to take equal or greater amount of fish oil at the same time. If you don't want to add in fish oil, drop BOTH flaxseed and EPO. It may sway pink to take these alone.

I would give DH a good men's over 50 vitamin and also 1000 IU Vit. D

Smoking is a biggie for me but if he won't drop it, there is nothing you can do about that. His weight loss should only help.

[vanasse2002]

Thanks! I'll definitely add in the vitamin D.
I'm curious as to why I should add in the fish oil with the EPO. Why would not taking fish oil with EPO sway girl? I'll add it in, I'm just wondering why the EPO needs the fish oil to sway boy.
I started taking all these supplements originally to help with PMS and it has been doing that. Do you have any research on PMS and gender?

[atomic sagebrush]

Taking more Omega 6, vegetable fats, and less Omega 3/animal/saturated fats, has been clearly shown to sway pink in several very well done studies from a lot of different sources. So taking EPO and Flaxseed both (which have Omega 6 fats in them) without taking an equal or greater amount of fish oil, is WORSE than nothing. Please do not take both EPO and flaxseed together any more and do not take EITHER without adding in an equal or greater amount of fish oil. You are seriously harming your chances of a boy by doing it the way you are doing it.

There doesn't seem to be any hard and fast correlation between having girls vs. boys and PMS. I did feel like my PMS got better before I had a girl after 4 boys, but that is not exactly going to shed light on your situation!

[The Anchor]

I would not worry about him so much as yourself.
Prenatal + Vitamin D + Folate if you can get your hands on it. I would personally eliminate EPO and flax and go with Krill Oil.
You should be doing some weights if you can for exercise. Gain muscle.
Full fat dairy, eggs, protein with every meal, don't skip breakfast.
GL!

[vanasse2002]

Thanks so much on the info. Science is my background so I'm always interested in hearing the why of things
I'm headed to the store now! I like the effects the EPO has had on my PMS, but I'm going to look for the krill oil and if I can't find that, I'll get the fish oil!

Thanks again!!!!!

[zodiac]

...I would personally eliminate EPO and flax and go with Krill Oil.

Just curious, why Krill Oil rather than Fish Oil?

Doesn't Krill come from Shellfish and I thought we were supposed to avoid Shellfish when TTC Boy?

...do not take both EPO and flaxseed together any more and do not take EITHER without adding in an equal or greater amount of fish oil.

I can't find it right now, but I think I remember reading a comment by atomic previously that Omega-3 and Omega-6 were to be balanced?

Can Omega-3 be taken without Omega-6 but not vice versa?

What would happen if only Fish Oil (Omega-3) was used, but the EPO was dropped?


If doing both, would 1000mg Fish Oil and 500mg Evening Primrose Oil be better?

[atomic sagebrush]

The oils are highly processed and do not have the "bad stuff" in shellfish that may affect a blue sway negatively. Krill oil is fine because any possible pesticide runoff or other bad stuff that shellfish absorb easily has been purified and removed. It is nothing magic about shellfish itself, it's that shellfish are like little sponges that absorb grossness from the water they are in (everyone needs to keep fish intake of all kinds to no more than 2x a week because of this!! if you are swaying pink, shellfish is not something that should be eaten daily or anything! and blue swayers should avoid it)

Omega 3 has to be more than Omega 6. They don't need to be balanced, it's just that Omega 6 can't be MORE than Omega 3. Since Omega 6 is in a lot of foods I like Omega 3 to be higher to ensure you're still getting enough. Since both EPO and flaxseed have Omega 6 in them, you need to take more Omega 3 to make up for that. Now, you can absolutely drop EPO/flaxseed and keep Omega 3/fish oil/krill oil/ DHA whichever you prefer.

I often give my custom swayers 1000 mg fish oil and 500 EPO (EPO is AF-O only).

I do not like flaxseed because it has some compounds in it that may not be safe and may sway pink. Some people insist on taking it, but I think EPO is better and safer so I rarely use flaxseed except for those who insist