I remember when I used to see a friend of my mother’s, pregnant for the 4th time with another boy… She really wanted a girl and tried five times without success, until she gave up. For a long time I heard this story and I never thought it was true until I heard a famous doctor talking about tricks that women could use to give nature a little push to help have a child of their preferred sex.
Is It Possible to Choose the Baby’s Sex?
According to some techniques and tips from researchers, yes, it is possible to choose the baby’s sex. They don’t work with 100% accuracy, but the tricks are super simple and there’s no harm in trying, right? If my mother’s friend had known about these little tips, she certainly could have made it easier to conceive a girl.
Sometimes a couple already has a son or a daughter and wants to “complete the set” before they close the factory for good. Well, let’s talk about science first. By studying reproductive cells, sperm and egg, we can think of it like this:
How to Conceive a Boy
- For those thinking about how to conceive a boy, the ideal is to have sex on the most fertile day. That’s because sperm with the XY chromosome are lighter and much faster, but also less resilient1.
- They say that to conceive a boy, your diet should be based more on salads and meats during the fertile period. This may help sperm be more resilient.
- The sperm that carries the XY chromosome also prefers a more alkaline rather than acidic vaginal pH. So, to help balance vaginal pH, having a sitz bath with 1 tablespoon of baking soda before intercourse works very well!
- Ejaculation closer to the cervix can also favor conceiving a boy. As these sperm are faster, they have a greater chance of reaching the fallopian tubes first. So positions like on the side, or with the woman under (on her back), can help a lot.
- If your husband/partner only wears regular briefs, swap them for boxer shorts. They allow the testicles to stay cooler and help keep sperm healthy.
How to Conceive a Girl
- To conceive a girl, the ideal is to have sex about 2 days before the most fertile day. That’s because sperm carrying the XX chromosome are slower2, but are also more resistant and can “wait” in the uterus for the egg to arrive.
- They say sweets and pasta help XX sperm, so take advantage of your fertile period to eat sweets, pasta, rice…
- The principle for a sitz bath is the opposite, since sperm carrying the XX chromosome actually prefer acidic environments. So, a sitz bath with 2 tablespoons of vinegar before intercourse may help.
Can Diet Influence?
Diet also has a significant influence, according to research. Especially foods rich in magnesium, such as: tofu, peanuts, artichoke, Swiss chard, spinach, orange juice, avocado, black beans, among others. Foods rich in calcium also are allies for conceiving a baby girl, such as whole milk, yogurts, broccoli, and beans, rich in minerals that act directly on pH.
In my opinion, timing is what works best for couples who want to try for a specific sex. If you have sex before the most fertile day, there’s a higher chance of having a girl. If you have sex on the day of ovulation, the chance of a boy is higher. That’s why the fertility calendar helps a lot.
It’s important to remember that, except for information about chromosomes, which is scientifically proven, there is no scientific basis for any of these tricks. We won’t debate what’s right or wrong – they’re just tips. After all, everyone has dreams, and if an expectant mom dreams of having a boy or a girl, why not? Make a plan — and good luck!
