It’s only human nature to have pre-conceived (pun intended) notions about your family before you’re even pregnant, and want to have a certain number of children of each sex to round out your crew. Let’s say you have two or three little girls already, want to have a baby boy so he can grow up with sisters, and want to know how to conceive a boy.
Before we go there, let us remind you that there is a difference between biological sex, which is the “male” or “female” label babies are assigned at birth, and gender, which is how you choose to express yourself as male, female, both, or neither. Gender identity in our society is more fluid than ever, with kids and teens identifying as transgender and non-binary in record numbers. So even if you have dreams of having a son who plays with race cars and wears bow ties, your child may not express themself that way.
All that said, if you’re still really hoping to conceive a baby boy to potentially add some more masculine energy to your household, there are some theories that there’s more you can do than just crossing your fingers.
If you look strictly at the science, it’s primarily the genetic makeup of the father’s sperm that influences a baby’s sex, giving the baby either XX chromosomes (female) or XY chromosomes (male). Some aspects of his genes could potentially influence gender (for example, it’s been hypothesized that if there are many brothers in a man’s family, they might all have the genetic trait to product more sperm with Y chromosomes and therefore have more male children). However, there’s a debate as to whether there is anything other than a 50/50 probability of the sex of your child before they are born.
Some experts have authored books on this topic and other people share old wives’ tales that you can predict a baby’s gender. Below, we debunk some of those theories on how to conceive a boy.
1. Try it from behind
Also known as Doggie Style, some experts this position is highly recommended to couples hoping to conceive a boy, says Stacy Rybchin, founder of My Secret Luxury. Why? “Because it allows for deeper penetration, and consequently, during ejaculation, the male sperm get deposited closer to the cervix.” In general, researchers believed that male sperm are faster and don’t live as long as females do, so the less distance they have to travel, the better.
However, newer research published in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology says that there is no different in sperm strength, motility, swimming patterns, based on the X or Y (female or male) chromosomes in their cell DNA. So this sex position, while great if you enjoy it, is not going to make a huge difference in which sperm cells lead to successful fertilization.
2. Do it standing up
Apparently, similar theories are out there that to conceive a boy, you should have sex standing up. This position, like doggie style, does enable deep penetration, so it’s the same thought process: The “faster” male sperm have an advantage to get to the egg more quickly.
Again, there isn’t really a science to this. Research in the journal Fertility and Sterilityconfirms that there is no specific sex position that increases fertility, and that sperm can make it to the cervix either way. The journal article does say that frequency of sex, especially in the days around ovulation, can increases your chances of conceiving, which makes sense (you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take, as the saying goes).
More: Sex positions for conceiving a girl
3. Choose a position that makes you orgasm
Seriously, we’re not joking! Originally, fertility experts thought that because orgasm causes your vagina to become more alkaline, this shift in pH balance majorly favors male sperm (meaning they have a greater shot at actually reaching that egg and fertilizing it first). Recent science states that pH doesn’t make a difference in making the vaginal environment more hospitable for one type of sperm over the other.
However, having an orgasm, which can provoke contractions around the muscles of the cervix, could help with sperm transport up the cervix in order to fertilize an egg in the uterus, according to American Society of Reproductive Medicine research.
So go ahead, enjoy yourself, if you catch our drift (hint, hint). Plus, shouldn’t pleasure be one of the main goals anyway, even when you’re trying to get pregnant?
4. Wait until you ovulate
Timing is, of course, everything when it comes to making a baby. Some experts believe that the day you do the deed (and the days you don’t too!) can potentially influence the gender of your child. To increase your chances of a boy, experienced nurse and midwife Carmen Kosicek, RN, MSN, theorizes that you should avoid intercourse in the days (at least four or five) leading up to ovulation. Then do it the day of, she directs. Because male sperm were believed to be faster swimmers, the theory here is that’d they’d reach the egg first before the females. “Now, the trick is figuring out exactly when you ovulate!”
Researchers posit that the two days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation are your most fertile window. There’s nothing concrete that states that the exact time of fertilization can affect the baby’s sex. But if you want to increase your odds of getting pregnant in general, get out those ovulation test kits and get going.
More:Baby making sex positions
5. Consume more calories
And eat cereal for breakfast! “An older study conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter in the UK suggests that upping your calorie intake by at least 400 calories per day and consuming cereal especially, along with bananas, fish, vegetables and other high energy foods, can help lead to conception of a boy,” suggests Dr. Ava Cadell, spokesperson for The Experience Channel and renowned love and sex therapist.
Research states that while a healthy, balanced diet can be beneficial while trying to conceive, no specific diet will increase your chances of conceiving a baby of a particular sex.
6. Have him drink coffee
Dr. Shettles, author of How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby, suggested that men drinking caffeine, like a large cup of coffee or soda, before sex could give sperm an extra boost, particularly the Y sperm.
There’s no definitive correlation between sperm count or motility and caffeine, but of course a cup of coffee in the afternoon might keep you awake enough for sex in the late evening, which doesn’t hurt.
All in all, you can experiment with whatever tips and tricks you want to conceive a baby of a certain sex, but ultimately it’s pretty much up to chance.
Before you go, check out these celebrity baby names below.
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