There are so many “old wives tales” out there, that it is hard to know what might actually be a real method on how to conceive a boy or girl. Unfortunately, there is no scientific proof that any gender swaying method is going to guarantee you will end up with the sex of your choice. The good news is that there is some expert advice on ways to increase your chances conceiving the baby of your dreams!
Gender swaying is not just a myth that you hear about on the interwebs. It is an actual thing and there are different forms that may actually help you. From dietary changes, Shettles Method, to sexual positions, these are all gender swaying theories. While you will hopefully be happy with whatever gender you end up with, let’s get into those methods on how to conceive a boy or girl.
Dietary Changes
The types of food you eat can change the pH balance of your vagina making cervical mucus more acidic or more alkaline. In a healthy body, the pH balance or your vagina will change depending on which phase of your cycle you are in. Normally, the pH balance is slightly acidic to ward off bacteria and yeast infections. The acidic environment can even kill sperm. During ovulation the pH balance should change to more of an alkaline environment to allow sperm to survive and travel through to meet the egg.
Eating more foods that form acid may increase your chances of having a baby girl. Food such as: all meats/fish, pasta, some nuts, bread, rice, and certain beans are acid forming. Mostly all fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming foods. Yes, even lemons, which seem like they would form acid actually form alkaline!
Shettles Method
The Shettles Method uses a combination of timed intercourse and sexual positions to determine the baby’s gender. Shettles believed that male sperm (X chromosome carrying sperm) swim faster, but have a shorter lifespan. So sex should be performed as close to ovulation as possible in order for there to be sperm waiting for the egg. He also suggested using sexual positions that allow for deep penetration (from behind) in order to deposit the sperm closer to the cervix.
In order to conceive a girl, Shettles says that you should have sex two to three days before ovulation because the female sperm (Y chromosome carrying sperm) swim slower, but live longer. He also believed that sex with shallow penetration (missionary) would be idea because it is more acidic closer to the entrance of the vagina and X chromosome carrying sperm are more likely to survive.
Sexual Positions
The idea that certain sexual positions help couples conceive a specific gender are directly tied to the Shettles Method. Deeper penetration sexual positions gives the male sperm the advantage and shallow penetration helps female sperm. Also, you may want to avoid an orgasm or be sure to let your partner/husband orgasm first if you are trying to conceive a girl (eeeek)! The female orgasm causes secretions that cause the pH of the vagina to be more alkaline which is more favorable to male sperm. Here are some positions that may help:
To Conceive A Boy:
- Standing up
- Modified missionary
- Doggy Style
- Wheelbarrow
- Any position that allows you to orgasm!
To Conceive A Girl:
- Woman on top (in order to control penetration)
- Spooning position
- Missionary
My Final Thought
Trying to conceive is stressful enough that I wouldn’t want to complicate it by trying for a specific gender. In any given pregnancy there is a 50 percent chance that the baby will be a boy or a girl (haha), and there is no scientific proof that any of these methods actually work. What we do know is that the optimal to have sex for conception is a couple days before ovulation. Knowing when you ovulate is the most important step to take in order to conceive. So I will likely continue to have sex that optimizes my chances of getting pregnant period!
If you would like to optimize your chances, you can get your OPK’s here! If you are interested in learning more about gender selection, you can check out The Babydust Method: A Guide To Conceiving a Girl or a Boy.
This is a study I really need to try out on my own. To be honest, you can’t really get hung up on the sex of your baby. Every birth is a gift. Great article though. Could use more media 😉 Whats doggy style? HAHA
I agree that every birth is a gift. I definitely don’t care which gender I conceive, but you would be surprised at how many people there are that do try for a specific sex. As far as pictures, I figured I would let the readers use their imagination 🙂 I had to say doggy style and not just “from behind” because some rear entry positions, like the spooning position, are for shallow penetration. So I had to put my big girl pants on and discuss the details. After all, we all know where babies come from (I hope). Thank you for reading!
Hey there, thanks for sharing and I’ll be sure to keep this in mind!!
Thank you for reading and let me know if you have any questions. Take care!
I’ve heard this about sperm lifespan and speed, that women are conceived toward the end and boys toward the beginning. Sometimes you see families where they have, like, 6 sons…and I guess that makes me chuckle because we know what that couple was up to all the time!
It is kind of funny when you think of it that way. I was talking to another couple and we were discussing how we were conceived around one of parent’s birthdays or a night out. I know my mother’s birthday is 09/17 and I was born 06/14. So I know what my parent’s were doing on my mom’s birthday, lol! Thanks for the comment!