Have a Baby Boy

Do you want to add a baby boy to your family? There are many old wives’ tales that claim to help you conceive a baby boy. Many have no scientific backing. However, some techniques may improve your chances of having a boy and even have scientific evidence to back them up. You may have a baby boy by trying different sexual techniques, making lifestyle changes, and considering other options such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Steps

Trying Different Sexual Techniques

1. Consult your doctor. The only sure-fire way to have a baby boy is to use in-vitro fertilization and gender selection. However, you may not want to rely on these procedures to have a baby boy. Before you try getting pregnant, talk to your doctor about your wishes. They may check your health to ensure you are healthy enough to get pregnant. They may also have some non-surgical tips on conceiving a baby boy. Recognize that many old wives tales or other suggestions for having a baby boy have no medical evidence to support them.
2. Time your ovulation. Women only carry female X- chromosomes. Men have both one female X- and one male Y-chromosome. This means that the male partner determines the sex of a baby. A male Y-chromosome sperm may swim faster than the female X-chromosome, but the X-chromosomes have more endurance. Keeping track of your ovulation cycle with a calendar or app can help you have sex closest to when your body releases the egg. This might increase the likelihood of having a boy because the Y-chromosome sperm may not tire out before reaching the egg.
   • Consider avoiding sex the week before you ovulate to increase your significant other’s sperm count. Have sex on the day you ovulate, if possible. Although not proven, it may increase your chances of conceiving a boy.
3. Do deep penetrative position. Having sex in positions that deeply penetrate the woman could increase the chance of having a baby boy. This may give the male Y-chromosomes a head start on reaching the egg because they can swim faster than female X-chromosome sperm, though there is no evidence to prove this. Try any of the following are deep penetration positions:
   • Standing up
   • Straddling (woman on top)
   • Doggy style, or from behind
   • Missionary with the woman's legs pulled toward her chest.
4. Let the woman orgasm first. Women’s orgasms may give Y-chromosome sperm another head start. This is because orgasms move the sperm closer to the cervix. A female orgasm may also create a more alkaline environment in the vagina, which can also increase the chances of the male Y-chromosome sperm reaching the egg first. Hinder the man’s orgasm if possible. Be aware that there is no medical evidence to prove this increases your chances of having a baby boy.
   • Consider manual or oral stimulation before penetration. This may help a woman orgasm more quickly than the man.

Increasing Your Odds Through Lifestyle

1. Thin cervical mucus with guaifenesin. Cervical mucus that is thin may be more favorable to the male Y-chromosome. Guaifenesin, which is generally found in cough syrups, can also help thin cervical mucus. Taking guaifenesin during ovulation may increase your chances of having a baby boy.
   • Talk to your doctor before taking guaifenesin to ensure it is safe for you to use.
   • Check the labeling to ensure that the product only has guaifenesin and not additional ingredients for the symptoms of a cold.
2. Follow a high-alkaline or “boy” diet. Reducing the acidity in a woman’s cervical fluid can also increase the chances of conceiving a baby boy. Eat alkaline foods such as spinach or beets in the weeks prior to ovulation to optimize your chances of having a boy. Examples of high-alkaline foods include:
   • Buttermilk
   • Coconut, olive, flax, and sesame oils
   • Avocado
   • Banana
   • Sour cherries
   • Figs
   • Lima and soy beans
   • Almonds and almond butter
   • Beets
   • Yams
   • Asparagus
   • Leafy greens
   • Broccoli
3. Consume more potassium and sodium. There is some evidence that women who consume more potassium and sodium may be more likely to conceive boys. Increase your potassium and sodium intakes within reason in the weeks before ovulation. Foods that provide potassium and sodium include:
   • Bananas
   • Breakfast cereal
   • Canned beans
   • Leafy greens
   • Oranges and grapefruits
   • Sweet potatoes and winter squash
   • Plain yogurt
   • Cheese
4. Drink some coffee. Caffeine may make Y-chromosome sperm more active. Have your significant other drink a cup of coffee or soda before you have sex. This may increase your chances of conceiving a boy.
5. Lift weights. Weight loss may increase your risk of having a girl. Instead of doing intense cardio, reach for some weights. This can increase your muscle mass and add healthy weight, both of which may help you conceive a baby boy.
   • Ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to lift weights. Then, meet with a certified fitness trainer to develop the best strength-training program to build muscle.
6. Wear loose-fitting garments. Tight underwear or pants may affect your partner’s sperm production because they keep the scrotum too warm. Having your partner wear boxer shorts and looser pants may increase your chances of conceiving a boy.

Considering Other Options

1. Discuss your options with your doctor. Your doctor may have suggestions for increasing the likelihood of having a baby boy. Meet with them in the months or weeks prior to trying to conceive. They may suggest everything from IVF to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
2. Undergo in-vitro fertilization. There is evidence that woman who use in-vitro fertilization have a higher rate of conceiving baby boys. IVF can also allow the doctor to use the assisted reproduction technique of ICSI, which singles out which sperm fertilizes which IVF egg. If you really want only a baby boy, use IVF to ensure this.
   • Recognize that IVF is a costly and invasive procedure. Many insurance companies don’t cover it. It also has relatively low success rates for pregnancy.
3. Contemplate PGD. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, was originally designed to identify embryonic diseases like sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis in embryos created through IVF. Some people also use it to select the sex of a baby. Using PGD to screen for sex or other physical features raises an ethical concerns, and you should talk to your doctor and partner about whether this is an option you want to try to have a baby boy.
   • Keep in mind that you’ll have to go through IVF to do PGD. This can be time-consuming, costly, and take an emotional toll.
4. Adopt a little boy. If your heart is set on a baby boy but haven't been able to conceive one yourself, adoption may be the right choice for you. Not only will you fulfill your dream of having a boy, but you can also enrich the life of a little boy who may be in a foster care or other system. Be aware that adoptions can be costly, so meeting with a case manager before you decide on this option can help you better understand what to expect.

Tips

• Doctors like to remind patients that PGD was designed to screen for painful and potentially fatal diseases, and that gender is not a disease. Even though it's common to wish for a particular gender, in the end your baby is your baby and you will love it no matter what.
• Try combining multiple methods--like sexual positions and dietary changes--to increase their effectiveness.

Related Articles

• Raise the Chances of Having a Boy
• Use the Chinese Birth Gender Chart for Gender Selection
• Raise Your Chances of Having Twins

Sources and Citations

See also

• Become a Doula in Wisconsin
• Write a Birth Plan
• Treat Postpartum Pain
• Recognize Contractions
• Deliver a Baby
• Speed Up Labor
• Check a Cervix for Dilation
• Give Birth at Home
• Prepare Yourself for Labor and Delivery
• Do Nipple Stimulation to Induce Labor

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