BOY OR GIRL

Contrary to popular belief a woman does not determine the sex of her child Every woman has eggs that contain X chromosomes If the sperm that fertilizes one of these eggs contains another X chromosome the result will be a baby girl However if the sperm that fertilizes the egg contains a Y chromosome the woman will give birth to a baby boy

When a man ejaculates between 200 and 400 million sperm are released into the womans vagina Some of these sperm contain X chromosomes while some contain Y chromosomes However only one sperm is needed to fertilize an egg All theories regarding athome gender selection and how to conceive a girl are based on the belief that couples can create an environment that gives an advantage to the sperm containing the X chromosome

Based on the theory that sperm containing Y chromosomes move faster than X chromosome bearing sperm the Shettles method of gender selection recommends couples wondering how to conceive a girl have sex every day from the end of the womans period until approximately three days before ovulation While the Shettles method says the time of intercourse is most important Dr Shettles also recommends couples make love in the missionary position to deposit sperm closer to the entrance of the of vagina In addition he cautions against women having an orgasm during sex because he believes this makes the vaginal environment too alkalineTo learn more about how to conceive a girl using the Shettles method of gender selection you can read Dr Shettless book How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby The Method Best Supported by Scientific Evidence

The O 12 method developed by a mother who was trying to conceive a baby girl after giving birth to six sons recommends intercourse about 12 hours after ovulation to conceive a girl She had followed the Shettles method during her previous pregnancies with no success Instead of becoming frustrated she used her data to develop her own gender selection hypothesis On her seventh and final pregnancy she gave birth to the daughter she had so desperately wanted

The Whelan Method

In addition to being less popular than the Shettles method the Whelan method of gender selection offers advice that contradicts what youll read in Dr Shettless bestselling book According to Dr Elizabeth Whelan the Shettles method bases its assumptions on research related to artificial insemination She believes that couples who conceive the oldfashioned way will be more likely to have daughter when intercourse is timed closer to ovulation

To learn more about how to conceive a girl using this method of at home gender selection you can read Dr Whelans book Boy or Girl

Chinese Conception Chart

The Chinese Conception Chart also known as the Chinese Gender Chart or Chinese Birth Chart is another popular method of athome sex selection for couples wondering how to conceive a daughter First discovered in a royal tomb near Beijing more than 700 years ago the chart crossreferences the babys month of conception and the mothers age to predict gender Some studies claim the chart is more than 90% accurate but there is still no conclusive proof this method is superior to other techniques

If youd like to use the Chinese Conception Chart to conceive a daughter its important to remember that the mothers age is calculated using her lunar age and the month of conception is calculated by using the Chinese lunar month Depending upon when you were born your lunar age can be as much as two years more than your chronological age Lunar month calculations can also be off by several months

To learn more about how to conceive a girl using this method you can review our Pregnancy article on the Chinese Birth Chart

There are many people who believe certain dietary supplements and overthecounter medications can help you conceive a baby girl For example Lydia Pinkhams Herbal Compound is thought to help women conceive daughters since it creates an acidic environment that makes it harder for sperm containing Y chromosomes to survive in the vagina Another theory regarding athome gender selection says that women who wish to conceive daughters should take calcium and magnesium supplements in the months before conception There are others who believe taking Sudafed the day before intercourse will reduce cervical mucus to create an environment more favorable to sperm containing X chromosomes

If you decide to use dietary supplements or overthecounter medications to help you conceive a baby girl its a good idea to discuss your plan with your healthcare provider Many overthecounter supplements can cause unintended side effects or interactions with other prescription medications

Although most experts insist urban conception legends are false theres really no harm in trying some of the following tips if you have your heart set on a baby girl

1. Make love in the afternoon

2. Schedule your lovemaking for the even numbered days of the month

3. Try to have sex during the full moon

4. Eat lots of fish and veggies following by a chocolate dessert

5. Surprise your partner Legend says women who initiate sex are more likely to give birth to daughters

If you have been dreaming of bugs building blocks and baseballs you may be wondering how to conceive a boy While there are many theories on how you can tip the odds in your favor nature offers no way to guarantee youll give birth to a baby boy Aside from artificial insemination gender selection is a 50 50 proposition

While many people insist that the only thing that matters is giving birth to a healthy child one recent survey of expectant mothers and fathers found that almost 80% confessed to a preference for one either a son or a daughter In fact nearly 84% of parents who decided to have an ultrasound to determine the babys gender said dealing with any potential disappointment before the birth was a significant factor in their decisionTypically men express a preference for sons while women often have a greater desire for daughters But its not uncommon for couples who already have a child of one gender to wish for the opposite gender on the second pregnancy to create a more balanced family

If you are interested in athome gender selection the first thing you must understand is that a woman can not biologically determine the sex of her child Every woman has eggs that contain X chromosomes If the sperm that fertilizes the egg contains a Y chromosome the woman will give birth to a baby boy However if the sperm that fertilizes one of these eggs contains another X chromosome shell give birth to a daughter When a man ejaculates between 200 and 400 million sperm are released into the womans vagina Some of these sperm contain Y chromosomes while others contain X chromosomes However only one sperm is needed to fertilize an egg All theories regarding how to conceive a boy using athome gender selection are based on the belief that couples can create an environment that gives an advantage to the sperm containing the Y chromosome

Chance is On Your Side

If youre trying to conceive a boy remember that chance is on your side Statistically speaking there are 51 boys born for every 49 girls Since male infants are biologically more fragile the higher conception rate appears to be natures way of ensuring an even sex distribution

If youve already given birth to one or more daughters you may have heard the old wives tale that youre destined to have children of just one gender However this is false If you have three children the odds of having the same gender are just 25% If you have four children that number drops to 12 5%

How to Conceive a Boy Techniques to Try

The Shettles Method

Dr Shettles bases his theory of gender selection on the idea that sperm containing Y chromosomes move faster than X chromosome carrying sperm For this reason he recommends that couples wondering how to conceive a boy have intercourse no more than 24 hours before ovulation to no more than 12 hours past ovulation He also believes that deep penetration from your partner will deposit sperm closer to the cervix allowing the more aggressive Y sperm to get a head start in fertilization

To learn more about how to conceive a boy using the Shettles method of at home sex selection you can read Dr Shettless book How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby The Method Best Supported by Scientific Evidence

The Whelan Method

The Whelan method of at home gender selection was developed as a rebuttal to Dr Shettless bestselling book Dr Whelan believes that the timing of intercourse is crucial to determining the sex of the baby In her opinion having sex earlier in your monthly cycle is more likely to produce male offspring According to her research the Whelan method will help couples conceive sons 68% of the time

To learn more about how to conceive a boy using the Whelan method of gender selection you can read Dr Whelans book Boy or Girl

Chinese Conception Chart

Also known as the Chinese Gender Chart or Chinese Birth Chart the Chinese Conception Chart is a method of at home gender selection that says the mothers age and the month of conception can predict the sex of an unborn baby

The Chinese Conception Chart was first discovered in a royal tomb near Beijing more than 700 years ago and is rumored to be more than 90% accurate when used properly However its important to remember that you must use the mothers lunar age and the babys lunar month of conception to make your prediction Basing your calculations on our calendar system will often produce the wrong result

To learn more about how to conceive a boy using this method of gender selection you can review our Pregnancy article on the Chinese Birth Chart

Dietary Supplements and OvertheCounter Medications

There are many people who believe certain dietary supplements and overthecounter medications can help you conceive the son youve always wanted For example Evening Primrose Oil supplements are thought to help women conceive sons by increasing the production of higher quality cervical mucus Many women also believe taking Guaifenesin tablets during the five days before ovulation will help thin out cervical mucus that is too thick thus improving the odds of conceiving a son Potassium supplements are also sometimes said to benefit women who are trying to have boys

If you decide to use dietary supplements or overthecounter medications to help you conceive a baby boy its strongly recommended that you discuss your plan with your healthcare provider Many overthecounter supplements can cause unintended side effects or interactions with other prescription medications

Urban Legends

If youve publicly announced your desire to conceive a son youve probably heard a few offthewall tips While most experts insist folk wisdom and superstitions cant help you select the gender of your unborn baby there are many happy parents who believe these strategies will work Either way theres no harm in trying the following tips

Change your diet to include lots of red meat salty snacks and cola soft drinks

Let your partner initiate sex and focus on his pleasure Legend says if the man climaxes first youll conceive a baby boy

Schedule your lovemaking sessions for odd numbered days of the month

Have sex at night preferably when theres a quarter moon in the sky

Have as much sex as possible since many people believe more boys are conceived during the honeymoon phase of a relationship

Have the man drink coffee before sex since this causes the sperm with Y chromosomes to become more active

Additional Information

If you are interested in learning more about athome gender selection check out the following resources

Many couples wonder how to get pregnant Assuming a woman is healthy and ovulating and assuming her prospective mate has healthy sperm and assuming they have regular sexual intercourse it is sometimes rather hard for her not to get pregnant But sometimes a particular couple needs to give nature a little bit of a helping hand

When learning how to get pregnant you will both want to be as healthy as possible Undernourishment and vitamin and mineral deficiencies can make it difficult to conceive Both partners should have a medical consultation to discover and treat any problems such as irondeficiency anemia Its generally good advice for to both parties to take a high quality vitamin containing the RDAs and to assess their general nutrition

Women who are underweight often have trouble conceiving In fact some very thin women may even stop ovulating or menstruating They may need to gain a few pounds in order to regulate their reproductive cycles Some women have the opposite problem Excess weight tends to increase the odds that attempts to get pregnant will fail Moderation is the key word here being at a healthy weight will help raise the odds of conceiving and carrying a baby to term

Eat well If you are wondering how to get pregnant eat healthy foods and eat them in healthy portions Nutritionists often advise both prospective parents to include foods high in Vitamin E eggs and whole grains or take a daily Vitamin E supplement of 200 to 400 IU

Get a Physical

Get a physical to make sure there are no underlying health conditions Women should schedule a PAP and GYN exam and ask their health care provider for a vaginal culture and for advice on treating any bacterial imbalances such as yeast infections and Bacterial Vaginosis

Any unhealthy habit will make it harder to conceive Tobacco use comes at the top of the list of legal habits which can delay conception Tobacco use negatively affects both male and female reproductive function Drugs and excessive use of alcohol are also dangerous for your hopedfor baby as well as detrimental to your own health

Excessive exercise can also hinder conception by reducing sperm count in men and affecting the ovulation cycle in women Moderate exercise is a good idea though theres that word again moderate

Did you ever wonder why the male body has so much outdoor plumbing Its because sperm are very sensitive to heat The testicles are located outside of the body so the sperm can stay cooler Researchers have discovered that some men have a greater number of healthy sperm if they wear loosefitting boxers rather than tightfitting briefs It might be good advice to switch to boxers while you are in the fatherhood mode and working toward how to get pregnant

Overwork and stress take a toll on general health A healthy lifestyle includes some time for relaxation and moderate exercise preferably outdoors in the fresh air Long hours on the job may lead to fatigue tension depression and even relationship problems Some couples dont conceive simply because their work hours make it difficult for them to get together during the womans most fertile time of the month Theres a magical 48 hours around the time of Ovulation when a woman is most likely to conceive but a busy schedule means some couples simply miss the right moment The solution Schedule time for relaxation for both of you Make time for you to be together often romantically If you make love every other day you are likely to find the magic time when ovulation is close You dont need to buy a fancy ovulation detector to know the correct day If you are relaxing together and taking time to pamper each other you will move a long way toward answer the question of how to get pregnant But more importantly you will be building a stronger relationship And thats important when you are hoping to make a baby.