How to Conceive a Boy

Is it Right to Have a Preference?

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 baby’s gender said dealing with any potential disappointment before the birth was a significant factor in their decision.

Typically, men express a preference for sons, while women often have a greater desire for daughters. But, it’s 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.

How is My Baby’s Sex Determined?

If you’re interested in at-home 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, she’ll give birth to a daughter.

When a man ejaculates, between 200 and 400 million sperm are released into the woman's 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 at-home 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 you’re 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 nature’s way of ensuring an even sex distribution.

If you’ve already given birth to one or more daughters, you may have heard the old wives tale that you’re 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. Shettles’s 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. Shettles’s 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. Whelan’s 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 mother’s 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, it’s important to remember that you must use the mother’s lunar age and the baby’s 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 LoveToKnow Pregnancy article on the Chinese Birth Chart.

Dietary Supplements and Over-the-Counter Medications

There are many people who believe certain dietary supplements and over-the-counter medications can help you conceive the son you’ve 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 over-the-counter medications to help you conceive a baby boy, it’s strongly recommended that you discuss your plan with your healthcare provider. Many over-the-counter supplements can cause unintended side effects or interactions with other prescription medications.

Urban Legends

If you’ve publicly announced your desire to conceive a son, you’ve probably heard a few off-the-wall tips. While most experts insist folk wisdom and superstitions can’t help you select the gender of your unborn baby, there are many happy parents who believe these strategies will work. Either way, there’s 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, you’ll conceive a baby boy.
• Schedule your lovemaking sessions for odd numbered days of the month.
• Have sex at night, preferably when there’s 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’re interested in learning more about at-home gender selection, check out the following resources:

• The Straight Truth About Conception: How Nature Chooses a Boy or a Girl
• The Odds of Having a Boy or a Girl
• Does Having Boys or Girls Run in the Family?
• Gender Selection Survey and Results from In-Gender.com

If you’ve been trying to conceive a boy and just discovered you’re giving birth to a baby girl, check out the following resources:

• Secretly Sad: Overcoming Gender Disappointment
• Gender Disappointment: Is It Wrong to Want One or the Other?
• Gender Disappointment Forum

• Natural Ways to Induce Labor
• How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test
• How to Conceive a Boy
• How to Conceive a Girl
• Early Pregnancy Symptoms

• Chinese Birth Chart
• Whelan Method
• Ovulation Calculator
• Conception Tips
• Baby Gender Prediction

• Maternity Workout Clothes
• Hip Maternity Clothes for Cheap
• Artistic Maternity Photos
• Teen Pregnancy Quiz
• Pregnancy Gender Quiz