Many families who already have a child of one gender often want their next child to be of the opposite gender. Some hope for a boy, others for a girl. Many try to find ways to have a child of the desired gender. While medical technology can help, it is often expensive. Therefore, some turn to natural methods to choose a baby gender. Curious about what these methods are?
What Factors Determine a Baby’s Gender
As we know, whether a baby will be a boy or a girl depends on the chromosomes in the father’s sperm and the mother’s egg.
- Father (male): Has two types of sex chromosomes—X and Y—present in his sperm.
- Mother (female): Has only one type of sex chromosome—X—in her eggs.
When fertilization occurs, it is essentially a pairing of chromosomes, which can happen in two ways:
- XX = Girl → from X sperm + X egg
- XY = Boy → from Y sperm + X egg
Naturally, a father’s body produces X and Y sperm in roughly equal amounts. However, the two types of sperm have different characteristics:
- X sperm (female-determining): Larger head, heavier, slower swimmer, more resilient, and resistant to acidic conditions.
- Y sperm (male-determining): Smaller head, lighter, faster swimmer, more fragile, but better able to survive alkaline conditions.
These differences form the basis of natural gender selection methods, which rely on timing and the vaginal environment to increase the chances that the desired sperm will successfully fertilize the egg.
Natural Methods to Choose a Baby’s Gender
1. Choosing Gender Through Timing of Intercourse
The Shettles Method is one of the most well-known natural methods to choose a baby gender. It involves timing sexual intercourse based on the woman’s menstrual cycle, taking into account the timing, depth of penetration, and female orgasm to increase the chances of conceiving a baby of the desired gender.
This theory suggests that Y-chromosome sperm (for boys) swim faster but have a shorter lifespan than X-chromosome sperm (for girls). Therefore:
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If you want a boy, Shettles recommends having intercourse as close as possible to the ovulation period.
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If you want a girl, plan intercourse 2–3 days before ovulation.
Although there is no conclusive medical evidence supporting the effectiveness of this method, and no guarantee of success, parents interested in trying these natural methods to choose a baby’s gender can do so safely.
If You Want a Girl
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Have intercourse 2–3 days before ovulation (ovulation occurs about 5 days before and on the day of ovulation, in the middle of the menstrual cycle). Intercourse at other times does not need to be avoided.
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About 1 hour before intercourse, cleanse the vagina with mildly acidic water (mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar with 1 liter of water).
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The woman should avoid reaching orgasm before the man or may climax after the man ejaculates to prevent alkaline cervical mucus from forming.
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The man should ejaculate with shallow penetration so that the sperm swim through the acidic vaginal environment toward the cervix. Intercourse outside the 2–3 days before ovulation does not need to be restricted.
If You Want a Boy
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Have intercourse as close as possible to ovulation. About 1 hour before intercourse, cleanse the vagina with a bicarbonate solution (about 2 tablespoons of baking soda mixed in 1 liter of water, available at most pharmacies).
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The woman should try to reach orgasm before or at the same time as the man to stimulate alkaline cervical mucus production.
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The man should use deep penetration to deposit sperm as close as possible to the cervix.
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Avoid intercourse until ovulation day.
2. Choosing a Baby’s Gender Through Diet
How to Increase the Chances of Having a Girl
This method comes from Dr. Stoloski, who believes that certain foods can influence the vaginal environment to be more acidic or alkaline, thus affecting the likelihood of conceiving a boy or a girl.
Foods to eat for a girl:
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Low-potassium foods such as: starches, milk, eggs, leafy green vegetables, chilled vegetables, fresh fruits (except pineapple), dried fruits, and unsalted butter.
Foods to avoid:
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Salty foods, tea, coffee, salted butter, fresh fruit juices, and wine.
For best results, eat these foods at least two and a half months before pregnancy, while using contraception during this period.
How to Increase the Chances of Having a Boy
Opposite to the diet for a girl, if you want a boy:
Foods to eat for a boy:
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High-potassium foods and salty foods such as: nuts, red meat, sausages, all types of fish, non-chilled vegetables, bananas, potatoes, dried fruits like raisins, prunes, chestnuts, dates, and jams.
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Fruit preserves, olives, melons, non-dairy bread, tea, coffee, and soft drinks with alcohol.
Foods to avoid:
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High-calcium foods such as milk and dairy products (cheese, yogurt), bread with milk, cocoa, chocolate, mustard, and high-calcium vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, and water spinach.
natural methods to choose a baby gender
Best Positions for Conceiving a Boy or a Girl
Want a Girl? Missionary Position
The missionary position is one of the most classic and popular sexual positions. It is believed to increase the chance of conception because the sperm is deposited close to the cervix, and gravity helps the sperm travel more easily toward the egg.
Want a Boy? Standing Position
The theory that the standing position may increase the chance of having a boy comes from the idea that gravity helps the smaller, faster-swimming Y-chromosome sperm reach the egg more easily.
However, in reality, there is no scientific evidence that sexual positions can significantly influence whether you conceive a boy or a girl.
The main factor that determines a baby’s gender is still the chromosome carried by the sperm that fertilizes the egg, as explained earlier. Sexual positions have very little effect on natural gender selection.
Even though natural gender selection tips may slightly increase the chances of having a boy or girl, none of these methods can guarantee 100% success. What matters most is family planning, preparing both physically and mentally, maintaining good health, and being ready for a healthy pregnancy and a strong, healthy baby in the future.
Originally published on theAsianparent Thailand
