Dreaming of having a little boy? Here are 8 tricks to try to conceive a son

In case you haven’t heard, boys are the best! And, generally speaking, they tend to love their mums. If you’re trying for a baby now and you’d like the odds stacked in favour of those XY chromosomes, here are a few tricks. While none are guaranteed, you may as well give them a shot!

Oh, and if you feel a little girl would complete your family, here’s what to eat to conceive a daughter. But remember, no matter which sex your baby is, a healthy bub is the best gift.

1. Have penetrating sex

According to the ‘Shettles method‘ – a theory by a doctor that’s been around for generations – male sperm are weaker but faster than their female counterparts. They are like sprint swimmers, whereas the sperm carrying the girl ‘X’ chromosome are the long distance champions. So penetrative sex, where those sprinters have less distance to travel, is theoretically give you the outcome of a boy. Think deep, penetrating positions close to the cervix.

2. Eat potatoes and bananas

Serve yourself up another spud for dinner tonight as research published in the Reproductive BioMedicine Online Journal found that a woman’s diet that is high in sodium and potassium increased their chances of conceiving a boy. What else is high in potassium? Bananas, broccoli, spinach and brussels sprouts.

3. Avoid too much dairy

Male sperm prefer an alkaline vaginal environment, but whether or not eating a less acidic diet makes a difference is still open to debate. But it probably does no harm to tweak your diet.

Try eating less:

• Spicy foods that contain vinegar
• Citrus juices and fruits such as lemons
• Dairy foods like milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice-cream.   

And eat more:

• Bread, avocado, almonds, sprouts, wheatgrass, pine nuts and cherries.

4. Have sex NOW (well, when you are ovulating)!

Again, according to Dr Shettles, boy sperm doesn’t survive as long as girl sperm after ejaculation. This means if you have sex a few days before you ovulate, the female swimmers are more likely to reach the egg than the guys (who have died off). As such, if you are wanting to conceive a boy, it’s a good idea to have sex on the day of ovulation – but no earlier than 24 hours prior to ovulation and no later than 12 hours post ovulation – sheesh, talk about a window.

5. Free him up

You know how your partner says he prefers boxers to briefs? Well, there’s a good reason to encourage him to keep going with the flow. According to some, the underwear a man wears can effect his sperm production. The theory is that boxer shorts are better for making male sperm, as the scrotum doesn’t get so warm, restricting the production of sperm. The opposite is true for tighter underwear (like jocks).

6. Oh yeah! Have an orgasm

Another old wives’ tale says that you should try to orgasm before your partner during sex. The thinking behind this is that an alkaline secretion is released into the vagina when you orgasm and this gives boy sperm an increased chance of survival. While it may not be backed up by science, there’s no harm in trying this one!

7. Eat some chocolate

Caffeine may help to give the ‘Y’ boy sperm a little kickstart in their race. Eating a piece of chocolate or downing a coffee prior to sex, therefore, might give his little male swimmers an energy boost.

8. Take evening primrose oil

Some gender selection theorists also claim that taking a daily supplement of evening primrose oil boosts the chances of conceiving a boy. While unproven, the oil is said to improve the health of your vaginal mucus, which is believed to be good for fertility.

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