There is a preconception that having sex at a certain time or eating certain foods or having sex in a particular position might increase your chances of conceiving a boy or a girl.
While there are some suggestions that you can increase your chances of conceiving a baby of a particular sex during certain times of your ovulation period, these are not foolproof.
When you consider that a male will ejaculate millions of sperm upon orgasm, trying to aim at one specific type of these is going to be a hit and miss operation.
Basically, men produce two types of sperm: an X and a Y. The slower, larger X sperm will become female, while the faster, smaller Y sperm will be male.
This is where timing when you have sex becomes important.
Keep in mind there is no guaranteed way to determine the sex of your baby, but you can work on ways to favor your odds for or against one or the other.
Trying for a Girl
If you’re trying for a girl, you will need to try and have sex seven days before ovulation and then every day until around 3 or more days prior to ovulation. Then try to avoid sex for a few days until you’re sure ovulation is over.
This is because the smaller, faster Y sperm will reach the uterus and die before the egg is even released. However, there will still be a number of slower, larger X sperm alive when you ovulate.
Another theory is to work on shallower penetration. This has to do with the pH levels within the vagina. An acidic environment will kill the weaker Y sperm first, leaving a far greater quantity of X sperm remaining to fertilize the egg.
Besides, with deeper penetration, the sperm is deposited much closer to the egg, which can mean the faster Y sperm may reach their destination before the X sperm can.
You may also decrease the acidity levels within the vagina if you reach orgasm during sex. If you’re trying for a girl, it may be best not to reach orgasm, as your body will release a substance that could make the vagina more alkaline instead of acidic.
Trying for a Boy
When trying for a boy, it may become important to try and not have sex until you reach around 2-3 days before ovulation. Then have sex every day until after ovulation has occurred.
Sex should involve deep penetration to deposit the sperm as close as possible to the cervix, and work towards having an orgasm during sex to pull even more sperm into the womb for better success.
It’s also been noted that, while women should not drink any caffeine while drinking to conceive, one strong cup of coffee prior to sex for the MAN could actually increase the motility of the Y sperm, increasing your chances of having a boy.