choose-gender

Choose the Gender of Your Baby with These Six Tricks – Old Wives' Tales on Pregnancy

By Danielle Briones

Published on December 07, 2007

So, you are ready to get pregnant but have a preferred specification for the gender of the baby. Sure, there are scientifically proven gender selection treatments available to you and your partner, including sperm sorting and preimplantation genetic diagnosis, but perhaps you're looking for an easier way to predestine the sex of your baby.

Tips from the Wives of Past

Old wives' tales about pregnancy have been around for dozens, and in some cases hundreds, of years. Millions of women throughout the world have tried these methods for themselves, and some have even claimed that they worked. Whether you've had three girls and this is your last attempt at having a boy, or it's your first time trying, here are some of the most enduring tips from the wives of the past.

It's a Boy!

If you and your partner are hoping for a boy, here are a few tricks you can try:

1) One of the most well-known old wives' tales about the gender of the baby says that women should eat salty foods prior to conception – think pretzels, pickles, and processed foods.

2) Clearly, the old wives didn't have a healthy diet in mind when they came up with this trick; they believed a diet that includes an abundance of red meat can help a woman conceive a baby boy.

3) Most people sleep on a certain side of the bed out of preference – not to increase their chances of an XY pairing – but the old wives said that women should sleep to the left of their partners if they want a boy.

4) Lying in bed for a few extra minutes after sex not only allows you to savor the moment, but according to the old wives it may also increase your chances of having a boy.

5) According to old wives, the best sexual position to engage in if you want a boy is doggy-style.

6) The old wives' final tip on boosting your chances of having a boy: allow the man to climax first during sex.

It's a Girl!

Old wives' tales on pregnancy also offer tricks for couples who want a girl:

1) Women who love chocolate, cookies, and other sugary foods will appreciate this one – the old wives believed you should consume sweet foods before conceiving if you are hoping for a girl.

2) It seems the old wives served up more healthy tips for couples wanting a girl than those wanting a boy; they said both the mom and dad should eat plenty of fish and veggies prior to conception.

3) Women who sleep to the right of their partners are already increasing their chances of a double X pairing, according to the old wives.

4) The old wives believed that making time for some afternoon delight can increase your chances of having a baby girl.

5) The old wives' advice on making baby girls during sex: use the missionary position.

6) And the final tip from the old wives for having a baby girl is that the man should be the most active, allowing the woman to orgasm first.

Keyword Tags: pgd, getting pregnant

Still Have a Question? Ask a Specialist in Your Area

Comments

1

I like the baby girl concept making the man do all the work!

kate, 8 months ago

2

what u said is complete opposite..
If anyone wants a boy then should eat alkaline food .like fruits .,
yoghurts .and less acidic food ....
If anyone wants a girl then shud eat acidic food as said above salty meat etc etc..
Coz Women sperm is faster than men ...When woman eats more acidic then xx sperm of women attacks men's xy causing more chances for girl..
If men eat acidic ..then chances of getting boy r more

swaroopa, 7 months ago

3

I was just given a good tip by a girlfriend of mine. She has this awesome fertility book that suggests if you want a boy to have intercourse everyday-as the male sperm is slower and dies faster. If you want a girl, have intercourse every other day as the female sperm is faster and lives longer. It makes perfect sense!

Nicole, 7 months ago

4

Sure, that makes perfect sense as long as you know nothing at all about the reproductive process. There is no difference in the lifespan or speed of sperm based on the genetic material they carry.

Jolene Drake, 7 months ago

5

Actually, sperm carrying the Y chromosome are faster swimmers, but have shorter life spans. So if you were gauging conception on your preferred gender, you would want to plan intercourse as closely as possible to ovulation if you want a boy. The male sperm tend to arrive at the egg first in that instance. If you want a girl, have intercourse a day or two prior to ovulation and when you release the egg a female sperm will likely reach the egg first. This is all still highly difficult to time without the aid of transvaginal ultrasound. Just be happy with what you are blessed with.

Nicole M.D. Reno, 7 months ago

6

I cannot orgasm. whill this cause a problem while trying to get pregnant. he doesn't want to work hard.

suzee, 7 months ago

7

no suzee! you'll get pregnant just the same however, you may want to pick a man who's not so 'lazzzzy'!!

MOUSIEREB, 7 months ago

8

I am looking for things to eat too as I want a girl badly but will be happy with healthy. BTW - Poor Suzee, you are truly missing out. Just because he isn't working hard doesn't mean you can't get one. Get on top and you will more than likely have the big O. I get it a lot faster that way but don't need his love handle to do the job either. If he can work the tongue, you'll have it made but that's another topic! Any girl advice out there please??

Jameie, 7 months ago

9

Again, the whole male/female sperm being faster swimmers thing is entirely an urban legend and unsupported by any scientific evidence (or anyone not trying to push the spurious Shettles method).

Jolene Drake, 7 months ago

10

its our joining on conceiving a baby, preferrably a baby girl we have a son who's 9 years. We've been trying for the past several months but conceiving seems difficult. Im taking in all the lil methods to conceive a girl and if it happens for us i will surely be back. hope i conceive soon..

Mrs llewellyn, 7 months ago

11

Is it true that women who have their baby when they are 39 And above have a higher chances for having a baby girl?

harvin, 6 months ago

12

I don't know harvin, but my mom had me a 39 and I was a little girl. I am just at the point I want one and a healthy one.

Crystal, 6 months ago

13

i dnt know, i 'm pregnant now and yet do i know the gender but i know that i've done some of both the boy and girl suggestions, what does this mean? now i'm even more confused i dnt know if i'm going to have a boy or girl...oh crap please dnt say twins!!!

sade' james, 6 months ago

14

Sperm for Girls and Boys

Yes. The X sperm (which are the sperm that make females) live longer than the Y sperm (which are the sperm that make males). However, the Y sperm swim faster, so the chances are equally good that you will get a girl or a boy. If the Y sperm swim fast enough before they die to fertilize the egg, then you'll have a boy. If the Y sperm don't reach the egg before they die, chances are an X sperm will get there shortly, and then you'll have a girl.

Here is more input and advice:

* X sperm are stronger than Y sperm but both will perish very quickly if allowed to dry out.

* The female carrying sperm are the slower sperm because of the genetic material it carries. The female sperm contain an X chromosome, while the male carrying sperm contain a Y chromosome. The Y chromosome is very small and contains very little genetic material in comparison to the X chromosome, so the male carrying sperm are able to swim faster and reach the egg sooner than the X carrying sperm.

* A baby's gender is determined by the chromosomes in the sperm, not the egg. XX makes female, XY makes male, all eggs contain an X chromosome, so sperm donates other X or Y chromosome. Female sperm live up to 5 days, male sperm up to 3 days. (Egg lives 12 to 24, maybe even 36 hours after ovulation.) Female sperm live longer but swim slower than male sperm. (Vaginal environment supposedly contributes to sperm longevity, alkaline/acidic - male sperm prefer baking soda douche prior to sex, female prefer acidic (vinegar) (supposedly) - but most importantly of all, male swim quicker, so for male baby, have sex within 6 hours before ovulation, to beat female sperm to egg. Vice versa, for female baby, have sex 4-5 days before ovulation, for better chances of having a girl baby. Test for ovulation with home ovulation testing kit, get familiar with when you ovulate, and plan accordingly for future ovulations and future timing of intercourse.

* Men produce two types of sperm, those containing the X chromosome, female sperm, and those containing the Y chromosome, male sperm. Sperm are being produced continuously, they take about a month from the beginning until they are mature. As the Y chromosome is smaller than the X chromosome the male sperm is lighter and faster than the female sperm and therefore gets a head start towards the egg. Female sperm being heavier have more staying power and can keep going for longer.

There is a ton of research online that concurs with these findings.

Wendy, 6 months ago

15

Is there any risk if i were to get pregnant at the age of 40 to 42?
How to avoid getting pregnant during sex without any precautions?

Maya, 6 months ago

16

I'm trying to get pregnent i want anything a boy or a girl
I so want a baby and here u guys talking about intercourse and sex of the baby,yeah i know (sad) huh well everyone can't have what ever they want i just have to wait and hope

Pam, 6 months ago

17

I hear ya Pam. There is nothing I would want more right now than to be pregnant. Boy or girl. I focused sooooooooo much on how I wanted a girl last year and then miscarried. So now I just want a healthy baby. But I'm sure we'll get there. :)

Kim, 6 months ago

18

My husband & i are trying for a girl so we have been having sex everyday since my last period then stopped 2 days before ovulation, but on ovulation day we feel in each others arms & make love & i orgasm after him. Does this mean we going to conceive a boy??

Renee, 6 months ago

19

What an incredible amount of nonsense written here!

Arek, 6 months ago

20

There is no scientific evidence to support any of these old wives tales. Some of them prob make people feel better though so hey why not give them a go!

Arek, 6 months ago

21

i am not sexually attracted to my husband at all.i am 28 and we will have sex once or twice in a month,of course when i am ovulating.would that be a problem in conceiving??

jennifer, 5 months ago

22

yes it will jenn and it should be a problem in everyday life.

chrissy, 5 months ago

23

ahh..jennifer..maybe you and your husband shouldn't be trying to have a baby at all....

a mommie, 5 months ago

24

i have a girl next we want boy. what is tips we will follow boy baby will born

lalu, 5 months ago

25

if you arent attracted to your husband at all why are you trying to have a baby with him? That doesn't make sense. And as far as worrying about what you are having, does it really matter? Of course we all want certain genders but isn't it more important to just have a healthy baby? If you don't get what you want would you just not love it the same? It's a blessing and should be taken by all as such.

anopther mommy, 5 months ago

26

Jennifer..ok so yourve got some problems in your marriage which is sad but i understand that you would like a child.There are some people that do not understand why you would be tryin to have a child in your situation but its not for them to judge. There are many woman who stay in marriages for various reasons, one reason being cultural and another is for the mere fact that a woman may have alot of fear and anxiety of leaving her husbands and with no support of family/friends to do this can make the woman feel as if she has no way out..Maybe the problems lie deeper and are related to a personal past history that hasnt been dealt with,maybe something to do with sexual abuse.Whatever the problem is-its your life and your choice.If you chose to have a child you must remember it cannot be used as a problem solver to fix or handle a bad relationship/marriage. But it may give you the happiness you want and need. Aslong as you are not bringing a child into the world where he/she could be in danger from an abusive father or depressed mother,then i say have your child .You did come on here for advice about getting pregnant so i suggest you read the comment that wendy posted as she is correct.A woman ovulates once a month,usually around day 14 of her cycle,the egg can be fertilised somewhere between 12-24 hours after ovulation.So if you want to limit the amount of sex you have but still have the chance of falling pregnant,have sex the day before ovulation,on ovulation and the day after..if you can handle 3 days in a row of sex every month.Best wishes.

tash, 5 months ago

27

This is quite sexist. You want a baby girl, then sex is passive for the woman, so that the baby will be a passive girl. She eats sweet foods which connotates that girls are "sweet". She eats raw red meat so that her son can be "manly" as if tearing apart a bloody animal. Eat vegetables for girls (more women are vegetarian) and eat raw, bloody meats for boys. I don't care how untrue "wive's tales" are about conception, but they perpetuate stereotypes.

emily, 5 months ago

28

I have 2 beautiful boys and we are now trying for a girl. I will try anything whether it's an old wives tale or true facts.... Can anyone help me out with timing ovulation by checking my temp in the morning???? How soon before ovulation does your temp rise This will be our last baby and would love to have the little princess we hope for. (We would love a boy just as much if it were to be).

Mel, 5 months ago

29

Pam,

My friend suggested this to me. Whether it's the be and end all of conception, I don't know but worth a try.

After making love, put your body position in that of doing "the bicycle" exercise.

Sometimes gravity can be your best friend.

KareBear, 5 months ago

30

hi I would really love to have a girl but I think im already pregnant and I already have a boy and I really want a girl so I was wondering is there any thing I could do to help my chances of having a girl.

chell, 5 months ago

31

So we have been trying since Jan. I'm 26 and he's 31, I really hope nothings wrong! I am curious...RENEE, did you get pregnant?

Courtney, 5 months ago

32

my husband has green eyes I have black eyes and my big daughter has brown eyes my 15 months daughter has black eyes i will like her to have a lighter eye color becuase my husband all the time is saying that why they didn't have green eyes I am so depressed.
I really need help

Lynda, 5 months ago

33

I have been off the pill since Christmas, and yet no baby. I have done a lot of research on the acid/alkaline theory. Even bought some test strips to check my ph level. I have read that stress can be a huge factor in fertility. Any thoughts? If it's true, then it makes total sense on why I am not pregnant yet. Our next step is getting a sperm analysis. I just really feel like a failure that I am not preg yet.

Lori, 5 months ago

34

I am 30 years old and I've been trying to get pregnant for seven years--I have endometriosis. To all of you trying to conceive, I understand the pain it causes, maintain hope but understand sometimes life has other plans for us. I will be thinking of all of you--and praying you will have better luck than me.

Alison, 5 months ago

35

WOW!!! there are some really off the wall comments on here...lol...I was told at 19 conceiving would be impossible (Im now 27) So I continued my life under the assumption that it would not happen ( I saw numerous specialists) I made some bad decisions, and partied a lot...needless to say I went in for a well-woman exam...and was told I was 6 1/2 months progo's WOW!!! I dropeed to the floor, devestated ( only because of what I had been doing for the last 6 1/2 months ) although there were some complications at birth, my daughter was born healthy, and is now 2 1/2. We have now been trying to get progos for a little over a year..and no luck. Finally my Dr. is prescribing me Clomid ( I have PCOS as well as soem other unexplainable problems) I cant wait to start taking it.....hopefully it works.....I guess what Im trying to say to everyone is count your blessings.....everything happens for a reason..and regardless of what you have ( if you are able to conceive) be greatful!!! If you are so dead set on having a "boy" or a "girl" go to a dr. and pay to have them set it up for you ( Im not sure what the process is called)...good luck!!!

erin, 5 months ago

36

Jennifer,
Having a baby with your husband at this point is THE worst thing that you could do. From the sounds of it, you would be having the baby to try to spice up your sex life in your marriage, which is NOT fair to an innocent baby. Get some marriage counseling FIRST to find out why you are not sexually attracted to you husbnand, and then PERHAPS it will happen. Some questions to find answeres to are: have you ever been sexually attracted to him?? is so, what happened to change that?? also, how long have you 2 beed married?? are you 2 just bored with each other sexually, but still in love with each other?? If so, there are MANY things that you can do to change that and get that spark back in your sex life. Good Luck!

liz, 4 months ago

37

I have been trying since december 07 to get pregnant. Please tell me what i am ding wrong?

NEELA, 4 months ago

38

NEELA*****it might not be u might be him
jolene drake****u need to research because u r make yourself look realllllll dumb

SSMITH, 4 months ago

39

I don't know about u guys.. my priority right now is to get pregnant and I'll be happy no matter what gender my baby turns to as long as my baby is normal and healthy. Besides, babies are blessings. Thank u for your tips anyway.. I'll keep that in mind though..

Trina, 4 months ago

40

My sister has PCOS and was on Clomid and ended up getting pregnant after 2 years. I have a huge family (55 cousins) and out of all my girl cousins only one has been able to conceive without medical help. I have one cousin that has been trying for over 5 years and still no luck. Does anyone know if PCOS is genetic?

Alicia , 4 months ago

41

I'm trying to conceive, and even when to gynea... well now i'm on clomid for almost a year and still no baby.... and later found out that my hubby sperm is 50% low... there's still chances to have babies 90% but have to go for ICSI.. but its expensive... my colleague told me try TMC which her friend when an final got preggy... could anyone recommend me any TMC that good in Singapore

julz, 4 months ago

42

Hi

Tina, 4 months ago

43

I was 5 and 1/2 weeks preg and had a miscarriage. My Doctor is now telling me that I may have trouble getting preg again. The sad part is that I'm only 24. They say that if I do get preg again that it will be high risk. Is there anything that I can do to help push things in my favor? Or is it better left up to nature?

Danielle, 3 months ago

44

hi i'm 2 months pregnent is there any chance that i can know if is a boy or girl

TIna, 3 months ago

45

To Alicia:
From Alicia:

I have PCOS and yes it is genetic. I went to an endocronologist and he put me on glucophage. (Yes, the drug prescribed mpstly for diabetics.) He was doing a study on the link between PCOS and diabeties. I am not a diabetic. I took these pills and with-in 3 months i was pregnant. I was diagnosted 6 months prior to my pregnancy and because of the sevarity of my condiditon they said i would never have kids. FIND ANY OB/GYN THAT WILL PRESCRIBE THIS MEDICATION. FYI: I felt great while on the medication. I have a beautiful healthy boy and am trying for my second child now. May God Bless each and every one of you. I wish you all luck on your journey.

Alicia, 3 months ago

46

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has had any syptoms like me and if there are any tips out there. I got off birth control december of 2006, this december will be 2 years. I didn't have a period for 6 mths when I got off it and when in and they put me on a hormone which makes me have a period and then miss the following month again. It's not regulating them. My husband and I want to try to have a child within a year or so, but I'm worried that I won't be able to since I cannot regulate my periods. Any tips are very appreciated.

Trena, 3 months ago

47

There is no possible way, that we should eat or have a certain diet, nor the position of having sex to get a baby girl or a baby boy. As said by the old wives.

Any food we intake, any position we haev sex with, its a boy or a girl is gods decision ALONE, once we concieve, and on the 40th day the angel ask the our Lord, he it should be a boy or a girl. And then what ever God wishes will happen.

About getting symptons, may be, i have no idea on it.

Thanks................

Sarah Ahmed, 3 months ago

48

Hi i'm 28 and i'm off the pill since Dec 2006,i have a 7 yr old son from a previous relationship,and i'm with my new partner 4 1/2 yrs,i'm really ready to have another child ,but it's not happening for me,have you got any advice please

Alicia, 3 months ago

49

Hello,
I'm 26 years old and have two beautiful daughters and I am recently two months pregnant and I am really hoping for a boy because I am concidering getting my tubes tide, but my husband wants a boy so badly what should I do?

Grace, 3 months ago

50

im going 28 yrs.this month and have 2 kids,daughter is 10 and son is 5 yrs.and i want to have new baby. My partner and i try to have baby; for 6 months,twice a week of makinglove, and since i get back home, it become twice a month this 3 months,is it possible to get pregnant?

gishlie, 2 months ago

51

I am 29 years old, when I got married 9 years my husband and I stopped using contraception, however after 7 years and two early miscarriages I was sent to a specialist, who informed us that I had severly blocked fallopian tubes due to using the coil and our only chance to get pregnant was IVF. That was two years ago, we have another year wait before we get our turn to be implanted!. to anyone who is trying, the old wives tales are just old wives tales, but so what? if it can't harm the baby what difference does it matter if it is tried and dosen't work?, I used to want a boy but after 9 years of trying I DO NOT CARE what sex it is as long as it is healthy. so you really shouldn't worry so much about the sex, just be happy that you can conceive without having to go through all the problems of not conceiving and also that you dont have to pay the heafty price tag that is associated with IVF. good luck to you all and be happy!

kell, 2 months ago

52

Everyone should know that the sex of the baby does not matter. For most women it is hard enough to get pregnant and they are happy with whatever they get. I have been trying to get pregnant for five years and havn't had any luck. I have just started seeing a new OB GYN and he is putting me on Clomid. I am hoping this will work on giving me a healthy baby! I have PCOS so of course it is harder for women with PCOS to conceive. I just wish everyone out there good luck on getting pregnant because it will be special when it happens. If you don't get pregnant after trying for about six months go to an OB GYN they can be really helpful. If they can't help you get pregnant see another OB GYN because my new OB GYN said if he can't get me pregnant in six months he will send me to profess. doctors in raleigh NC. thats two hours away but he told me if it's the last thing he does he WILL get me pregnant. this is the doctor i have been waiting five years for!

Sabrina, 2 months ago

53

Trena...I had the same thing. I came of of birth control and went through the same exact thing; didn't get a period, then got some medication to bring on a period...it still didn't regulate itself. I was just put on glucophage. I am not having any bad side effects at all and I have started to spot, which my obgyn said was a great sign. I was also told that I most likely have PCOS. Hopefully this medication will help me ovulate so I can have a baby. Best of luck to you and everyone else trying to get pregnant!!!

Tara, 2 months ago

54

I feel for you women out there. We've been trying for a year now and so far haven't had a lot of luck. We did have a miscarriage at 14 weeks. And since then I've had extremely irregular cycles. So I'm trying to have patience... Any other ideas out there what I can do? My doc says everything is just fine. All ultrasounds show everything is very healthy...

Laressa, about 1 month ago

55

Hi ladies im young but im a mother of twin girls and dis, message is for those who are have trouble conceiving. I just want to say don't give up. After being married for almost two years my husband and I were ready to start a family but we couldn't get pregnant and we had so many false alarms and it got so upsetting and after we just stop trying so hard it happened we finally got pregnant when we weren't even expecting it and we got more then we asked for. So hang in there it will happen when the time is right. Good Luck!!!!

missy, about 1 month ago

56

hello to all. i know the frustration of trying to get pregnant all too well. i was diagnosed with PCOS 4 years ago. my husband and i have been trying to get pregnant for almost 5 years. no luck yet! my doc just put me on glucophage for my PCOS so we will see how that goes. my gyno has been checking my ovaries every month or so cause i have a cyst on my left ovary. its been there for at least 2 1/2 years and this is the smallest its ever been. right now, its at 2 cm. at one time it was at 5!! i go in on sept. 10th. for my last ultrasound and hes suppose to decide wether or not hes gonna do a laproscopy to remove the cyst or just put me on the Clomid. we are crossing our fingers!! as for you women out there who want a certain sex for your baby, be grateful for whatever you are given!! boy or girl. it shouldnt matter. as long as the baby is healthy. i know some woman dream of a girl so they can dress them in pink and do their hair and all the other girly things. and some want a boy for their partner or just because. before i had these problems, i wanted a girl more than anything. but now i would be more then happy for a healthy girl OR boy. i feel for all you women out there who have PCOS or any difficulty getting prenant! its the worst feeling in the world. especially when your more then ready to become a mommy! but we all need to hang in there and be patient because it surely will happen one day. it might take longer then it should, but think positive!! everything happens for a reason. but why it happens the way it does, is always the hard part to figure out! my thoughts and prayers are with you all !!

Katie, about 1 month ago

57

I am turning 35 very soon, my husband & I was married for almost 3 yrs. & were trying to have a baby. My husband was advised to got semen analysis & it was zero count. The Urologist that he was sent to did a simple examination & told Him that He was born sterile. We decicded to get a second openion to comfirm the first result. Do you think it's a good idea to have second test or better to believed the first???...If that so, is there any chance for my husband & I to concieve with our own without asking a sperm donor for artificial insemination?. Please help!

Palangga, about 1 month ago

58

"Palangga":

ABSOLUTELY get a second opinion. 30% of second opinions result in a different diagnosis and/or treatment. Unfortunately, with a test like this, chances are that it is correct. If it is the same as the first, then at least you'll feel a little more confident about your next step. THEN and only then, after you're 100% sure should you seek other ways of conception.

momma manda, 19 days ago

59

My husband & I recently made the decision to have a baby. I was due for another Depot-Provera birth control shot in mid-April, but didn't get it. It is now mid-September, and not only have we not concieved yet, but I haven't had so much as a period since then. What's going on, it's been 6 months?
HELP!

confused?, 19 days ago

60

Hey confused, I had the same probelm and did not see my friend for a whole year. The doctor told me it may take up to two yrs. to get the depro-vera out of my system behind being on the shot. This is all normal until, the testerone levels in my blood came back to high and then, i had to rebuild my estrogen up with metformin and periodically take clomid to ovulate. Continue to pray and i wish u baby dust. Take your time and try to be patient i'm trying as well.

prayin' and waitin', 17 days ago

61

best of luck to all who are trying-we also are trying- have been off my depo for almost a year (oct is 1 year) now, but the overies still haven't kicked in-start clomid as soon as my red headed aunt makes her visit this month- hopefully this will work- i'll keep ya posted

tina, 14 days ago

62

WOW. 2 years? I sure hope that isn't the case here. If I'd known that in the beginning, I never would've gotten the shot. Thank you for the info. I guess I need to check further into this. God bless, "prayin' and waitin'" - and all the other mother-to-be's :)

confused?, 11 days ago

63

Thanks a lot "momma manda", I appreciate your advised. We will get the second test & We're praying that our previous result wasn't right. God Bless.

Palangga, 10 days ago

Post your comment

Public comments are welcome. For answers to your personal questions, ask a specialist in our directory.

Name
Email (kept private)
Website
Message