There are thought to be 3 main factors in influencing the sex of your baby. These are the timing of intercourse, the sexual position used when conceiving, and the foods eaten by the mother. Each of these factors is described in a bit more detail below.
Factor 1 – Timing intercourse correctly
One of the most important ways of influencing the gender of your baby is to time intercourse correctly.
If you’re trying to conceive a girl, you should have intercourse approximately 3-4 days before ovulation. The reasoning behind this is as follows – female (X) sperm are more resilient than male (Y) sperm and therefore they live longer. So in effect they can ‘hang around’ in the female body for 3 or 4 days waiting for ovulation to occur, and fertilise the egg. Male sperm have a shorter lifespan, and will die before ovulation occurs.
So, as male sperm have a shorter lifespan than female sperm – having sex further away from ovulation means they are very likely to die off before ovulation occurs, leaving only female sperm.
Factor 2 – Choosing the right sexual position
Have intercourse in a position that allows for shallow penetration (for example missionary), as shallow penetration allows the sperm to be deposited further away from the egg.
Now female sperm are thought to be slower swimmers than male sperm, but they survive for longer, so shallow penetration positions increase the distance to the egg, meaning that the male sperm are more likely to die before they complete the longer journey. Ideally this will leave only female sperm remaining, giving them a much better chance of fertilising the egg.
Factor 3 – Eating the right foods
In order to conceive a girl, it’s best to eat foods high in calcium and / or magnesium. You should begin this diet at least 6 weeks before attempting to conceive a girl.
