Want to Pick Your Baby's Gender? Try These Tricks

Updated on 2/11/2014 at 4:21 PM

Now that you and your partner have decided to have a baby, you have started to wonder which gender you'd prefer. As a woman, you may find it fun to raise a little girl. Then again, maybe a baby boy would be easier. While there's no way to guarantee your baby's gender, there are several wive's tales that people say work like a charm. Some sound ridiculous, but others actually have a little logic behind them. Put these tricks to the test, and try to increase the odds of having a baby boy or girl.

Girls

Stock Up on Sweets: Since girls are made of sugar and spice, it makes sense that adding sweets — more specifically chocolate — to your diet increases the chance of having a girl.
Eat the Rainbow: To balance out the added sugar intake, and to guarantee a girl, make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Plan Ahead: Though slower, female sperm are said to live longer than their male counterpart. Because of this, having sex four to six days before ovulating gives the girls a better chance.
Heat Things Up: Before getting down in the bedroom, treat yourselves to a warm bath. Not only is this relaxing, but it helps kill the male sperm, which can’t survive high temperatures.
Make It Missionary: By using the traditional sex position, it takes the sperm longer to reach the egg. Since female sperm last longer than male sperm, they will have a higher chance of making it to the egg first.

Boys

Avoid Acid: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and other acidic foods can actually alter the pH of your vagina, making it more difficult for male sperm to survive.
Perk Up Your Partner: Slip your husband an extra cup of coffee before he heads to work. The additional caffeine can make the sperm more active, increasing your odds of conceiving a boy.
Get Down to It: Male sperm don’t have a long life span. To make sure they get to the egg in time, have sex two to three days before ovulation.
Go Deeper: Since male sperm have a short life span, it’s important for them to get as close to egg as possible during sex. To accomplish this, try a rear-entry position during sex.
Enjoy the Moment: Sex should always be a pleasurable experience, but if you want to guarantee a boy then make sure it is orgasmic. When a woman orgasms, she produces a substance that helps the male sperm thrive. The contractions also push the sperm to the cervix faster.
Switch His Underwear: If your husband is a briefs man, ask him to try boxers for a little while. Tight-fitting underwear increases heat, which can kill off the male sperm.