How to conceive a boy: Everything you need to know

Zofishan Umair

Zofishan Umair

Zofishan is a journalist, humour columnist, and a mum who has survived nappy explosions mid-air. She has over a decade of experience writing for print and online publications and is currently working on her first book.
Updated on Oct 17, 2024 · 6 mins read
How to conceive a boy: Everything you need to know

Wondering how to conceive a boy? Fair enough! Most times, we're just happy that we're expecting a baby at all, but there are other times when you might be hoping for a certain gender.


Many couples who have boys hope that their next child will be a girl. It’s a nice change after being projectiled with pee during nappy changes.

On the other hand, couples who already have girls might hope the next one is a precious little baby brother.

While there is no greater blessing than a healthy baby, it doesn’t hurt to try and hope for one or the other just the teensiest bit more.

However, like many things in nature and conception, there is no way to predict or even guarantee that your baby will be a specific sex.

Study the complex nature of reproduction, and you’ll understand how complicated and beautifully complex the DNA and chromosomal processes are. One small, random, or spontaneous mutation leads to birth defects in many children.

Which is why scientists have spent years trying to understand it better. Their efforts and years of study of DNA, chromosomes, and the human fertilisation process give us some insights into the science involved. And while we don’t get to call the shots, some studies do say that even a little help—and a change in position—may help swing the pendulum in the parent’s favour.

So, it is worth a shot, right?

Here are some tips backed by scientific research that can sort of influence the sex of the baby and help you conceive a baby boy.

What raises the chances of having a boy?


First of all, understanding the science behind sex determination is important.

If the baby has the XY chromosomes, it’ll be assigned male at birth. If it has an XX chromosome, it’ll be assigned female at birth.

The egg, which comes from mum, ALWAYS has the chromosomes XX.

Dad’s sperm, on the other hand, can include the chromosomes ‘X’ or ‘Y.’ These determine the sex of the baby.

In a healthy father, half the sperm carry the X chromosome, while the other half contains the Y chromosome.

Now the baby will take one chromosome from each parent, so when a baby is conceived and the sperm fertilises the egg, the chromosome from the father determines the sex of the baby.

If a sperm carrying the Y chromosome reaches the egg first, congratulations! It’s an XY, aka a beautiful baby boy.

And if a sperm carrying the X chromosome reaches the egg first, it’ll be a baby XX, which means a precious baby girl.

Fun fact: if you’re hoping for a boy and your husband has brothers, even better.

One study found that the genetic tendency on the dad’s side also influences the chances of the baby’s gender. If the father has more male siblings and brothers, some studies conclude that the chances of having a male child are higher.


Which is the best day to conceive a baby boy after periods?


Now that you know the science behind baby-making, here’s what we know about sperm with the X and sperm with the Y chromosome. Henceforth referred to as pink sperm and blue sperm.

Frankly, fertilisation is a race, and the Y sperms seem to be faster than the X sperms. Think of them like a tinier version of Taz from the Looney Tunes. They have short bursts of power and will run to the egg before all their energy fizzles out.

Okay, and how is this relevant, you may ask?

Well, I’m coming to that in a bit.

But here is what is important to remember: Y sperms are fast and energetic, and they are only capable of fertilising the egg within the first 24 hours.

On the other hand, X sperms are slower, but they retain their energy. They are also more resilient than the Y sperms, which means they’ll patiently hang around in the body waiting for the egg to arrive even if it takes 4-5 days.

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? In this case, the Y chromosome sperm are the hare that decided to snooze, while the tortoise kept on going and eventually crossed the finish line.

This is where it all comes down to timing and ovulation.

Trying for a baby on the day of ovulation will help the Y chromosome win. However, if the egg is not there, the Y sperm will hang around for a bit before giving up on the mission.

The result is that the X sperms get their chance because, even though they were slow, they still had energy when the egg arrived.

So one tip to increase your chances of having a baby boy is to have sex on the day of ovulation or after.

To make sure you get the timing right, use a period tracking app, ovulation kit or monitor your temperature to know when you ovulate. Ovulation generally occurs 12 to 14 days before the start of the next period.


What food should I eat to conceive a baby boy?


Um, isn’t “healthy” enough?

Actually yes and no. Interesting studies have found that in order to conceive a baby boy, you should increase your intake of alkaline foods. These include potassium-rich foods like bananas, fresh fruits and veggies, and even certain grains like brown rice.

And while there is little concrete evidence to support this theory, it doesn’t hurt to try.

Another study found that there is a correlation between a mother’s calorie intake around the time of conception and the gender of the child.

A high-calorie intake led to a boy, while a low-calorie intake at the time of birth led to the conception of a girl.  Speaking of, there are tips for that right here!

So yeah, as it turns out, in a way, you are what you eat—or, in this case, what mum eats. And if your mum ate a lot of high-calorie foods, then she may have influenced your gender.

Takeaway:
Just remember:

  • Alkaline foods
  • High calorie intake when trying to get pregnant
  • Deep penetrative sex at the time of ovulation

Can help improve your chances of conceiving a baby boy.
Now get cracking. And may the odds be ever in your favour.


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