Trying for a baby boy? While what only really matters is a healthy baby of either gender, many moms would admit they have a slight preference for one gender over the other, and perhaps wonder how to have a baby boy?

I have a son, and if I could pick the gender of my next baby, I’d have a girl, to have one of each. But I want a baby boy too, and would adore another son equally of course!

Do you want to know how to conceive a baby boy? If you are thinking “how can I have a baby boy” here’s a rundown of scientifically based methods and advice that might increase your chances of having a boy.

The Baby Boy Diet

Much in the news lately: moms who eat high calorie diets around the time of conception are slightly more likely to have a baby boy. Moms who eat more breakfast cereals are also more likely to have sons. so does eating the baby boy diet work?

Brit thinks: No. Don’t risk skimping on vital nutrients. Just eat healthily.

Timing Intercourse to Have a Baby Boy

Biology 101: the sex of a baby is totally decided by sperm. Either a “male” or a “female” sperm gets to the egg first, resulting in a baby boy or baby girl. Male sperm are faster swimmers, but don’t live as long as female sperm. Female sperm are slower but tougher and more persistent.So there are various methods of timing intercourse relative to ovulation that increase the odds of having a boy. To have a boy, having intercourse as close as possible to ovulation gives the faster male sperm the best chance to get to the egg first. Here’s a closer look at this method including how to determine when you are ovulating . So does timing sex to have a baby boy work?

Brit thinks: scientific evidence supports this one and success rates are reportedly around 70%. So try this one. but the planning seems to take the fun out of babymaking somewhat?

The Loose Underpants Method

As female sperm are tougher, they survive better in hostile environments. What’s hostile for sperm? They don’t like being too hot, for example in hot baths, or tight boxer shorts. Activities your man does may also reduce the number of male sperm. Professional cyclists, scuba divers and jet fighter pilots father significantly more daughters than average.So loose underpants for him, avoid saunas or hot baths for a few days before trying to conceive, and if he is a cyclist and you want a boy, suggest he cuts down on the time he spends in the saddle.More evidence? My dad is a serious cyclist and I’m one of two girls. Another cyclist friend has three daughters.

Brit thinks: temporary lifestyle changes might be worth trying. If your man has a sperm-unfriendly profession or hobby, why not go on a relaxing vacation for a few days, give his male sperm a chance to regroup and then try to conceive?

Watch What Your Man Drinks, and Smokes

Smoking and drinking are both well known to reduce sperm counts, and just like the job or hobby your man does reduces the number of male sperm more than female sperm, drinking or smoking will reduce the number of male sperm in relation to the number of hardier female sperm. So heavy drinkers or smokers may be less likely to have boys.

Brit thinks: drinking too much or smoking is bad for you anyway. Dads-to-be should certainly be quitting smoking, and reducing the amount of alcohol drunk is a healthy choice. So these lifestyle choices are ones dads-to-be should certainly consider whether or not they want a boy.

Ovulation Calculator

Want to know when you’ll be ovulating next?

During each of my many pregnancies, I spent a great time checking out gender prediction methods. Actually, more than not, many people were happy to offer their tried and true methods of prediction to me, especially when they found out I was pregnant again after having 4 girls.

Would our next child be male or female? Drum roll please.

I stumbled across a Chinese Birth Chart while researching online one day. According to the website, the chart was “ancient Chinese knowledge” hidden in a tomb for over 700 years and was now on display at the Institute of Science in Beijing. For entertainment purposes only, the website authors were displaying the chart online. I was intrigued, but cautious, and so I showed my husband.

Dear Husband has a degree in science and he called it a statistics chart. Nothing more, nothing less. There was nothing magical about it he claimed. Nevertheless, he agreed that there very well may be some validity to the chart.

Would the “statistics chart” be accurate? I checked my prior pregnancies with the chart information and astoundingly, the chart was right. I checked each of my sister’s information against the chart information and again, it was correct. Then, just for the thrill of it, I called my sister, who was expecting at the time and due to have an ultrasound in a few days. We worked out her information and according to the chart, she was having a girl. The ultrasound confirmed the chart’s prediction at her ultrasound.

All of this intrigued me. Was I carrying a boy or a girl? Could I stand to know? Suppose the chart said it was a boy and then I had a girl? After 4 girls, would it be fair to get my hopes up for that son of which my husband and I were dreaming?

My husband and I sat down one night and checked the chart which told us we were having a boy. Now what? After years of buying pink, glitter, and lace, did we dare trust the chart? Should we tell people that “the Chinese chart” said it was a boy? Would they believe us?

A few months later, we had an ultrsound due to difficulties I was having with the pregnancy. The technician asked me if I wanted to know the sex of our baby as it was quite obvious. Did I want to know? Yes, yes I did.

Our child was a boy. A healthy boy.

I cried the whole way home! Firstly, because I was relieved that our child was all right. Secondly because IT WAS A BOY! After four girls, I was going to have a boy!

You would think that my relatives would have been happy for us when we told them. Sadly, not one of them(save my husband’s mother) believed us, the ultra sound, or the Chinese birth chart. Instead, they felt that I was one of those women who was just going to have girls and had sadly convinced myself that I was having a male child to make myself feel better about the whole thing. For the baby shower that happened shortly after our ultrasound, most folks bought yellow and green. Some bought us blue, just in case. I began to have my doubts at this time and wondered if the technician had made a mistake or if the chart had been a phony too. Who to believe?

When our child was born, I didn’t take the doctor’s word for it, or my husband’s word–I wanted to see! My eyes confirmed that the chart and the ultrasound technician were right. It was a boy.

I’d encourage all expectant women to try the Chinese birth chart with a few caveat warnings. I have known one woman who did have a child with a sex opposite than what the chart predicted. Therefore, I’d encourage parents who opt to use the information to do so with an open mind and realize that it might not predict the gender of your child. I’d also caution expectant mother’s to use the chart correctly. You must use your age when you will give birth, and the month you conceived to determine results. It can be a little confusing as many times, your age when the baby is born will be different than your age when the child was conceived. Also, you might not know exactly when the child was conceived! Let’s see….was it LATE June or EARLY July?

Whatever your results, I wish you happy charting!