How to Influence Gender Selection

There are many tales about how to influence the gender of your baby. Some are based in science, but most aren't. However, many people claim to have used some of the techniques below with great success. There's certainly no harm (and perhaps even a little fun) in trying.

First, pay attention to diet. Researchers have found that women with a salty diet are more likely to have a boy, while girl mommies generally eat more sweets.

Other dietary considerations for women wanting a boy - you should eat more red meat and your baby's daddy should drink more soda. Wanting a girl? Both of you should eat more fruits and veggies and (yet more sweets) chocolate.

How you make love is a powerful indicator of whether you'll have a boy or girl, researchers say. If you want a boy, let the man climax first, and try a rear-entry position. You also can be more likely to have a boy if you make love standing up.

According to the "Shettles Method" of gender selection, you are more likely to have a boy if you time intercourse as close to ovulation as possible, but avoid intercourse for the four to five days just prior to ovulation.

Although the male should orgasm before the female, the Shettles method suggests that the female should also orgasm (increasing alkaline secretions in the vagina that welcome the male chromosome), but she should orgasm near the time when the male orgasms.

To have that baby girl, do a few things differently when you make love. First, try the missionary position or with the woman on top. To have a girl, researchers say that the woman should orgasm before the man.

According to the Shettles method, you should have intercourse two to three days before ovulation and avoid intercourse for the few days before that.

To have that baby girl, do a few things differently when you have sex. First, try the missionary position or with the woman on top. To have a girl, researchers say that the woman should orgasm before the man.

According to the Shettles method, you should have intercourse two to three days before ovulation and avoid intercourse for the few days before that.

Finally, old folklore offers these suggestions for a boy: Make love when there's a quarter moon in the sky, have sex at night and make love on odd days of the month, rather than even days. For a girl, have sex when the moon is full, make love in the afternoon and have sex on even numbered days.

Read one of the many books that feature these gender selection suggestions as well as others. Some books you might consider looking include "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler and "How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby" by Landrum Shettles.

Keep in mind that there have not been any scientifically proven ways to pick the sex of your baby.

It's not recommended you try any gender selection techniques if you are having trouble conceiving as working on gender selection techniques will simply delay conception further.