Weird and Wonderful Ways to Choose the Sex of Your Baby

Now we've got the science out of the way, let's look at some of the methods of the fabled "old wives" and find out how we've tried to choose the sexes of our babies over time.

Does any of it stand up to scrutiny?

What goes in must come out

According to the old wives, what you put in at one end affects what comes out of the other after nine months.

So, if you want a boy, you should eat:

• Red meat,
• Salty snacks (like pretzels)
• Daddy-to-be: cola

These foods are high in potassium and sodium, which are thought to help with the conception of a boy. Higher-calorie diets are also thought to lead to the conception of a boy.

If you want a girl, chow-down on:

• Lots of fish
• Healthy fruit and vegetables
• Dark chocolate

These foods are high in magnesium and calcium. Magnesium and calcium are thought to be key in supporting the conception of a girl.

Keep it cool

Men, if you want to have a daughter, you should keep your testicles cool, but if you want a son, you should warm your testicles up in tight trousers.

It's recommended that men who are struggling to father a child wear boxers, rather than briefs, and wear no pants if at home with just their partner to keep their testicles cool and increase their sperm-count. If sperm count is a problem, you should also avoid saunas, hot baths, and hot-tubs.

READ How to Increase Sperm Count and Improve Sperm Quality Naturally

Get into position

According to the old-wives, your sexual position matters when it comes to conceiving a boy or a girl.

For a boy:

• Lie down after making love, so the male-sperm can beat the female-sperm
• Make love from a rear-entry position
• Make love standing-up

For a girl:

• Use missionary position
• Make love with the woman on top

Very superstitious

There are some very weird and wonderful ways that are supposed to guarantee a baby of your chosen sex.

For a boy:

• Have sex only at night
• Have sex only in Autumn
• Have sex only on odd days of the month  - oddly enough, more boys are conceived on odd days of the month
• Make love with your head pointing North
• Have sex under a quarter-moon
• Make love facing the head of the bed

For a girl:

• Do a belly-dance under a full moon
• Be calm when you have sex
• Make love under a full moon
• Have sex in the afternoons
• Have sex only on even days of the month
• Put a pink ribbon under your pillow and a wooden spoon under your bed

And if all else fails, just tell all your friends and neighbours that you're definitely going to have a baby that's the opposite of your secretly desired sex, boast "Call it instinct", and spend a weekend painting the kid's room in accordance with the stereotypical colour of the sex you hope not to have. That should compel the universe to even the score.