Sex during Pregnancy – Yes or No?

28.08.2010 | By: K. Z.

The sexual desire of some women is at its pinnacle during their pregnancy, while others are afraid of damaging their baby. Should you have sex during pregnancy or not?

When it comes to sex during pregnancy, listen to your body. (Photoxpress)

Is sex during pregnancy a good idea?

It may happen that you’ll think of sex the whole time of your pregnancy because your hormones go crazy at that time. It may also happen that you simply won’t feel any desire for sex because you’ll find your body too big, bloated and clumsy, and you may also have constant nausea and abdominal cramps. Therefore, the first rule is to listen to your body when it comes to sex during pregnancy. If you don’t feel like jumping in bed with your partner, you just don’t do it. But if you want to keep your sex life active for the entire nine months, there are a number of methods to completely satisfy yourself as well as your partner without penetration. Many people think that sex during pregnancy is too unusual and they therefore stop having it completely. Your sexual desire, however, can still be satisfied with mutual masturbation or oral intercourse. Women can have a slightly heavier vaginal discharge during their pregnancy, but it isn’t dangerous. If the discharge bothers your partner during oral intercourse, just wipe it off with a damp cloth or wash yourself. If your partner has a cold or lip herpes, it’s advisable to avoid oral intercourse.

There’s usually no danger in having sex during pregnancy

Naturally, before having any kind of sexual intercourse, it’s best that you consult your doctor, who’ll definitely know what’s good for you and your baby. Every pregnancy is different. If your doctor assesses that your pregnancy is somewhat more risky, he or she may advise you not to have sex as well as orgasm, which can cause a premature birth. If you have a normal pregnancy, you can have sex and achieve orgasms until the childbirth. After having sex, you should pay attention to any potential bleeding from your vagina as well as pains lasting more than an hour. The uterus contracts during an orgasm, so you don’t have to be afraid that these contractions indicate labour. But if they last for a while, call your doctor. Otherwise, there’s no danger that your partner would harm your baby with his penis or cause your water to break prematurely.

Sex during pregnancy requires different positions

Besides consulting your doctor about having sex during pregnancy, the only rule is to listen to your body. Do whatever suits you and talk to your partner about it. You may find your body huge and unattractive, but a lot of men find a pregnant woman extremely attractive and her body very sexy. If you don’t feel like having sex, explain to him clearly why you feel that way and find together a solution that will make both of you happy. However, you can’t have sex during pregnancy in the same way as before it because, if nothing else, your pregnant belly can stand in your way. The missionary position therefore isn’t recommended because you have to avoid lying on your back any way. But you can try some other positions that are feasible and appropriate for sex during pregnancy:

- one of the most appropriate positions is the position in which you’re on top and your partner is in a lying or sitting position. In that position, you can have good control over the depth of penetration and movements so that you don’t feel any discomfort;

- you can lie on your hip so that you turn your back against your partner and he penetrates you from behind. In that case, penetration is very shallow and pleasant;

- you can lie on your hip and turn your body towards your partner and lift your upper leg so that he can penetrate your vagina. This position is all right, but it can become tiresome in time;

- another position, appropriate almost through the whole time of pregnancy, is when you’re on all your fours on the bed and your partner penetrates you from behind. The only problem with this position is your huge belly because, in that case, it can happen that you literally lean on it during sex. It’s better that you avoid that.