| Sexual Health During Pregnancy: What You Should Know | | Print | |
When a woman is pregnant, her sexual appetite fluctuates with the changes she experiences
during pregnancy. There will be days she craves sex and others she will not want anything to
do with it. Both the expectant mother and her partner may find this confusing. Once the child
has arrived, there are more changes in store for the couple that can influence the sexual
relationship. These can include:
• Healing from a vaginal birth
• Healing from a c-section
• Breast-feeding and the inevitable leaking associated
• Vaginal dryness
• Post-partum depression
• Sleep deprivation
There is a lot of information available for expectant parents and their sex life before and after
childbirth. It is difficult to find topics relating to sex during your pregnancy. New parents often
do not know what is safe and what is not or whether they can have sex the entire nine months
or only during certain times. This article will look at some of these questions and help you
understand more of what you can expect during your pregnancy.
Before sex even begins, communication should come first. The woman should let her partner
know how she is feeling and what she is afraid of when they have sex. You might consider both
of you going in and speaking with her doctor about what is appropriate for her body during the
pregnancy. These ways both of you have an opportunity to explore your questions and/or
concerns. As with your sex life before she became pregnant, talking is still very important to
maintain a healthy sexual experience.
If you have been told there are no expected complications for you, then sex is considered safe
during the entire nine months. A high-risk pregnancy would be if you were susceptible to
miscarriages or pre-term labor. Although the doctor may have given you, the all clear for the
next nine months does not guarantee that you will want to engage in sex.
Many expectant mothers suffer from “morning sickness” and sex is not something they are
interested in during this time. Do not let this upset the rest of your day though. If you use to
enjoy morning sex, you can begin enjoying afternoon sex instead. There is no reason for it to
stop simply because your body says no during this stage.
During the later stages of pregnancy when the woman begins to grow it will be time to find
new positions. Communication is important during this time so that you both can be satisfied
and enjoy the love you share together.
Many couples fear that if they thrust too hard they will harm the baby. This is not true. Your
baby is completely protected within the uterus and the amniotic sac surrounding it. If that were
not enough, a very thick mucus plug is closing the cervix so semen cannot travel past the
vaginal canal. Do not think that for one minute you cannot have an orgasm. They are perfectly
safe and help to exercise the uterine muscles, which will be used a great deal during labor.
Many couples use sex as a way to encourage labor as the date approaches.
The sex drive will fluctuate with the different stages of the pregnancy. Normally after the first
trimester the queasiness subsides and your body begins more accustom the changes it is
experiencing. It is best to take advantage of the times you do feel like having a sexual
encounter as your moods and physical feelings fluctuate constantly.
During the second trimester, many women find this a pleasant time and enjoy sex a great deal.
Later, the sex drive usually declines again in the third trimester as her abdomen enlarges and
the baby begins pushing on her organs and bladder. This can be downright confusing to the
male who is use to a lot of sex during the process of trying to conceive and then going to
almost none for a few months. Then he is overjoyed to have sex only to have it diminish again.
Communicating and knowledge of what is happening to her and her body is very important
during this time.
There are other concerns that couples may have that can decrease their appetite for sexual
pleasure. They may start to feel anxious about being a parent or the financial burden they are
now going to be experiencing. They may be concerned about their spouse’s health and whether
or not, the baby will be healthy.
These are concerns that you should definitely talk over with your health care provider and each
other. Remember, passionate sex actually relieves tension and stress. So enjoy yourself
intimately and then reassess your concerns. They may not seem so overwhelming after you and
your partner have had a couple of orgasms.
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