• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

Sex and pregnancy 101

by Alice Domar 2 Comments

Long ago I heard of an obstetrician, when asked by a pregnant patient up to what week or month she could have sex during her pregnancy, answer, “Well, I guess you could have sex in the labor room but it might embarrass some of the nurses”. Although I doubt that there are many women in labor who would want to be having sex, the obstetrician’s answer does shed some light on the topic of sex and pregnancy.

Most pregnant women (and likely a lot of their partners) have questions about sex, but many may be too embarrassed to ask either their doctor or their nurse. Presumably, their health care team is not shy about telling women who should not be having sex about their restrictions. If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask. Especially if you have had bleeding, cramping, a history of preterm labor, etc. But most healthy women are perfectly able to have sex during their pregnancy. The decision tends to be more mental than physical.

For women, fluctuating hormone levels can create havoc with their libido. Some women have never had such a strong sex drive and some women would rather skip it for the whole nine months. Both extremes are normal, as is basically anything in between. For their partners, some think their pregnant partner is the sexiest person they have ever seen and want to chase her around the house all day. For many men however, they hesitate to initiate intercourse because they are afraid of hurting their partner or the baby. This is a good time to ask her health care team, and for the majority of cases, there will be a thumbs up for lovemaking.

As the months progress, one needs to become more creative about how to satisfy each of you. The good old fashioned missionary position might have been the entity which caused the pregnancy, but as the baby gets bigger, it can become physically impossible. If you weren’t creative before the pregnancy, this is a good time to start. Try different positions, try different approaches, but be aware that what worked and felt great a week ago might not work so well now as the baby grows or drops.

Some women feel sexy and desirable during pregnancy, more so than before, and some women feel large and clumsy. It is challenging to adjust to an ever-growing and changing body and contrary to what many women expect, one can sprout in all sorts of places, not just breasts and belly. If you feel good looking at yourself in the mirror, go for it. But if it causes you distress, run past it after your shower. Weight and body image are a huge issue for most women, and pregnancy can either make it worse, or allow one to eat and grow more comfortably because it is for a good cause.

The main point to remember is that pregnancy is temporary. If you are a sex kitten during your pregnancy, enjoy it and take advantage. If not, remember that it is time-limited. But do remember that you will ovulate two weeks before your first period after you deliver your baby, so when your obstetrician talks about birth control before you are discharged, listen.

Filed Under: Pregnancy

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. shahid says

    at

    what is the best method to aviod pregenancy without protection
    dont want to use condom or pills

    This is a question you need to take up with a health care professional such as an ob/gyn or a nurse practitioner or go to a family planning clinic. Nowadays, there are lots of options to choose from. There is a solution for everyone.

    Reply
  2. Olanike says

    at

    At what stage or month of pregnancy can I have sex,am just 2months pregnant.

    this is a question you need to pose to your obstetrician or nurse midwife. Most women are encouraged to continue their sex life while pregnant but this is subject to a health care team member’s approval.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

how to be a good mother

How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect

By Sarah Moore

Aligned Parents webinar

By Paul Banas

Footer

Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • A Beginner’s Guide to Gentle Parenting: 5 Ways to Lead with Love
  • How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect
  • Best Parenting Books: 28 Books That Will Change Your Life for the Better
  • Aligned Parents webinar
  • How to make sure your home is ready for the new addition to your family

Search

© Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT