Sex when pregnant is a big topic for a lot of parents-to-be. Is it safe? Can you jump into your usual positions despite your uterus's occupancy level? Will it harm the baby? Once you've ruled out all of the worries about traditional sex and received the green light from your doctor that because of your healthy pregnancy, sex is totally safe, you may be wondering how much you can veer off of basic sex. Anal play may not be great if you're suffering from a common pregnancy complaint like hemorrhoids, but are sex toys safe when pregnant or does your sex life need to stay as simple as possible?
If you enjoy an array of sex toys, there's good news — being pregnant doesn't have to stop you from using your favorites. According to Parents, your genitals are super-sensitive during pregnancy, so you may find that your sex toys are even more fun to use during pregnancy than when you aren't pregnant.
And if your pregnancy is healthy and progressing normally, What to Expect noted that there's really no reason why your sex toys would be off limits. As long as your sex toys don't have any sharp pieces that could hurt you, penetration as well as clitoral stimulation with vibrators and/or dildos are just fine. Just like penetration from your partner, there's no way your sex toy can reach your placenta or harm your baby in any way.
The most important thing to remember when you're using sex toys during pregnancy is to keep them clean. Check with your toy's manufacturer to make sure you're cleaning them properly — silicone toys may have different cleaning guidelines than another type of toy. Fit Pregnancy suggested washing your toys after every use with warm water and a gentle soap to keep them clean.
Parents did recommend being a bit gentler than usual with your toys just to make sure everything's OK and that you should also be sure to not insert a toy in your vagina if you've been using it anally. Also make sure to store your toys in a clean, dry place so there's not a breeding ground for bacteria. If you're worried about using your toys, reach out to your OB-GYN to make sure everything's safe and that you can enjoy them without fear.
