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I'm Scared To Have Sex While Pregnant? 7 Ways To Ease That Fear
Babies change everything, and this starts before they even arrive in the world. When you’re monitoring every molecule of food for safety and going to prenatal yoga twice a week, it’s easy to let the pending baby overwhelm everything else in your life. Often, this caution extends to the bedroom. Although many women are scared to have sex while pregnant, there are tried-and-true ways to ease that fear.
Pregnancy sex comes with a fair share of baggage. You may have worries about physically hurting the baby. Or the cultural concept of mothers as pure and selfless people may interfere with the idea of yourself as a sexual being. Whatever the case, there are plenty of ways to keep the fires going up until your delivery date.
Overall, reviewing the facts will help you put your mind at ease. Sex during pregnancy is perfectly healthy and normal, and you can do as much — or as little — as you like. Whether you and your SO are kinky, more vanilla, or somewhere in-between, you don’t have to give up your sex life just because there’s a little one on the way. It’s a great way to reaffirm your bond during this time of major transformation in your lives.
1Talk To Your Doctor
For most women, pregnancy sex is totally fine. That being said, if you are having complications with your pregnancy, then you may want to check with your doctor first. As the Mayo Clinic said, factors such as a history of premature birth, cervical incompetence, and placenta previa may make sex unadvisable. Only your physician would be able to make the final call here.
2Listen To Your Body
If you're nauseous all the time, then it's understandable if you aren't feeling particularly sexy. As Kids Health explained, it's very normal for women to experience libidinal ebbs and flows during the course of their pregnancies. You may go from being completely wiped out to feeling exceptionally close to your partner as the weeks progress. Just pay attention to your body and do what feels right at the time.
3Reassure Your Partner
Some guys get concerned about harming the baby during the act, but experts say this is basically impossible. "We tell them that their baby is well protected," Dayna Salasche, an obstetrician at Northwestern Specialists for Women told WebMD. "It is an egg surrounded by a pillow and another pillow and that there is no way they will hurt the baby." If he's concerned about getting through all of that protection, then he's likely flattering himself.
4Change Positions
As your pregnancy progresses, the good old missionary style may not work as well. As doctors Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen suggested in Fit Pregnancy, spooning or woman-on-top positions may be more accommodating. You and your SO can experiment to find what works for you.
5Calm Your T*ts
Certain parts of your body may become too sensitive. Even the American Pregnancy Association noted that many women's breasts become too tender or sore for stimulation during pregnancy, so getting your SO to focus on other areas may be a good idea. At least until after the baby arrives.
6Be Careful With Oral
You and your SO can still practice oral, but you may need to be a little more cautious than normal. As Everyday Health explained, if your partner accidentally blows air into the vagina, this could cause a potentially fatal air embolism. It's understandable if you would rather skip this move for the duration of your pregnancy.
7Consider A "Babymoon"
Some experts even advise partners to take a romantic getaway. As the Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials said, the second trimester is the prime time for this "babymoon," because the vulva's increased blood supply may help the woman experience extra-great orgasms. It's also a good time for you and your SO to reconnect before your lives change forever.
