What To Expect When You’re Having Pregnant Sex

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1. Unless your physician specifies otherwise, pregnant sex is totally safe. That said, you will almost certainly harbor some strange but common concerns about banging once you’re knocked up. Can all that thrusting dislodge the embryo? What if my fetus doesn’t want to be poked by my partner’s penis? If the sex traumatizes our unborn baby, is it even worth it? These weird thoughts are all in your head, so do your best to shelve them (or forgo orgasming for nine straight months instead).

2. Keep in mind that your libido is apt to change throughout the 40 weeks you’re hosting a human parasite. At any given stage, there are sooooo many hormones coursing through your veins, which can transform you into an impossible-to-satiate horndog, or a woman who would rather eat sand than engage in sexual activity. If you’re not in the mood to fornicate, kindly explain to your partner that he can jerk off for the time being while you do the work of building his baby.

3. The other thing that’s bound to change is your physique. While some women embrace every single modification to their body, others are horrified by these changes, and still others vacillate between adoring their new shape and resenting it wholeheartedly. The bottom line is that you may or may not feel sexy naked at certain points, and the way you feel about your body will impact your desire to have sex. Sometimes, it won’t even matter how many times your partner reassures you that he loves the way you look. Your inner sex goddess will feel defeated regardless. On these days it is totally okay to say “thanks but no thanks” to your significant other’s advances.

4. Yes, your boobs are most likely going to grow a cup a size or two, which is great for your sexting game! But don’t count on engorged boobies to make you feel automatically sexy. The thing about pregnant boobs is that they’re sore to the touch for many women, especially during the first trimester. When your partner paws at your chest because he just can’t help himself, you might want to scream! Explain to him that your giant boobs should be treated as the fragile gems they are, or just tell him to keep his hands to himself unless you specify otherwise.

5. Since your flesh down there is particularly sensitive during pregnancy, you might find that penetration feels a bit different than before. Like, OUCH! different. Pregnant sex can sting! Luckily, if you slather your nether regions in coconut oil, you should feel okay. Coconut oil is the most underrated lubricant out there. It can be slightly awkward to get the stuff on properly, but if you’re in good spirits, the process of lubing up and wiping your hands on a towel pre-sex can feel intimate and ultimately bring you closer together.

6. Farting in bed (and during sex) is pretty much inevitable. Pregnant women are seriously gasy. This has something to do with elevated levels of progesterone, a hormone that relaxes soft muscle tissue and slows the digestive process. You might find yourself burping and farting three times as often as you once did, and your significant other will just have to deal. Even during sex. Remember, you are literally bearing the entire weight of pregnancy, so if your significant other wants to get laid he’ll just have to manage with a little unwelcome stench here and there.

7. Don’t count on your g0-to favorite positions to feel great. Your body is different, and the positions that turn you on and lead you to climax might be different as well. Switch things up and figure out what works from month to month. Fortunately, changing things up in the sack is almost always a good idea. As things progress, you might face setbacks trying to maneuver your giant belly, but there will be some unexpected triumphs, too.

8. Don’t count on wanting it at the time you usually feel horny, either. Two things you can’t predict during pregnancy are hormonal fluctuations and “morning sickness” (which is a total misnomer since the onset of nausea can occur at any hour). Unpredictable shifts in your mood and/or physical wellbeing are bound to influence your sex drive. So you might find yourself totally averse to doing it at the time of day you once reliably felt your horniest. Don’t fret! On the flip side, you might wake up feeling super randy even if you were once a person who loathed morning sex. Try to go with the flow, and listen to your trusty libido.

9. Remember that penetration isn’t the only option. There are other ways to achieve orgasm and get your sexual fix. Maybe you’d rather have your partner go down on you or finger you than stick his penis inside your vagina. Or perhaps you’d really rather just give him a blowjob to get him off your back for awhile. Whatever urges you experience are worth articulating. No one is capable of reading your mind so communicate your every sexual whim. I promise, there’s no downside to being forthright about what you want in bed.

10. Masturbation might just be the answer. You don’t need a partner to get off, especially when you’re a pregnant lady whose shifting desires are difficult to predict. Sometimes, you might wake up at 3am after experiencing a sex dream so vivid and otherworldly that it defies description and mandates touching yourself in the middle of the night as your partner sleeps soundly beside you. Other times, you might feel kind of iffy about your body and shutting your eyes to masturbate will seem a helluva a lot more appealing than intercourse with your partner. Masturbation is pretty much always a great choice. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

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