When you’re pregnant, everybody always seems to be telling you what you can’t do. No drinking. No soft cheeses. No tattoos. You can’t even go skydiving! Fortunately, there are still some fun activities that you can do while pregnant, not the least of which is the one that got you there: sex.
Is sex during pregnancy safe?
Totally! Unless you have a pregnancy complication like unaccounted for vaginal bleeding, an opened cervix, placenta previa, or your amniotic fluid is leaking, sex is completely safe throughout pregnancy.
Many people get concerned about how sex might affect their growing baby but rest assured — it does not in the slightest. Your little one is resting nice and peacefully in their apartment — sex won’t cause miscarriage, or preterm birth, or any other drastic complication for them. In fact, they will never even notice!
What are some good pregnancy positions?
Sex during pregnancy is all about being comfortable. Unless you wrote the kama sutra, almost any sex position you enjoy when not pregnant is safe while you’re carrying Baby — it’s just important to find out which ones are comfortable for you while you’re pregnant.
As your womb grows, your comfort in and enjoyment of a position may change, so you might need to do some firsthand research to figure out what is a good position for you. However, lots of pregnant people recommend on the side or on top of your partner as best for the bump.
Benefits of sex during pregnancy
Pregnancy can be unpredictable — between the physical symptoms, the external stresses, and the hormones, life can be pretty crazy when you’re carrying a baby. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stay happy and relaxed throughout your journey, not the least of which is sex. And there are plenty of pregnancy benefits, which include, but are not limited to:
- Exercise: Sex is a great way to stay active. If you weren’t able to get out during the day, get in at night!
- Brings partners closer: Sex is one of the best ways to bring you and your partner closer as you draw nearer and nearer to adding Baby to your loving family!
- Improves mood: Sex is scientifically proven to raise your endorphin levels and get you feeling great!
- Can help induce labor late in pregnancy: If you’re in week 39 or later, sex could actually help encourage Baby to come on out — just because it was on Friends doesn’t mean it’s not true!
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Sources
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Sex during pregnancy: What’s OK, what’s not.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 7/31/2015. Web.
- W Back. “Sex during pregnancy.” March of Dimes. March of Dimes, 6/15/2015. Web.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Stress management – Stress Basics.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 4/8/2014. Web.
- C White. “Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy.” U.S National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus, 11/21/2014. Web.
- “Cervical insufficiency and short cervix.” March of Dimes. March of Dimes, 6/3/2016. Web.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Amniocentesis.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 6/3/2016. Web.
