What No One Tells You About Sex During Pregnancy

It's common knowledge that sex during pregnancy is different, but few people really know how until they experience it. When I was pregnant for the first time, I experienced sexual side effects that I'd never even known were possible. Sex during pregnancy is completely safe, even in the third trimester, except for certain risk situations such as a mother who is threatening to go into labor prematurely or has an incompetent cervix. It is, however, different from sex before pregnancy. Every woman is affected differently with every individual pregnancy. There are many things that you may or may not experience. Be prepared!

First off, your sex drive may change. It may be much stronger and more active than before or lessened. It may go into overdrive or disappear altogether. It may go back and forth, and the changes may last for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. In the beginning you're likely to be having less sex because of fatigue and nausea, but this isn't always true. Some women experience no change in their sex drive whatsoever. In my first pregnancy, I had no sex drive in the early weeks, and then I couldn't get enough! With this one, I had a great sex drive early on, but as the pregnancy progressed, I found myself losing all interest in sex.

I have no remedy for an overactive sex drive--just take it easy on your partner! If you're having trouble finding interest in sex, you're going to have to find creative new ways to stimulate your sex drive. You may have to work to become aroused, and that's just fine! This is a great time to experiment. Try something new with your partner, like talking dirty, watching porn, or even discussing (and then trying!) a new position. Fantasizing may also help you arouse yourself. If your sex drive is just gone, start fantasizing early in the day--and think about it throughout the day. By the evening, you should be ready to go. Hopefully your partner can help you become around, but it can be a lot more difficult. He or she will have to try new ways of arousing you while you are pregnant. It may take time, but your partner will develop a whole new bag of tricks that will outlast the pregnancy!

Sex is a very important part of a healthy relationship.

Credit: Will Thomas

Copyright: Will Thomas @ sxc.hu