KissMeGoodnight
eLearning Series:
Your Sexual Health
Your
Sexual Health During Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, her sexual appetite
fluctuates with the changes she experiences during pregnancy.
There will be days she craves sex and others she will not want
anything to do with it. Both the expectant mother and her partner
may find this confusing. Once the child has arrived, there
are more changes in store for the couple that can influence
the sexual relationship. These can include:
- Healing from a vaginal birth
- Healing from a c-section
- Breast-feeding and the inevitable leaking associated
- Vaginal dryness
- Post-partum depression
- Sleep deprivation
There is a lot of information available for expectant parents
and their sex life before and after childbirth. It is difficult
to find topics relating to sex during your pregnancy. New parents
often do not know what is safe and what is not or whether they
can have sex the entire nine months or only during certain
times. This article will look at some of these questions and
help you understand more of what you can expect during your
pregnancy.
Before
sex even begins, communication should come first. The
woman should let her partner know how she is feeling and what
she is afraid of when they have sex. You might consider both
of you going in and speaking with her doctor about what is
appropriate for her body during the pregnancy. These ways both
of you have an opportunity to explore your questions and/or
concerns. As with your sex life before she became pregnant,
talking is still very important to maintain a healthy sexual
experience.
If you have been told there are no expected complications
for you, then sex is considered safe during the entire nine
months. A high-risk pregnancy would be if you were susceptible
to miscarriages or pre-term labor. Although the doctor may
have given you, the all clear for the next nine months does
not guarantee that you will want to engage in sex.
Many expectant mothers suffer from “morning
sickness” and
sex is not something they are interested in during this time.
Do not let this upset the rest of your day though. If you use
to enjoy morning sex, you can begin enjoying afternoon sex
instead. There is no reason for it to stop simply because your
body says no during this stage. During the later stages of
pregnancy when the woman begins to grow it will be time to
find new positions. Communication is important during this
time so that you both can be satisfied and enjoy the love you
share together.
Many couples fear that if they thrust too hard they will harm
the baby. This is not true. Your baby is completely protected
within the uterus and the amniotic sac surrounding it. If that
were not enough, a very thick mucus plug is closing the cervix
so semen cannot travel past the vaginal canal. Do not think
that for one minute you cannot have an orgasm. They are perfectly
safe and help to exercise the uterine muscles, which will be
used a great deal during labor. Many couples use sex as a way
to encourage labor as the date approaches.
The
sex drive will fluctuate with the different stages of the
pregnancy. Normally after the first trimester the queasiness
subsides and your body begins more accustom the changes it
is experiencing. It is best to take advantage of the times
you do feel like having a sexual encounter as your moods and
physical feelings fluctuate constantly. During the second trimester,
many women find this a pleasant time and enjoy sex a great
deal. Later, the sex drive usually declines again in the third
trimester as her abdomen enlarges and the baby begins pushing
on her organs and bladder. This can be downright confusing
to the male who is use to a lot of sex during the process of
trying to conceive and then going to almost none for a few
months. Then he is overjoyed to have sex only to have it diminish
again. Communicating and knowledge of what is happening to
her and her body is very important during this time.
There are other concerns that couples may have that can decrease
their appetite for sexual pleasure. They may start to feel
anxious about being a parent or the financial burden they are
now going to be experiencing. They may be concerned about their
spouse’s health and whether or not, the baby will be healthy.
These are concerns that you should definitely talk over with
your health care provider and each other. Remember, passionate
sex actually relieves tension and stress. So enjoy yourself
intimately and then reassess your concerns. They may not seem
so overwhelming after you and your partner have had a couple
of orgasms. # # # # #
by KissMeGoodnight.com
: 2006
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