Sex During Pregnancy...Part 2

I blogged recently about sex during pregnancy, and promised to write more about specifics.  So here we go...sex during pregnancy part two.

Pregnancy will affect your sex life because your changing shape (meaning huge baby bump) will change what positions work the best.  For most couples, good old-fashioned missionary position is kind of the sexual norm.  After the first trimester, this position is pretty much out until after the baby's born.  So here's my look at what positions do work well during pregnancy.

Spooning: This is probably the best all-rounder position during pregnancy.  Since your partner's behind you, it means that your bump isn't an issue at all (so this position feels pretty much the same as it did before you got pregnant).  It doesn't put any pressure on you (meaning it's less likely to be uncomfortable or lead to heartburn) or on your partner (meaning you're not squashing him).  It's also a bit of a lazier position, so it's perfect for when you're tired during pregnancy but still want to get some.

Perk: It leaves his hands free ;)
Downside: You can't see each other or kiss.

On all fours/Doggy: Again, your partner's behind you so that pregnancy bump isn't an issue.  Basically, you get down on your knees and either your hands or elbows.  He kneels behind you.  This allows for really deep penetration so it's sure to be a big hit with your other half.

Perk: Easy to control tempo
Downside: Same as spooning

Woman on Top: This one's pretty self explanatory.  You get on top.  It's intimate because you can see each other.

Perk: Probably the best position for you to come
Downside: Also the most tiring for you

Obviously all of these tips are for hetero couples.  Here's why.  This is a blog, not a guide book.  I'm speaking from my experience, and my only partner is my husband.  These are tips for couples who are expecting and still want a great sex life too. (Yes, it is possible to be parents and lovers.)

Sex During Pregnancy

If you're pregnant, obviously you've had sex at least once.  Yet somehow it seems that once you're pregnant, people assume that you're not getting any (at least not until after the baby's born and you've miraculously lost all of the baby weight).  Seriously.  Try shopping for maternity lingerie, for example.  It's ridiculously difficult to find maternity lingerie (and I mean actual lingerie and not just bra & knicker sets).  Most maternity bras are so ugly that even my grandmother probably wouldn't want to wear them.

So here's the deal.
Pregnancy does not mean celibacy.  In fact, pregnancy can be a very sexy time.  According to my husband, men find pregnant women sexy.  Let's face it: when is a woman more, well, womanly than when she's pregnant?  You're super curvy (not only your bump--most women's breasts get bigger and/or fuller during pregnancy too), and probably less self conscious than normal (I don't have to worry about my "wobbly bits", as Bridget Jones would put it).

So let's talk about sex during pregnancy.

Yes, pregnancy hormones can affect your sex life, and they can have a major impact on your libido.  This isn't always a bad thing.  In my first pregnancy, I was seriously horny pretty much all of the time.  That's right.  You hear about pregnancy being less sexy because you're tired and feeling sick etc.  Sometimes that's true.  Sometimes, though, being pregnancy will actually make you want it more.  Trust me, I know.  I think my husband started to get a little overwhelmed by the time our daughter was born because I was pretty much insatiable.

That's not always the case.  Thanks to pregnancy hormones during my second pregnancy, my sex drive was lower than normal.  However, I still had a sex drive, and we still enjoyed a good sex life. 

During my third pregnancy, I was tired at the beginning, but I was happy and excited.  My husband and I enjoyed a lot of passionate sex during this time.  Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended too early.

Obviously it didn't take long for us to be at it again, as I got pregnant again very quickly (oops!).  My sex drive, to be honest, is about the same as it is when I'm not pregnant.  That's not to say that sex is exactly the same.  Changing shape means that different positions become better (I'll do a different post about the best sex positions during pregnancy).  Thanks to changing hormone levels, what feels fantastic one night may be disappointing the next (and vice versa).  Although I really enjoy love making (and cuddling and foreplay, etc), some nights it's harder to actually reach orgasm than others.

You know what, none of those things really matter.  If you and your partner love (and lust) each other, pregnant sex can be fabulous.