When To Have Sex
Youre most likely to get pregnant if you have sex in the days around ovulation , with the day before and day after being the most fertile.
- An egg lives for about 12-24 hours after being released. The egg must be fertilised by a sperm during this time for you to get pregnant.
- Sperm can live for around 5 days inside a womans body, so if youve had sex in the few days before ovulation, the sperm can wait for the egg to be released.
This is called your ‘fertile window’. We can help you calculate this with our ovulation calculator tool.
The 4 Best Pregnancy Sex Positions According To Experts
Pregnancy doesn’t have to be a nine-month dry spell. In fact, getting it on when you’re carrying a baby is encouraged by ob-gyns. “Generally, in a normal, healthy pregnancy, sexual activity is not dangerous, and specific sexual positioning does not pose specific risks,” confirms Joshua Klein, MD, chief medical officer at Extend Fertility in New York City. That’s great news, especially since hormonal shifts can power a woman’s sex drive and make her want to hit the sheets more than ever.
Not only is pregnancy sex usually safe, it’s also an ideal way for parents-to-be to strengthen their bond. “Pregnancy is often a really emotional time for couples, especially if it’s their first child,” says Rose Hartzell, PhD, San Diegobased sex therapist. “Sex during pregnancy can be an oasis for them to immerse themselves in the pleasure of each other, which is how they got pregnant in the first place.”
Sex Is A Great Workout
When you are sexually active, you are continuously working out and burning calories, which can help lower blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause many different issues during pregnancy . After a bedroom session, you may find that you also fall asleep quicker and have a more relaxing night of sleep.
Don’t Miss: Can I Get Lasik While Pregnant
Where Does Sperm Go In A Pregnant Woman
Many people worry that the sperm thats ejaculated during sex will somehow affect their growing baby, or that theyll injure their baby by having sex.
If thats how youre currently feeling, you can take a deep sigh of relief. Semen and sperm deposited in the vagina during penetrative vaginal sex will not harm the baby. Most of it will simply be discharged from the body through the vaginal opening.
Thanks to the placenta, amniotic sac, and mucus plug covering the cervix, your baby has a protection system thats very specific about what goes in and stays out! In addition to blocking sperm, your growing baby is protected from coming into contact with your partners penis no matter how deep it may go.
Along with being able to relax about where your sperm is going in a low risk pregnancy, you may be relieved to know that its highly unlikely for a pregnant woman to conceive again.
Superfetation, to put it simply, is a pregnancy that begins after another one has already started.
Sound crazy? Superfetation is well documented in a variety of other mammals but highly unlikely in humans for a number of reasons. In fact, fewer than 10 cases have been reported in medical literature.
First, a woman would have to ovulate to become pregnant, and the process of ovulation is essentially shut down during pregnancy due to the release of certain hormones.
What Are Signs Of Problems During Or After Sex
If you have pain during sex, tell your provider. If you have heavy bleeding like normal menstrual period bleeding, leaking of amniotic fluid or painful cramps that dont go away after sex, call your provider or go to the emergency room.
Its normal to have some cramps or spotting after sex when youre pregnant. Having an orgasm can cause cramps. Spotting is light bleeding. When it happens you have a few drops of blood on your underwear. Spotting is so light that the blood doesnt cover a panty liner.
Also Check: Lasik Eye Surgery While Pregnant
I’m Vanessa Marin A Sex Therapist And Writer Specializing In Helping You Have More Fun In The Bedroom
I have bachelors degrees in human sexuality and sociology from Brown University, and a masters degree in counseling psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Im also a licensed psychotherapist. Ive been working in the sex therapy field since 2002 and have been featured by The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, and many more.
If youre interested in improving your sex life, you can work with me via my online courses or personal coaching sessions. I look forward to supporting you in creating the sex life youve always wanted!
INFO
Is Bleeding After Sex Something I Should Worry About
Its always best to talk with ones physician regarding any concerns, Buehler says. But dont fully freak out quite yet.
Due to pregnancy changes, your cervix is sensitive and can get irritated easily, leading to bleeding. Youll notice spotting after sex, when you wipe, and possibly the next day.
When to see a doctor The spotting shouldnt come and go, especially over days or weeks. If that happens, it may be a sign of placenta previa. If you have any other symptoms, like sharp waves of pain, rectal pressure, or inconsistent bleeding, it could be an ectopic pregnancy. Sex doesnt cause this.
Chat with your healthcare provider for ideas on how to minimize any irritation if youre not enjoying the anxiety ride.
Read Also: Braces While Pregnant
How Soon Can You Have Sex After Giving Birth
Its best to wait until after your postpartum checkup to have sex again. Use birth control when you feel ready to start having sex again. Talk to your provider about when its safe to start birth control and what kind is safe to use if you’re breastfeeding.
Even after your body has healed, these common changes may affect your sex life:
It can be hard to take care of yourself when youre focused on caring for a new baby! To help you feel better, eat healthy foods, do something active every day and rest as much as you can.
If youre worried about having sex again, talk to your partner. Your partner may have the same kinds of feelings. If you and your partner desire sex, try to find a time when you dont feel rushed like when your baby is sound asleep. You can also be intimate with your partner in ways like hugging or kissing.
Most couples go back to having an active sex life sometime during the first year of their babys life. If youre still worried, feel pain or discomfort when resuming sex or feeling pressure about having sex, tell your provider.
What Sex Positions Should I Avoid During Pregnancy
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, theres almost nothing thats off-limits. By the second trimester, you’ll want to steer clear of any position that puts weight on your belly, like your partner lying directly on top of you or you lying on your stomach, and anything that keeps you on your back for too long.
Other than that, feel free to stick with most of the pre-pregnancy favorites that still work for you. And have fun exploring! Trying new things in the bedroom can make you and your partner feel even more connected.
Also Check: Is It Safe To Donate Plasma While Breastfeeding
Is There Anything Sexual Thats Unsafe
If youre hoping to enact out a little 50 Shades of Pregnancy, go ahead as long as you and your partner already have experience with floggers, rope, and more, Fosnight says.
If youre the recipient of spankings, your partner should avoid the belly and abdomen and any tie that could constrict blood flow. If youre new to the scene, maybe wait to put on the cuffs until after pregnancy .
Definitely create boundaries of what touch is acceptable if you get started, too.
And while sessions of anal and riding on a Hitachi are perfectly fine, dont allow anyone to blow air into your vagina. Although rare, air blown into the vagina embolisms and even death.
When Should You See A Doctor
If youve been trying to get pregnant but are having no luck, see your primary care doctor or a fertility specialist.
How long should you wait before seeing a doctor? That depends on your age.
- Women younger than 35 should try for at least 1 year before seeking medical help.
- Women 35 or older should see a healthcare provider after 6 months of trying.
Make an appointment sooner if you have any of these issues, which could affect fertility:
Read Also: Can I Drink Breakfast Essentials While Pregnant
The Couch Is Your Best Friend
Image: Kinkly / Mamamia. Furniture and pillows are a great way to keep pregnant bodies comfortable. For this position, the pregnant partner can kneel on the ground, facing the cushions of a couch and then bend forward, resting her upper body on the cushions.
There are lots of options here, so move around to get comfortable! Try kneeling on cushions as well for extra support.
Couch height doesn’t work? Stack pillows on the ground .
What Are Other Ways You Can Be Close With Your Partner
You dont have to have sex to be loving with your partner. You can be intimate by:
- Cuddling
- Kissing
- Massage. This is when you and your partner gently rub each others bodies.
- Mutual masturbation. This is when you and your partner touch yourselves to bring yourselves to orgasm.
- Oral sex
To stay connected with your partner, talk about your needs in an open and loving way. Let pleasure and comfort be your guide. If something doesnt feel right for either of you, change what youre doing. If youre worried about how pregnancy is affecting your relationship with your partner, tell your provider.
Also Check: Can I Use Vagisil Wipes While Pregnant
When Should You Do It
So, which of the best sex positions to get pregnant should you try? Well, anyone of this would do if you can, why not try them all? What matters is that you know when to do it, and that is when you are ovulating.
What is the best sex position to get pregnant will depend on you and your partners preferences.
Choose the best position to conceive and enjoy it! Remember, there is no real pressure as to when you have to do it or how many times.
You must also try other ways to boost your fertility to increase your chances of having a baby.
As long as you are familiar with the basics of conceiving, as long as you know how to keep yourself healthy and stress-free, then just enjoy your lovemaking and wait for your blessing regardless of choosing the sex positions to get pregnant.
Is It Normal To Have Orgasmic Dreams At Night During Pregnancy
Yes. Many women have amazing wet dreams or sleep orgasms when pregnant.
Another bonus due to higher estrogen levels and increased blood flow, Richmond says. I had several of my clients report it with a bit of concern, then were delighted when I told them its normal and will most likely subside after they give birth, so enjoy it!
Recommended Reading: Is It Safe To Donate Plasma While Pregnant
Pregnancy Sex Tips How To Have Sex While Pregnant
Pregnancy can be a really joyful time for a couple, but it can also wreak havoc on your sex life. Between nausea, dryness, figuring out how the heck your bodies fit together with a new belly, and fears about hurting the baby, sex during pregnancy can be really challenging!
We polled our Instagram audience and asked them for their best tips for having great sex while pregnant, and were going to share all the details.
Please keep in mind that every body is different, so do what feels right to you, and always check with your doctor if you have questions.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
What Are The Benefits Of Masturbation During Pregnancy
Many women find that masturbation is a great tension reliever during pregnancy. It can also be a satisfying alternative when your growing belly makes intercourse difficult.
As your pregnancy progresses, it can be tricky to find sexual positions that are comfortable and enjoyable for you and your partner.
Some men may have concerns about sex during pregnancy because they worry about hurting their partner or the baby. In that case, mutual masturbation may be a good alternative for you both.
Some women find that masturbating during pregnancy is a unique way to explore their changing body.
Pregnancy affects the body in so many ways, and these changes can be startling. Feeling comfortable with your body during your pregnancy can be a very positive thing, and masturbation may be a useful avenue for this.
Physical pleasure may be a welcome relief for women dealing with the least pleasant sides of pregnancy, including:
- morning sickness
- sciatica
- swollen feet
Masturbating during your pregnancy doesnt need to be different than any other time. If you usually use toys or devices, discontinue use if they are uncomfortable or cause cramps. Dont use if:
- your water breaks
- you have had any bleeding
- you are high-risk for premature labor
- you have a low-lying placenta
Its also important to make sure that these items have been properly cleaned before you use them.
Recommended Reading: Can You Donate Plasma While Breastfeeding
When It’s Not Safe
Some sexual behaviors that aren’t safe for any pregnant woman:
If significant complications with your pregnancy are expected or found by your health care provider, he or she may advise against sexual intercourse. Talk to your health care provider if you have:
- a history or threat of miscarriage
- a history of pre-term labor or signs indicating the risk of pre-term labor
- unexplained vaginal bleeding, discharge, or cramping
- leakage of amniotic fluid
- placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta is down so low that it covers the cervix
- incompetent cervix, a condition in which the cervix is weakened and dilates prematurely, raising the risk for miscarriage or premature delivery
Other Tips For Getting Pregnant
Changing your sex practices isnt the only way to improve your likelihood of conceiving. Here are a few other things you can do to boost your fertility:
- Orgasm. For a man, ejaculating is essential to getting his partner pregnant. Though a woman doesnt have to climax to get pregnant, the movement of her orgasm can help propel sperm closer to their destination.
- Control your weight. Being too heavy or too thin could lower your fertility.
- Dont smoke. Smoking increases the odds of infertility and miscarriage, and reduces sperm motility.
- Limit caffeine. In large amounts more than five cups of coffee a day caffeine can lower fertility.
Read Also: Kinesio Tape For Pregnancy Round Ligament Pain
Best Sex Positions During Pregnancy
Most sex positions are perfectly safe during pregnancy as long as you find them comfortable, says OB-GYN Diana Okuniewski, D.O., FACOOG, NCMP. That means you have the green light to get creative, plus you can keep your tried-and-true favorites in the rotation if they still serve you well with a growing belly. Even though many pregnancy sex positions present challenges for each trimester, you’ll naturally be the most limited in the thirdbut there are still plenty of workable options.
No matter how far along you are in your pregnancy, here are 11 sex positions to try with a partner:
How To Enjoy Sex During Pregnancy
Sex during pregnancy is perfectly safe for most women, though desire for sex may change during different stages of pregnancy and certain adjustments may have to be made.
Among the more enjoyable changes pregnancy brings to many women is a heightened sex drive and strong orgasms during some stages of pregnancy.
For most women, intercourse during pregnancy is perfectly safe. If the pregnancy is progressing normally, sex is in no way harmful to the baby, says Annette Perez-Delboy, MD, associate clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.
Your baby is well protected within your uterus. Amniotic fluid cushions the baby, and a thick mucus plug seals the cervix tight to guard against infection, Dr. Perez-Delboy says. Although an orgasm may cause some uterine contractions, theyre not labor pains, so theres no need to worry, she adds.
A pregnant womans sex drive typically spikes in the second trimester, when energy levels rise and nausea subsides. Sex may be on your mind a lot due to an increase in blood flow to the vagina, says Perez-Delboy. The vagina becomes more engorged and vaginal lubrication increases. As a result, your desire to have sex rises and orgasms become stronger.
As your anatomy changes and you experience pregnancy weight gain, getting the most enjoyment from intercourse may call for variations to your usual routine.
Recommended Reading: Giving Plasma While Pregnant
Antepartum Hemorrhage In Placenta Previa
In the setting of placenta previa, Williams Obstetrics warns that examination of the cervix can cause torrential haemorrhage. Likewise, it has been theorized that penile contact with the cervix during intercourse can result in a similar risk of hemorrhage, and as a result, patients with placenta previa are advised to abstain from sexual activity during pregnancy. However, there is a paucity of prospective data to support or refute this recommendation.
One study showed the safety of transvaginal ultrasound probes in the setting of placenta previa by measuring the mean angle between the rigid probe and the axis of cervix to be 63.8° and concluding that it is not physically possible for the vaginal probe, which is fixed and straight, to enter the cervix without being aligned with the cervical canal. Although there are no studies on the angle of penile contact with the cervix during intercourse in pregnancy, one may be able to extrapolate from the study of transvaginal probes.
Furthermore, the torrential hemorrhage described with digital examination of the cervix is more likely due to the flexion of the distal phalanges, allowing the fingers to enter the cervix and come into direct contact with the placenta. Despite limited evidence, it is probably safest to advise patients with placenta previa to abstain from sexual activity to reduce the theoretical risk of catastrophic antepartum hemorrhage.
