Pregnancy:

Sex during pregnancy

Many people worry about having sex during pregnancy. There is no physical reason why you shouldn`t continue to have a normal active sex life if you wish. Sex cannot harm your baby because the penis cannot penetrate beyond the vagina. While sex is safe it can sometimes be uneasy. Don`t let this put you off. Use it as an excuse to explore each others body and try new and exciting positions. The man on top can be very uncomfortable early on in pregnancy especially if the penis penetrates too deeply. (But this can`t harm your baby.) Try lying on your side, face to face or with your partner behind you, or try sitting on top of your partner this is a very comfortable position and you can control the movement. The only time to seek advice about sex during pregnancy is if you have had a miscarriage speak to your doctor or midwife. If you have had heavy bleeding in your pregnancy you should defiantly not have intercourse. Once your waters have broken do not have sex this will put your baby at risk of catching infections. Remember to talk to your partner about your feelings while you are pregnant.

 
Sex after the baby is born.

There are no rules about when you should start making love again. If you have had stitches ask your doctor or health visitor how long it will take before you can start to have sex again. If you haven`t had stitches there is no reason why you can`t start to have sex once you feel you are ready. Do make sure you are ready first, don`t just have sex because your partner wants you to. You will feel very tired and run down for a while after your baby is born. Your hormones will also have changed, so allow time to adjust. When you are ready to have intercourse again it might be a good idea to use a lubricating jelly the first time because your vagina will be drier than usual. It can be hard to make time for yourself and your partner with a new baby around. Ask a family member or friend to take the baby for a few hours or even over night. Then spoil yourself and your partner with a romantic evening together. Remember to use a contraception because even if you have not had a period yet it is still possible for you to conceive. Speak to your doctor or health visitor.