Let’s talk about sex (part 1)!
I had a client tell me that she couldn’t have sex because she was pregnant. Now let me back up and say that she had an uncomplicated pregnancy, no signs of concern, nothing to worry about.
She really thought she could not have sex because it would harm the baby. Our bodies are AMAZING and do AMAZING things. If there are no concerns during pregnancy, (and even if there are some you still might be okay to have sex, just talk to your healthcare provider) then sex is actually really good for you and the baby.
What happens to our bodies during sex? There is a spike in the feel good hormones, epinephrin and dopamine. You get to feel the benefits of these hormones as well as your baby. Who doesn’t like to feel good? A hormone, Oxytocine, is also released which can help you bond with your partner and your baby. It also helps reduce pain. Not only do you get these benefits, but so does your baby- might as well start building a good pain tolerance in utero.
Being pregnant is not easy. Many people feel like they are “not themselves” as their body is creating a miracle and changing. Sex has been shown to light up parts of the brain that help people feel more confident and comfortable in your body.
If you are able to achieve an orgasm during, before, or after sex, your parasmpythetic nervous system (the rest and digest part of the nervous system) is activated. This can help you feel more calm and can even help you get a good night sleep. Orgasms also cause the uterus to contract which will help this muscle get stronger for the big day of delivery.
With all these benefits, sex is really good. Now, there is an added challenge to having sex while pregnant…. your belly. In the first trimester you might have increased fatigue which might make it difficult to engage with your partner, but if you are feeling frisky, act on it and don’t be afraid of harming the baby. In the second and especially the third trimester as your belly grows, it is harder to find comfortable positions. You can either ask your pelvic floor physical therapist for position recommendations or you can get some ideas from this website: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/pregnant-sex-positions. The positions where you are in control of the depth are the best positions to allow you to avoid pain and feel comfortable.
It is important that sex is not painful and that you feel comfortable. If you have any pain with sex, contact a pelvic floor physical therapist to make sure your muscles are not contributing to the pain. They will also be able to give you advice to help decrease the pain. Sex should never be painful. Part 2 will discuss ways to help decrease pain.
