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Having sex in pregnancy

The golden rule for sex during pregnancy is that if the pregnancy is going smoothly and you and your partner are keen, it’s fine. But most men find that they have less sex when they’re expecting a baby.

Sex during pregnancy can feel quite different from how it felt before. You might also worry that sex will harm the baby. But your baby is well protected and sealed off in the amniotic sac, so you can’t hurt your baby by having sex.

If you’re unsure about anything or if there are any problems – for example, your partner has some bleeding during pregnancy – talk with your GP, midwife or obstetrician. They’ll tell you whether it’s OK to have sex.

My wife and I have been a couple for almost 14 years, and we do have a very healthy love life. It definitely wasn’t something that was off the books, but it was always her initiation. I didn’t push myself or suggest it at any stage. It was always purely up to her, how she was feeling.
– Callum, father of twins

Sex and sexual desire during the second trimester

Your partner might have more energy and interest in sex in the middle months of the pregnancy.

Early pregnancy symptoms like nausea, fatigue and breast tenderness have probably calmed down. Hormones and extra blood flow to her genitals might make it easier for her to orgasm.

It’s also normal for your partner’s desire for sex to decrease in the second trimester.

Your partner’s body shape will be changing. If you do have sex, let her take the lead in finding a sexual position that’s comfortable.

If your health professional has advised you and your partner to avoid sex, or if either of you doesn’t feel like having sex, you can be close in other ways. For example, you can still kiss, hug, cuddle or massage each other.

Things you can do

  • Try to put your partner’s needs first and think about how she’s feeling. She might not feel like sex if she still has nausea, vomiting, bloating and sore breasts.
  • It might help to discuss any sexual frustration with your partner, so you can understand what each other is going through.
  • Be patient – not having sex with your partner can be frustrating, but it’s not forever.

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

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