SEX during and after baby birth

When Not to Have Sex During Pregnancy

Your doctor may advise you not to have sex if you have any of the following types of high-risk pregnancy:

• You're at risk for miscarriage or history of past miscarriages
• You're at risk for preterm labor (contractions before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
• You're having vaginal bleeding, discharge, or cramping without a known cause
• Your amniotic sac is leaking fluid or has ruptured membranes
• Your cervix has opened too early in pregnancy
• Your placenta is too low in the uterus (placenta previa)
• You're expecting twins, triplets, or other "multiples"

Keep in mind, if your doctor says "no sex," that may include anything that involves orgasm or sexual arousal, not just intercourse.

Here are some tips to enhancing your postpartum sex life!

1. Don't rush into anything. Take your time. Having sex before you are ready (your mind or your body) is harmful to your relationship.

2. Shower together! Or bathe together. Not only will it save time and money for water but you might have a lot of fun.

Plan for birth control. Don't be someone who is caught two months after the birth of your baby wondering if you got pregnant because you took a chance.

3. Try to plan some time alone, even if it's just to cuddle. Having a baby may leave you feeling "touched out," but some special snuggle time with your main guy can help revive that, even before sexual intercourse is allowed or wanted.

4. Get to know each other a bit better. Remember you're both having to adjust your life to being parents, even if it's not your first child.

5. Be spontaneous! Bedtime might not always be the right time. Nor will the bedroom always be the right place. Add some spice to your sex life, act like a teenager!

6. Lubrication! Make sure you and your partner take enough time to get into the mood and that you're feeling moist enough to handle it. If you think you need some more help than what mother nature is providing, be sure to use an over the counter lubricant rather than worry needlessly. If you're still concerned talk to your practitioner.

7. Remember it's quality not quantity. You don't have to have sex every night, not even every week. Figure out what timing is right for your relationship.

8. Talk about your fears of sexual intercourse. Maybe you're worried about the repair of an episiotomy or some stitches that you had. Perhaps you're concerned about how your partner feels after watching you give birth.

9. Never hesitate to say no. Maybe you need the freedom to say no once in awhile. Your partner might also need the same freedom. There are also compromises that can be made along the way. Maybe intercourse is out but some good old-fashioned kissing and necking isn't?