What better way to help your baby move down and out of your body once you’ve hit full-term than the way your baby got there in the first place? Sex.
It’s a good way to help your labor come on naturally, even though it’s not scientifically proven to induce labor – it is one good way to get chemistry on your side.
Is it hormones or certain positions, or a little bit of all things pregnant erotic? Whatever it is is, it’s exciting that’s for sure – or it can be at least.
You and your spouse get to bond through sexual intimacy at the end of your pregnancy too.
Bonding in this way for you and your spouse might just be the key to having a closer relationship after your adorable hunk of love baby is born as well.
Sometimes if sexual intimacy is left untouched even longer prior to having your baby – things can get stiff when it’s time to reconnect.
Having a healthy partnership means doing what you can, that is comfortable for all parties involved – given it’s comfortable and safe for you and your baby. That’s why if all teams are pro-sexual labor-inducing, let’s get started already!
In this article
- Sex with your partner can help to induce your labor if your 38-weeks along or more
- Optimal Positions For Promoting Labor
- Oxytocin otherwise know as the love hormone has a significant role in labor being induced through sex
- At the end of pregnancy, try to feel your cervix with clean hands to see how effaced or thinned your cervix is
- Hormone receptors are also at play when labor is finally activated when a woman has reached full-term, and sex is beneficial by stimulating these hormone receptors further
- Below are the best sex positions to help induce your labor or at least get the ball rolling in the right direction
- Cowgirl and reverse cowgirl puts you in charge of everything in the bedroom
- Spooning is a position that works well at the end of pregnancy for a couple
- Mutual masturbation is a great way to help induce labor without penetration that can be uncomfortable at times
- Oral sex is a gentler approach to promoting labor once you’re full-term
- Having comfortable sex at the end of pregnancy is important aspects for you and your partner, here’s how to make sex more comfortable
- If your vagina feels drier than pre-pregnancy or becomes ‘raw’ easily you can use a natural lubrication
- If you’re having an off scent down below at the end of pregnancy a baking soda bath can help re-balance the scent
- If you have tight hips or a baby is laying on your sciatica nerve it can get really uncomfortable so stretching helps ease the discomfort from this
- Is sex safe at the end of pregnancy in all circumstances?
- What if there is bleeding after having sex during pregnancy?
- Bleeding that is worrisome or unsafe after sex will look heavy or be accompanied by pain in the uterus
- You can manage post-sex bleeding at the end of pregnancy in the following ways
- Call your obstetrician as soon as possible to confirm the reason for your post-sex bleeding
- Use a pad to contain the bleeding rather than a tampon to avoid infection
- You can shower to clean the blood off if you need to – but try not to bathe until you see the bleeding has resolved
- If you have a fever and bleeding post-sex, contact your midwife or primary care provider right away
- If you have heavy bleeding where you’re soaking more than one pad in an hour, seek emergency care right away
- In Conclusion
- Sources
Sex with your partner can help to induce your labor if your 38-weeks along or more
Having sex to help labor begin naturally is a wonderful way to organically assist the body in doing what it already is going to do.
If your baby is full-term, and you’re in the mood to indulge in the intimacy physically, then ask your partner to get on board with helping you physically activate your labor through sex.
Contractions after orgasm at the end of labor are more productive toward labor so you might as well get on board with working toward them when you have sex with your spouse.
Yet, orgasms aren’t the only beneficial thing happening when you engage in sex to induce your labor.
You also need a bit of sperm since it’s full of prostaglandins, and little acids are key to help the thinning and effacing of your cervix.
In fact, your uterus already creates these beneficial acids on its own so, you can just think of it as your partner adding to the cervical party when he ejaculates in you.
Optimal Positions For Promoting Labor
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At the end of pregnancy, it becomes apparent that sometimes when you move a certain way, you’re likely to get a few solid contractions.
Contractions from swiftly walking, jumping, or whatever triggers your specific body becomes pretty obvious to bring about contractions.
With this in mind, I think we all can agree that if you maneuver into a certain position while having sexual intercourse – it might stimulate contractions or even help thin your cervix too.
Any of us who have been pregnant would probably agree more so.
Okay, certain sexual positions aren’t proven to induce labor – but all experienced mammas who are in agreement that it does actually really help induce labor say “I” – I.
Oxytocin otherwise know as the love hormone has a significant role in labor being induced through sex
A hormone called oxytocin will assist in any productive or powerful contractions. These contractions are what it takes to thin and then dilate your cervix.
This hormone is otherwise known as the love hormone because it’s generated through pleasures such as sexual intercourse. In your body, it’s produced from the hypothalamus and thus secreted by the pituitary gland afterward.
When labor activates at the end of pregnancy the primary hormone at play is oxytocin, in the weeks building up to labor oxytocin is rampant in helping the cervix dilate and thin.
Effacing is what it’s called in pregnancy when your cervix becomes thinner.
To efface is to erase, so you can think of your cervix as shortening and ‘erasing’ as it becomes thinner is spreads out from the shape of a thumb to a wide and thin small dinner plate.
At the end of pregnancy, try to feel your cervix with clean hands to see how effaced or thinned your cervix is
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You might be able to track how much your cervix is thinning out by feeling it prior to the end of your pregnancy and then keeping tabs on it as you get closer to your due date.
Be sure to have clean hands when reaching in to check your cervix for any dilation or effacement.
And once your water has broken, do not attempt to check your cervix at all because if any bacteria gets into the amniotic sac an infection could develop in your placenta.
Prior to your water breaking it is perfectly fine to check your cervix. It helps if you feel your cervix halfway into your pregnancy to get a good sense of how it feels before any effacing starts to happen.
It’s helpful when you understand what an unripe cervix feels like and how sex helps to ripen your cervix specifically
Ripe is the term that obstetricians use when speaking of a women’s cervix being ready for delivering a baby.
This is what each pregnant female is ‘working toward’ when getting closer to having a baby – you need your cervix to be ripened to have your baby.
When a cervix is not ripe it will feel similar to an unripe piece of fruit, firm to the touch with a bit of rubbery sensation to it. It might also feel like the tips of your nose, except moist.
On the other hand, a ripe cervix will feel like your lips, softened. Or a ripe cervix can also feel like a ripe piece of fruit when it begins to efface and soften.
Use this as a rule of thumb when getting to know your cervix. It helps to keep track of things throughout pregnancy, because when you start to efface and dilate there is a distinct difference in the way your cervix feels.
It’s actually pretty exciting to find out when you’re getting closer to labor right at home.
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Hormone receptors are also at play when labor is finally activated when a woman has reached full-term, and sex is beneficial by stimulating these hormone receptors further
Hormones are messengers that tell a mother’s body when her baby is ready, in the weeks prior to labor, mama’s body is prepping hormone receptors. This works out well since the uterus is filled with many hormone receptors.
There is an entire series of hormone receptors maturing right before going into labor, in a sense, these receptors must be mature enough to receive all of the messages from the baby – that he or she is ready to be born.
Since a baby cannot physically speak to the mom about being born, hormones and receptors are a natural way of communicating the important message that any given baby is fully mature enough to survive in the outside world.
Below are the best sex positions to help induce your labor or at least get the ball rolling in the right direction
These positions are recommended to help induce labor at the end of your pregnancy, but of course, only attempt what is comfortable for you.
The end of pregnancy can be quite uncomfortable as it is, so trying to create a comfortable sexual space with your partner can be even more uncomfortable.
Try to be kind toward your ever-changing body, remember to laugh when you can in the bedroom, and just stay optimistic that pregnant women are sexy too.
It’s true. Your spouse is naturally more attracted to you at the end of pregnancy due to your rampant hormones that create your special aroma – stay focused on that if nothing else.
Plus, if sexual positions really work to induce your labor, just think about how thankful you’ll be for trying it out.
Cowgirl and reverse cowgirl puts you in charge of everything in the bedroom
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Of course, cowgirl and reverse cowgirl are the first positions on our list to help encourage labor at the end of pregnancy, the women being on top is perfect for massaging the cervix and infusing the uterus with prostaglandins directly.
Many pregnant women favor this position because they get to decide the depth of penetration and the pace of how quickly the penis enters.
The vagina can be swollen and tender at the end of pregnancy, making quick penetration painful, cowgirl gives you the opportunity to decide what feels best.
You can take things as slowly or as quickly as you’d like to in cowgirl since you’re on top. Your partner will also be able to access your breasts to the full extent.
This can provide a more pleasurable circumstance for you to have an orgasm and get those post-orgasm contractions happening.
One thing that becomes uncomfortable for women having sex at the end of pregnancy is a large round belly getting in the way of what’s happening, it can feel like a distraction for the mom-to-be, but cowgirl eliminates the chance of this happening.
Your belly will be able to move around nicely while in cowgirl, or you can reverse it so that your belly is facing the opposite way from your partner if you aren’t feeling comfortable displaying it directly to your partner.
It really comes down to what mood you’re in at the time, if you’re feeling shyer you can go with reverse cowgirl and if you’re a bit more outgoing you can face your partner in regular cowgirl.
Spooning is a position that works well at the end of pregnancy for a couple
Ge gets to be the spoon and your the delicious pregnant meal – sound good?
But in all reality, spooning is when a man enters his partner from behind while laying down. This can be one of the most comfortable sex positions at the end of pregnancy.
You get to pretty much lay on your side and feel wonderful as your partner gets full control over the penetration rate. Spooning works well to encourage labor after sex because you get to relax while having sex.
Relaxing, and being ready emotionally is a key factor in labor being able to progress well.
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If your environment doesn’t allow you to relax when you are meant to go into labor, it’ll be more difficult for your labor to progress smoothly.
Of course, you get to introduce the beneficial acids from your partner’s sperm to your uterus. It’s a smooth ride for everyone.
This is also a great position if you’re really not feeling that confident at the end of your pregnancy if you just aren’t feeling that confident or desiring being seen in all of your pregnant glory.
Spooning sex allows you to sort of keeping your belly safely in your view while not feeling that exposed. This can help you have more sex at the end of pregnancy, especially when you’re likely feeling tired from being so pregnant.
Your partner will also have complete access to your breasts for nipple stimulation. This can help further stimulate contractions when you’re ready to have your baby.
Mutual masturbation is a great way to help induce labor without penetration that can be uncomfortable at times
Mutual masturbation is a wonderful way to mutually stimulate one another for those powerful post-orgasm contractions while being committed to connecting with each other. You get to look one another in the eyes and have fun.
Be sure that ejaculation happens on your lady parts, that way the semen can do its work for your uterus too.
Masturbating for your partner can encourage more nipple and breast play, which is recommended to do when hoping to induce your labor at the end of pregnancy.
Breast play is a huge factor in helping your body release oxytocin, which is a primary hormone in labor progressing into true labor.
Your partner can observe how sexy you look while pregnant, which will create confidence and positive feelings within you at an otherwise uncomfortable time.
Masturbating while pregnant can be sometimes more comfortable than having sex because you don’t have to move around or worry about being penetrated if you’re sore that day.
Sometimes the friction of having sex can be too much on certain days – masturbating with your partner is a great way to connect while stimulating a concoction of labor hormones.
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Oral sex is a gentler approach to promoting labor once you’re full-term
The next best option for women going through a more sensitive moment in their pregnancy is oral sex.
If you’ve experienced bleeding recently when having sexual intercourse, you might want to try out a pleasurable way to stimulate your body that is much less invasive.
The cervix can be particularly sensitive at the end of pregnancy, and oral sex is a great way to leave it alone from the firm massaging that penetration provides.
You can still become filled with love hormones, while not worrying whether or not bleeding is going to happen again.
Even though small amounts of bleeding are completely normal sometimes at the end of pregnancy when cervical blood vessels burst with penis penetration.
It can be unsightly for you and your partner – thus oral is a great option to avoid cervical bleeding.
You can stimulate your nipples while your partner works magic down below when orgasm happens if it does you will usually experience productive contractions afterward.
Having comfortable sex at the end of pregnancy is important aspects for you and your partner, here’s how to make sex more comfortable
Wanting to have sex is a good thing for your relationship, and a natural way to induce labor. But, being comfortable while having sex another ordeal entirely – in other words, you might want to include the lube.
Commonly spoken by team pregnant ladies, is how uncomfortable sex is during the final weeks of pregnancy rightfully so.
But, there is help to loosen, lubricate, or make the magic happen during sex – even when there is an 8lb baby in the womb.
At any point in pregnancy, but especially during the final weeks prior to having a baby – the lady parts could be dry, swollen, painful to the touch.
Even lack the elasticity required to provide a naturally stretching vagina that women are used to having prior to pregnancy.
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If your vagina feels drier than pre-pregnancy or becomes ‘raw’ easily you can use a natural lubrication
If your vagina seems to be really dry during or prior to having sex, it could be from a number of reasons – hormones or dehydration, just to name a couple.
So what should one do if the lady parts seem too dry to be comfortable during penetration?
Use a high-quality oil that will naturally help lubricate the area, coconut oil is perfect for this. It smells nice, rubs in at a decent rate, and will not clump up.
The extra bonus with coconut oil is that it’s naturally antimicrobial and protects against harmful micro-organisms.
You don’t have to wash it off after you’re through or anything, because it will probably be perfectly absorbed by the time you and your partner are done making love.
The other option to lubricate your vaginal area if you’re feeling dry down there is a water-based lubricant.
I would recommend using a brand that sources its ingredients in an eco-friendly way, introducing only the best ingredients to your lady parts during pregnancy.
Keep in mind that your vagina can be even more sensitive when it’s dry. You might want to try out your lubricant before using it during sex with your partner.
If you’re having an off scent down below at the end of pregnancy a baking soda bath can help re-balance the scent
Anything that smells odd in the bedroom can become a source of embarrassment and feel uncomfortable. Keep in mind that you have a heightened sense of smell due to being so pregnant, and your partner might not smell what you do.
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Pregnant women especially smell where their baby will soon pass through more so than outside of pregnancy – so unless there is a very obvious stink happening try to brush it off unless your partner mentions it. Which I doubt will happen.
Regardless, you might want to take a bit of action regarding what you’ve been smelling – if so, baking soda and salt bath will do the trick.
Grab a box of baking soda, start running your bath, and tap the soda box 2-3 times as your bath fills up. Then right before getting into the bath, take 2-3 cups of bath salt(that does not contain dyes or fragrance) and mix that in too.
Swish it all around with your hand as necessary and soak for 10-20 minutes or as long as you’d like to in this bath.
Baking soda and bath salt is a wonderful tool to draw out any harmful bacteria or yeast causing the smell from within the vagina.
This bath is so effective it’s likely you’ll only need to take one or two at the end of pregnancy and be sure to space them out if you choose to take a baking soda bath.
The PH in your vagina is prone to go out of balance easily, so this beneficial bath will help balance your PH and yeast.
If you have tight hips or a baby is laying on your sciatica nerve it can get really uncomfortable so stretching helps ease the discomfort from this
Stretching at the end of pregnancy is a thing, a wonderful, calming, amazing thing. Get on board with it if you feel like your pelvic muscles that lay across the front of your pubic are giving you trouble.
If you know that you’re going to be having sex with your partner, gently stretch out that morning or an hour prior to being intimate. If you’re not used to stretching or haven’t for a long time, be sure to do it very gently.
Start with simply a seated stretch where your legs are hip-width apart and you lean forward to touch your toes. It doesn’t have to be intense or deep stretching to get the job done.
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Now, go drink 2 big glasses of water and work on stretching out your upper back too. The entire body works as a unit, so if you’re tight in one area, it can affect your mood, emotions, and how sex physically feels.
Stretching is a powerful tool for helping sex feel better at the end of pregnancy. Try out your own stretches based on ‘pregnancy yoga’ videos that are easily searchable.
Is sex safe at the end of pregnancy in all circumstances?
Yes, sex is completely safe at the end of pregnancy – you don’t have to worry about going into labor early or anything if you aren’t full-term and are having a lot of sex. You won’t go into labor from sex until you’re absolutely ready to.
It is believed that labor actually starts because of a(what science is calling) placental switch. It’s as if a hormone that the placenta creates suddenly switches on and sends messages to the mother’s body that activates labor.
This is why sexual intercourse is just a way of encouraging labor and delivery at the end of pregnancy because you won’t fully go into labor until your body is completely ready.
The only time that sex becomes unsafe at the end of pregnancy is if you are interacting with multiple sexual partners, or there is suspected cheating – STDs and STIs are common in society.
A mother who is preparing for labor should be kept entirely safe from any sexually transmitted diseases, and it’s important that everyone you interact with is completely safe.
Aside from STDs and STIs if there is another reason sex is not safe for you your practitioner likely mentioned it before
If there is any other reason that sex is no longer safe for you, then it would have probably been mentioned by your practitioner by now.
There are certain circumstances where someone may have been put on bed rest for the remainder of pregnancy at the end, or placenta previa – both of which would cause sex to become unsafe.
If you’re unsure whether sex is safe for you, or you have concerns with anything going on with your body, ask your obstetrician before engaging in sexual intercourse.
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Below are various reasons a woman may not be able to have sex at the end of pregnancy:
- You have been put on pelvic rest due to; bleeding or spotting
- There is a history of preterm labor in your pregnancies
- Your obstetrician has told you that you currently have preterm labor
- A shortened cervix is causing sex to be unsafe
- Placenta previa has been established
What if there is bleeding after having sex during pregnancy?
If you find that there is some bleeding down below after having sex anytime during pregnancy. Don’t worry most of the time it’s harmless. The cervix is quite sensitive, and at times it can bleed due to friction caused by sex.
Really it comes down to the blood vessels at the end of the cervix becoming burst – which shows up as a bit of bleeding after wiping when looking down in your underwear.
Vaginal bleeding after sex can be caused by broken capillaries on the cervix, because of the extra pressure down below – the cervical capillaries become inflamed and fragile – this change can cause a bit of bleeding after having sex with your partner.
Safe bleeding can be pink or brown in color, and be noticed directly after having sex with your spouse or a few hours afterward.
Polyps within the vaginal canal can be a source of bleeding during pregnancy that is usually harmless
There are sometimes benign growths that occur on the tissue where the cervix enters the vaginal canal – when this happens it’s called polyps.
Polyps occur because of various reasons but are either cherry red in color, white-grey, or red-purple in color. Polyps are usually completely benign but can be a source of bleeding during pregnancy.
When this happens you don’t have to worry, but can ask your obstetrician what thoughts are behind this being the source of bleeding, and they might need to look it over to ensure everything is looking okay in your vaginal canal.
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Softening of the cervix can cause vaginal bleeding at the end of pregnancy
The inevitable and completely normal softening of the cervix is something that causes bleeding in itself.
This is similar to the broken capillaries problem though the capillaries are extra sensitive due to your cervix softening, which otherwise had kept them firmly taught in your cervical tissue.
Bleeding that is worrisome or unsafe after sex will look heavy or be accompanied by pain in the uterus
Below are listed the severe or worrisome cases of vaginal bleeding at the end of pregnancy;
Placenta previa will cause the blood vessels connected to the placenta to rupture as your cervix begins to dilate and efface
The placenta is basically what feeds the baby while in the womb. In pregnancy without placenta previa, the placenta will grow somewhere away from directly on top of the cervix.
In a pregnancy that has a confirmed case of placenta previa, the placenta will develop covering the cervix.
When the cervix is covered, it can cause issues at the end of pregnancy such as; heavy bleeding at the end of pregnancy and during labor.
The heavy bleeding during labor or late pregnancy happens when the cervix begins to efface and dilate because the blood vessels are torn apart from the uterus.
Placenta previa doesn’t generally cause bleeding early in pregnancy. It’s really only an issue at the end of pregnancy and during labor. Placenta previa can be very dangerous when a woman goes into labor.
If you experience any bleeding at all late in pregnancy, it’s a good idea to consult your obstetrician to ensure placenta previa has not evolved late in pregnancy.
Will post-sex bleeding ever be a possibility of miscarriage or does it tend to mean a miscarriage is presenting?
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Absolutely not. In fact, having a miscarriage is quite rare. Post-sex bleeding hardly ever results in a miscarriage of a baby.
When a miscarriage happens there are usually other signs and symptoms associated with the bleeding that has occurred around the time of your bleeding.
A miscarriage tends to include a lot of bleeding, more than just a small amount of spotting or tinged blood on your toilet paper.
You can manage post-sex bleeding at the end of pregnancy in the following ways
Bleeding during pregnancy can be concerning to you, especially at the end of pregnancy when you just feel overly emotional and sensitive.
Seeing blood in your underwear or on the sheets after making love with your partner can be disheartening.
Your mind might immediately jump to the worst; fear of miscarriage, major problems, or your baby being hurt.
Try not to allow your mind to jump to conclusions, take a few deep breaths, and remind yourself that it is more uncommon for post-sex bleeding to result in a miscarriage than for it to come to that result.
Call your obstetrician as soon as possible to confirm the reason for your post-sex bleeding
The best thing that you can do when you have post-sex bleeding occur will be to call your obstetrician or primary care provider as soon as possible.
If it’s the weekend monitor your bleeding, writing down what you experience so that you can present it to your care team even if the bleeding subsides.
Most obstetricians have an after-hours line for emergencies, and I believe that most obstetricians would be okay with discussing some vaginal bleeding with you after hours for your peace of mind.
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Use a pad to contain the bleeding rather than a tampon to avoid infection
Anytime you have bleeding during pregnancy you should use a soft pad and not a tampon. Tampons can encourage infections.
If it’s your mucus plug leaving your cervix that has caused the bleeding – a tampon can allow bacteria to enter your uterus even if you have no previous infection.
If it is some of your mucus plug that is leaving your body after having sex with your partner – rest assured this is a good sign that labor is getting closer.
Most women lose their mucus plug starting roughly 2-weeks prior to having their baby. A mucus plug leaving your body is a good sure sign that the sex you had to induce your labor – is working!
You can shower to clean the blood off if you need to – but try not to bathe until you see the bleeding has resolved
Since you aren’t sure exactly where the bleeding is coming from, it’s best to avoid baths until you’ve spoken with your midwife regarding the bleeding.
It could be from your mucus plug leaving your cervix, and thus broken waters could accompany the bleeding.
Until you have monitored the bleeding until it has stopped, don’t bathe as this could further confuse you or introduce bacteria into your vagina.
In the case of bleeding that goes away shortly after it started, a bath should be okay if the bleeding was brief and there was no pain accompanying it.
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If you have a fever and bleeding post-sex, contact your midwife or primary care provider right away
If for any reason you spike a fever along with your bleeding, contact your primary care physician as soon as possible.
If you don’t know the emergency line to your obstetrician, you can even call the nearest emergency room for confirmation about when to be seen in a more urgent case.
If you have heavy bleeding where you’re soaking more than one pad in an hour, seek emergency care right away
In any case of heavy bleeding after sex at the end of pregnancy, seek a medical evaluation right away.
In the case of an emergency where you have heavy bleeding, contractions that are painful, and or a fever the emergency room is a good place to go.
If your bleeding fills more than one pad an hour, this is a sign that you need emergency assistance right away.
Your local emergency room will not be upset if you do end up having a false alarm, it is better to be safe than sorry if you have a cause of concern.
In Conclusion
Sex to induce labor is not scientifically proven to induce labor, but with chemicals, acids, and hormones – you and your spouse’s body chemistry could be just what you need to activate your labor once you’re full-term.
If you can manage to have sex at the end of pregnancy then it can help you and your partner bond at an otherwise stressful time. You can possibly make labor happen a lot sooner than it would’ve if you didn’t have sex.
Regardless of anything else at play, you should do what’s comfortable for you – being 9-months pregnant is a physically and emotionally exhausting ordeal to handle as it is.
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Don’t push yourself to do anything that causes pain or exhaustion, because you will still need to save your energy for labor.
Especially if it happens right after having sex with your partner, keep in mind that if your water breaks at any time. You should no longer continue having sex to encourage contractions.
Your body will know exactly what it needs to do once true labor kicks in, and it’s not safe to have sex when your water has broken since bacteria can enter the amniotic sac where the baby resides.
Remember to have fun, feel confident, and make lots of love at the end of pregnancy.
Sources
Can Sex During Pregnancy Induce Labor – What To Expect
Best Sex Position To Conceive – Parents
Bleeding After Sex During Pregnancy – Very Well Family
Bleeding After Sex During Pregnancy, Should You Be Concerned? – Parenting
Placenta Previa – March of Dimes
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