Sex anyone?

The first time I went for my prenatal check up, my doctor told both my husband and I that sex is allowed.

"No need to worry" she says with a grin.

Strange.

With a bun already in the oven, you'd think my profane temperament would be accustomed to this "type of talk" right?

Wrong.

I squirmed while my normally quiet husband giggled like a 6 year old boy seeing a porno magazine for the first time.

"No la doc... later the baby injured?"

"What rubbish! After the first trimester, its okay for you both to have sex. Just becareful. You might have to change the conventional way of love-making when the tummy starts getting in the way, but having sex right till the 8 month would actually do your cervix area good!"

That was about 5 months ago.

I am now almost 31 weeks preggers. Of late, I have been having these uncomfortable tummy aches - not related to my constipation problems (which have decreased lately..Yay!). I am not sure if the tummy pains are 'normal' or if I've been walking around too much; so I decided to call mum (who's a nursing tutor) to get her 2 cents worth.

"kau ada...kau tau.."
(did you..you know...)

"huh?"

"bah..kau tau...kau ada ..???"
(well..you know..have you..?)

"groan..MUM! I feel like a whale! NO!! I have had no sex since she was conceived!"

She then went on about how sex IS safe during pregnancy. Another girlfriend of mine told me to "go mad" while I "still can" cause once the baby is born, sex will NEVER be the same again. I just can't imagine Isobel seeing a man's willy humping mummy. Even if its daddy's willy - the same willy that was responsible in bringing her to this world. So, I decided to google this topic, and these are some of the most frequently asked questions about sex during pregnancy.

Can sex harm my baby?

No, not directly. Your baby is fully protected by the amniotic sac (a thin-walled bag that holds the fetus and surrounding fluid) and the strong muscles of the uterus. There's also a thick mucus plug that seals the cervix and helps guard against infection. The penis does not come into contact with the fetus during sex.

Can intercourse or orgasm cause miscarriage or contractions?

In cases of normal, low-risk pregnancies, the answer is no. The contractions that you may feel during and just after orgasm are entirely different from the contractions associated with labor. However, you should check with your health care provider to make sure that your pregnancy falls into the low-risk category. Some doctors recommend that all women stop having sex during the final weeks of pregnancy, just as a safety precaution, because semen contains a chemical that may actually stimulate contractions. Check with your health care provider to see what he or she thinks is best.

Is it normal for my sex drive to increase or decrease during pregnancy?

Actually, both of these possibilities are normal (and so is everything in between). Many pregnant women find that symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, breast tenderness, and the increased need to urinate make sex too bothersome, especially during the first trimester. Generally, fatigue and nausea subside during the second trimester, and some women find that their desire for sex increases. Also, some women find that freedom from worries about contraception, combined with a renewed sense of closeness with their partner, makes sex more fulfilling. Desire generally subsides again during the third trimester as the uterus grows even larger and the reality of what's about to happen sets in.

Your partner's desire for sex is likely to increase or decrease as well. Some men feel even closer to their pregnant partner and enjoy the changes in their bodies. Others may experience decreased desire because of anxiety about the burdens of parenthood, or because of concerns about the health of both the mother and their unborn child.

Your partner may have trouble reconciling your identity as a sexual partner with your new (and increasingly visible) identity as an expectant mother. Again, remember that communication with your partner can be a great help in dealing with these issues.

Source from: http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/pregnancy/sex_pregnancy.html

Nah. I shall wait.