5 Ways to Keep Intimacy Alive When You’re Expecting
Let’s start by clarifying something very important. It’s completely normal to experience intimacy issues when you’re expecting a baby.
Many of the symptoms that accompany pregnancy affect mood, energy levels, self-image and sex drive. All of these directly affect how you are likely to interact with your partner. So before you beat yourself up or give in to frustration, keep this in mind.
It’s great to use your pregnancy time to rest instead of reliving your honeymoon!
However, keeping the intimacy alive will do a lot more than rekindle the bedroom heat. It can also promote more relationship closeness, communication and a feeling of mutual support.
Intimacy doesn’t always have to mean sexual intercourse. In fact, it’s mostly about creating a comfortable, loving environment for you and your partner to reconnect and indulge in the time you and they both need.
From stress relief to relationship building, a little intimacy will restore trust and strengthen communication. Plus, it will help you both feel closer to each other during this exciting, special (and sometimes rather crazy) time. Here are five great ways to make it happen.
1. Let your partner massage you
A sensual massage is one of the best ways to reconnect with your partner in an intimate setting. Chances are, you both miss the delicious feeling of skin-to-skin contact. Massage is the perfect way to fulfill that craving while giving mom’s aching muscles some much-needed love.
As you have valuable cargo on board, it is important to use high quality, safe and organic products. You can use belly butter or belly oil enriched with vitamin E to soothe muscles and reduce stretch marks while enjoying a relaxing massage from your partner.
Your shoulders, back, legs, buttocks, belly and feet need relief when you are pregnant. But if you want to step things up a notch, a breast and nipple massage can boost your sex drive and serve as a sensual foreplay session before taking things further.
2. Don’t take sex—or each other—for granted
When many couples first start dating, there’s often this feeling that sex is a given — as if it’s a normal (and sometimes even mutually expected) part of their daily or weekly routine. But when pregnancy comes into the picture, that idea can be somewhat fragmented.
It is important to keep the intimacy alive treating your partner as if he is still sexually desirable. Remember that intimacy is a realistic goal that you both need to take seriously and work towards.
When you’re both in the mood, cherish the moment you share and take the opportunity to fully appreciate how it deepens the bond in your relationship.
3. Bathe together
This is a soothing, relaxing and intimate exercise that almost every couple can enjoy. There are so many opportunities for romance. Rose petals, scented natural essential oils or scented body wash, candlelight, soft music—just about anything that makes you feel relaxed and connected.
Baths are also a great way to relieve stress, reduce nausea and promote deeper sleep. Whether it leads to romance or not, sharing a bathroom with your loved one is a beautiful way to relax together. If you’re heavily pregnant and you can’t both fit comfortably in the tub, let your partner sit on the edge with you and spend time sharing special moments.
4. Discuss your fantasies and fears openly
It will be much easier to keep intimacy alive in your relationship if you are open about why it is necessary in the first place. Ironically, while many women feel decidedly unsexy in their pregnant state, most partners actually say they feel more attracted to them than ever.
But without proper communication, a lot of it can get lost in translation.
Some people are also wary of physical intimacy because they are she is afraid of hurting the baby or make their partner feel uncomfortable. These are natural concerns, but you won’t understand them unless you discuss them openly with your partner.
If you have a fantasy or fear that is holding you back, talk to your loved one about it. See what you can do together to ensure everyone feels safe, supported and fulfilled.
