REALLY dumb question about sex and labor

[crunchymom2b]

I'm having a lot of anxiety issues right now so excuse the dumb question. I know they say sex is safe during pregnancy, but that its also recommended to have sex to try to induce labor at the end. If sex can induce labor at the end, why not any other time? Is sex really safe?

I'm having anxiety over preterm labor and losing this baby, and the few times DF and I have had sex I've had anxiety attacks for days afterwards. I dont know why I'm so nervous over this.

[TwinMommaplus2]

I think this is something you should def consult with your doc about.... I have a over the top suxual appetite while preggo... so it works for us. If I wasnt comfortable, we wouldnt, at all. End of discussion. I know many many women who dont have sex at all during the duration of their pregnancy... how that effects, the baby, your marriage, you.. is all subjective.
You are first priority with baby.... I think talking with someone about this may be benifical. (((hugs)))

[crunchymom2b]

Originally Posted by TwinMommaplus2 I think this is something you should def consult with your doc about.... I have a over the top suxual appetite while preggo... so it works for us. If I wasnt comfortable, we wouldnt, at all. End of discussion. I know many many women who dont have sex at all during the duration of their pregnancy... how that effects, the baby, your marriage, you.. is all subjective. You are first priority with baby.... I think talking with someone about this may be benifical. (((hugs)))

That's the crazy part, we hardly ever DTD when I'm preggo, I just lose all interest. But every so often I just want it REALLY badly so we'll go ahead and do it, its just afterwards I start worrying that I did something to hurt the pregnancy or something. So it's not like I'm forcing myself to do something I don't want to do. I think the fact that baby still isn't moving regularly yet is really affecting me. I have called about that and my midwife told me that they don't look for regular movement until at least 24 weeks so I'm just waiting and worrying I guess. Thanks mama

[aubreyaks]

Your uterus has oxytocin receptor sites that do not activate until the body is ready for labor, so sex and nursing which both release oxytoxin are totally safe. When the receptor sites are active, the same exact actions can stimulate labor to begin.
I had a bunch of preterm labor scares this pregnancy, so we held off on dtd in case my recptor sites were prematurely active, but now i am full term and ds is back to nursing, and hubby and i are back to dtd and NO baby yet! Lol.

[bluedaisyma]

the prostaglandin (I think) in semen can soften your cervix and orgasm can cause contractions...IF your body is ready (or you are prone to pre-term labor). The other day I was having contrax off and on for no reason. Then the next day, DH and I dtd and no contrax or anything, so my body isn't ready! (I wasn't trying to induce labor, I am only 36 1/2 wks). We have sex all the time and I "o" all the time during pregnancy with no contrax, etc.

[isaacsmum]

To be honest, I think the sex to induce labor thing is a myth really - just like spicy foods, lots of walking, etc don't really do anything to get labor started. I think unless you have a specific medical issue, you're probably safe!

[songbird516]

My midwife said that she was pregnant and overdue and she asked her husband to stay home and they dtd over 20 TIMES trying to get labor to start...and it didn't work.
If it really stresses you out, I would avoid it until you can be more calm afterwards. Maybe after you feel more movement?

[SaraElise]

It will only *jumpstart* labor if you are ready. All 3 of mine were the product of sex induced labor BUT I was already having tons of contractions, it just helped to speed things up. If you're not ready, you're not ready.

I tend to have an irritable uterus, and lots of contractions starting early on, so we usually abstain once it gets harder to stop them, or it seems they are more intense after sex. With my daughter I ended up in L&D at 31 weeks because they wouldn't stop. I wasn't dilating or anything, but after 3 hours of laying down and fluids they were still 5-6 minutes apart.

So I wouldn't exactly say it's a myth, as it was what got things going all 3 times for me, but if your body is not already doing things on it's own, it won't do very much.

[SaraElise]

dp