Your Body Sex Positions to Try During Your Pregnancy How to choose the best position for great sex during pregnancy. By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH LinkedIn Twitter Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor. Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 22, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Family articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and family healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Leyla Bilali, RN Medically reviewed by Leyla Bilali, RN Leyla Bilali, RN is a registered nurse, fertility nurse, and fertility consultant in the New York City area. She works in house at a reputable private clinic in New York City while also seeing her own clients through her concierge fertility consulting and nursing services business. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Count the sex positions you can use in pregnancy as just one of the many things that change during the nine months you're expecting a baby. What may have been comfortable before you got pregnant may no longer be. And as your belly grows, some sex positions that worked early in pregnancy may actually now be physically impossible (or close to it). Some common issues that moms-to-be say affect sex in pregnancy include: An inability to lie on their backNo desire for the partner to be on topOrgasm issuesThe partner penetrates too deeply Many of these challenges can be addressed by choosing the right position for sex while pregnant. If you're nervous about trying all new positions, focus on trying one at a time until you find one that works. Here are several positions to start with as you explore sex during pregnancy. Loading shell for quizzesApp1 vue props component in Globe. Missionary Early in pregnancy, most couples find little variation in sex positions is needed. The missionary position, where one partner is on top, is safe in pregnancy. However, as the pregnancy progresses, if you are not able to lay on your back or withstand pressure on top of your abdomen, the position may no longer be comfortable. Some women find using pillows to support the back is helpful in this position. Your partner can help by extending their arms to hold more of their own weight further away from your body. Many couples love the missionary position because of the face-to-face interaction it allows. As your belly grows and the position becomes more challenging, you can maintain this aspect of the position by rolling onto your side, similar to a spooning position. In the late stages of pregnancy, the size of your belly may prevent the missionary position from being tolerable, even with support from pillows. A benefit of using missionary late in pregnancy is that it makes it more difficult to achieve deep penetration. This may be helpful if you are feeling sore or are worried about "bumping" the baby. Pregnant Partner on Top Many couples prefer this position during the third trimester. As your belly gets bigger, you may find being on top preferable, as this arrangement allows you to control the depth and speed of penetration. The position also allows for manual clitoral stimulation to help you reach orgasm. Orgasm and Pregnancy Rear Entry Rear-entry positions (also called "doggie style") can be used in any trimester, but are particularly good for the end of pregnancy when your belly is large enough to get in the way in forward-facing positions. In a rear-entry position, you can be on your hands and knees or kneeling, or you and your partner can lay side by side (spooning). You can also use rear-entry positions while standing. Penetration is more shallow in rear-entry positions, which may be more comfortable for you. If your partner feels nervous about intercourse as your pregnancy is progressing, positions such as rear entry can ease their fears. If you find it difficult to reach orgasm in this position, try adding manual clitoral stimulation. Standing You can think about having sex standing up as an adjustment to any position you use. Standing sex while pregnant, especially when using rear entry, takes the pressure off of your back and avoids your belly. You can use this position at any point during your pregnancy as long as it is comfortable. You can also perform standing sex while leaning. Try using a wall, bed, table, or whatever happens to be nearby to brace yourself. Many women like standing sex positions during pregnancy because they allow for shallow penetration and tend to slow sex down. Why Sex Can Be an Effective Way to Induce Labor Seated You can also try using a chair during sex while you are pregnant to help you get more comfortable. Have your partner sit down on a sturdy, armless chair (you can also use a table or other sturdy surface to rest on). From there, you can straddle them and, depending on the height of the chair, place your feet on the ground. This pregnant sex position is great for controlling speed and depth of penetration, and it can be used during any trimester of pregnancy. Is the Loss of Libido Common in Pregnancy? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lee JT, Lin CL, Wan GH, Liang CC. Sexual positions and sexual satisfaction of pregnant women. J Sex Marital Ther. 2010;36(5):408-420. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2010.510776 Jones C, Chan C, Farine D. Sex in pregnancy. CMAJ. 2011;183(7):815-818. doi:10.1503/cmaj.091580