Does Doggy Style Feel Different When You're Pregnant?

There are a lot of things that change once you get pregnant. From how you act to how you look to how you feel, there's a lot going on. And the change can follow you into the bedroom. For some women, or couples in general, sex during pregnancy is off the table. They're just not comfortable with it. For others, however, pregnancy sex is a definite yes. You may have to find workarounds for things you've done in the past, but unless you're told by your doctor that pregnancy sex is a no-go, it should be OK. But what about how certain positions feel? Does doggy style feel different when pregnant?

This is a complicated question, because the answer depends on many different factors. It's possible that it will feel different — and maybe not in a good way — once you're pregnant. In an interview with Women's Health, author of The Sex Drive Solution for Women Dr. Jennifer Landa said that because doggy style allows for deep thrusting, there's a chance that his penis can hit your cervix. Depending on how sensitive your cervix is during pregnancy, that could cause some pain. Moving your legs closer together will limit how deep he's able to thrust, which can help make the position more comfortable.

That being said, according to Mom Junction, it's a perfectly safe position to try at any point in your pregnancy. Not to mention, it might be especially enticing when the size of your baby bump might make other positions difficult or uncomfortable.

In an interview with Self, OB-GYN Dr. Jamil Abdur-Rahmansaid that once you reach about 20 weeks in your pregnancy, you might find that doggy style is a more comfortable position due to the location of the uterus at that point. There are also adjustments that you can make within the position to ease pressure on the wrists and knees and just make you all-around more comfortable. Propping yourself up with pillows or holding on to the bed or the back of a couch can help make things more comfortable, according to the previously-mentioned piece from Mom Junction.

Also, according to the website for Cosmopolitan, at the very end, doggy style might result in the introduction of more air, which means things will get a little noisy. (Though not relevant for doggy style, it's still important to avoid blowing air into the vagina during pregnancy, as this could cause a dangerous embolism, according to Parents.)

Ultimately, doggy style is often recommended by healthcare providers as a good option during pregnancy and one of the positions that can be most comfortable, especially when nearing the end. Sex shouldn't hurt, so if doggy style is too uncomfortable or painful during pregnancy, it's not the right position for you. With a little experimentation, you can either hack it to make it more comfortable or find a position that's comfortable from the get-go.