Before You Giddy Up, Here's What To Know About Doing Reverse Cowgirl During Pregnancy

Sex during pregnancy is one of life's true gifts. Hear me out. You're never more sensitive — anywhere — than you are during pregnancy. Everything is flush with blood and hormones from your scalp to your toes, making you one big erogenous zone. Couple that with the extreme horniness some women feel and it can be an amazingly erotic and sensual time. However, it's good to know what the boundaries are, given your delicate state. For instance, are all positions OK, or are some totally out? What about the trickier positions? Is reverse cowgirl safe when pregnant, or is it better to stay off the top?

As luck would have it, virtually all positions are safe and healthy during pregnancy as long as you're comfortable doing them, according to the Mayo Clinic. No, this isn't the time to invest in a sex swing and take to making love suspended from 6 feet in the air, but provided there's no risk for bodily harm, there's no limit to your explorations.

Did you just get your first copy of the Kama Sutra and virsha, also known as reverse cowgirl, has you curious and wanting to try it out? Feel free to go ahead with just that, noted the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are really only a few prohibitions on sex during pregnancy. The most important question you need to answer before you get on with your giddyup is if you've been cleared for sex. If your OB-GYN hasn't put any strictures on your sexual activity with your partner, you've cleared the first fence. Secondly, are you in a committed relationship with someone you trust and whose sexual history you are intimately aware of? You don't want to put yourself or your baby at risk for any sexually transmitted infections. Third, you can't go back to front. If you're engaging in anal play, your partner must shower and clean themselves, along with any toys you might be using, before putting them in your vagina.

While you have a mucus plug to keep out most infections, you don't need to risk it. You're already at a greater risk for yeast and urinary tract infections during pregnancy thanks to your immunocompromised state, according to Medicine. You don't need to add fuel to the fire by introducing possibly harmful bacteria to the area. Trust me, there are few things less fun than trying to covertly reach under your huge belly to scratch your crotch in public. There's just no way to make it incognito. You might as well wear a sign reading, "I have a yeast infection. Ask me about it."

The last prohibition on sexual activity during pregnancy is that your partner absolutely cannot blow into or onto your vagina during oral sex. There are tons of capillaries very near the surface of the vagina that can easily open during sex, especially while you're pregnant, and they're full to capacity. If your partner blows air into or around your vagina, that can cause something called an "air embolism," according to Go Ask Alice of Columbia University, which can travel to your heart and kill you. That would really damage the mood.

Is reverse cowgirl safe during pregnancy if you're getting close to your due date? It's probably one of the few you can still do comfortably. Especially if you complete the position while your partner is sitting on a chair and you face away from them with your feet firmly on the ground. No one gets achy knees, it doesn't require maneuvering around your belly, and it still feels spectacular. Whatever you do, make sure you're safe and comfortable. After that, hold on for the ride.

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