Life

When Are You Most Horny During Pregnancy?

by Cat Bowen

During the first few weeks of pregnancy, if you're anything like me, you're probably more concerned with not throwing up than you are with getting down. But somewhere during your pregnancy, you may feel a change in your libido. So when are you most horny during pregnancy? Is there a time frame that's best for sketching out a general sexy schedule?

To be completely honest, during one of my pregnancies, I barely had sex, and I didn't want to either. I was completely knackered all the time from my morning sickness and anemia, and the idea of sex, and all the trappings that accompany it, felt like the worst idea ever. I barely had the energy to feed myself some days, so shaving my legs and putting on lotion wasn't happening with my usual frequency. My husband also worked a ton through my first pregnancy, so I wasn't particularly bothered by the fact he wasn't getting any. According to the International Journal of Reproductive Fertility and Sexual Health, this is completely normal. If my husband spent a bit more time than normal in the shower in the mornings, hey, that was time I got to sleep in, and I'm reasonably certain that this is what he was preparing for during all of the "long showers" his sister likes to jokingly tell me he took in high school.

So, if you do see a spike in your sexiness, when does it happen? When are you most horny during pregnancy? According to Healthline, a woman's libido during pregnancy is like an avocado. It's too green to use, suddenly perfect (and now you want all the guac, and yes, Chipotle, I know it's extra), and then it's rotten and just a bad idea wrapped in a nubby skin shell with a black pit.

According to the article, if you notice a peak in your perkiness, it's likely to be at the tail end of your first trimester, and the beginning and possibly throughout your second trimester. Your breast sensitivity has plateaued, you're less queasy, you've got all this increased lubrication and blood flow to your genitals, and your bump isn't yet so difficult to maneuver around. It's the golden time in pregnancy before you start getting really uncomfortable and exhausted — again. You're surging with energy and raring to go.

Maybe. Again, if you're in that "magic trimester" right now, and you're still just not that into it, that is very normal. According to the International Journal of Reproductive Fertility and Sexual Health, only a small percentage of women note a true increase in their libido during pregnancy.

If you're one of the lucky few, good for you, just talk to your provider before you engage in your sexual acrobatics to make sure you're all clear. If you aren't, you don't need to feel pressured to be so. You won't be pregnant forever, and there are plenty of ways to be intimate with your partner that aren't sexual in nature. Maybe some Netflix and still?