Most Doctors agree that unless there are medical complications during a pregnancy, there is no reason a couple cannot have normal sexual relations. Your doctor may not broach the subject with you, but you can bring it up if you have questions. Your own intuition should serve as a good guideline for sexual activity.

Typically, by the third trimester a woman may have difficulty with some sexual activities because her uterus becomes distended. During intercourse, her cervix may get bumped, causing slight pain. Her changing hormone levels may also make her less interested in sex.

Most couples find other ways to enjoy each other. Use some of the suggestions in this book to invent new ways the two of you can pleasure each other during pregnancy. It's a great time to practice oral sex and other forms of sexual activity.

Finally, this will be the last time for a while that the two of you are just two — particularly if this is your first child. Find ways of being sexual, sensual, and intimate now, even if you have to modify what you do. Traditionally, doctors advised women to refrain from sex for six weeks after childbirth, but today many doctors advise abstaining for at least two or three weeks. Obviously, this varies by individual circumstances – if you have medical issues or experienced problems during the delivery, you may need to wait longer. Sleep, time, and energy will be harder to come by, but most couples fully resume sexual activity after six to twelve months.