Pregnancy is a time of great change and adaptation.
If you’ve never been pregnant before, then you and your partner may experience changes that you perhaps didn’t expect.
If you are thinking that my husband or my boyfriend says I feel different inside during pregnancy, then they may well be right.
Sex during pregnancy changes from one couple to another. It’s a normal part of pregnancy that unlike popular misconceptions, won’t harm your baby.
Some woman see an increased sex drive whereas for others, they may have no desire at all.
Equally, some men want to have sex as normal but others may be put off by any changes to your vagina or feel awkward about being so close to the baby.
Here we’ll look at exactly what happens during pregnancy to your vagina and how that affects how your partner may feel.
My Husband or My Boyfriend Says I Feel Different Inside During Pregnancy
Many people will tell you many things about pregnancy.
One of the most understated aspects is how it can affect your relationship and sex life with your partner.
This is why it’s a great idea to know your facts and talk about them with your other half.
A woman having no sexual desire can cause a man to suddenly feel less confident and equally, a man not wanting to have sex can make a woman feel insecure.
As always, communication is key to getting through any stressful situations.
Your vagina does go through many changes throughout pregnancy as it prepares to provide safe passage for your baby.
Most of these changes are felt in the last few months of pregnancy as your body gets itself prepared.
The two most significant aspects that affect sex is swelling of the vagina and the lengthening of it.
Part of this swelling comes from the expansion of the uterus and also the increase of blood flow.
The vagina will also loosen and lengthen in preparation for delivery.
Those aren’t the only changes and we’ll talk about them in a little more detail in the next section.
If your partner says that you feel different then you can tell them that it’s perfectly natural and it’s not something to worry about.
There also won’t be any harm to the baby.
In a perfect world, you and your partner will be on the same page when it comes to having sex.
The reality is that this often isn’t the case and that’s absolutely fine.
Talk through your changes, how each of you feel and what your expectations are for the rest of the pregnancy.
What Vaginal Changes Happen During Pregnancy?
We briefly touched on it there but let’s talk in more detail about exactly what goes on within the vagina during pregnancy.
It’s vital to know that these changes happen to different women in different ways.
You may not notice swelling, for example, but for another woman it may be much more obvious.
The swelling is one of the most obvious differences that your partner may feel.
The uterus expands from around the size of an apple to the size of a watermelon.
There is no surprise that it’s going to put plenty of pressure on your vagina and make it feel different.
Added to this, the blood flow hugely increases and can add to the swollen feeling.
Another significant change is the lengthening of the vagina. In order to make the baby’s future passage as simple as possible, the vagina will get more supple and softer.
The opening to the vagina can also increase in size too. There is a good chance your partner will feel this changes.
Other changes are less felt by your partner but can affect how you feel. These include the change of pH levels in the vagina.
This can cause itchiness and the smell can be more unpleasant. Another unfortunate side effect of this is that it increases your chances of a bacterial or fungus infection.
Other changes can include the vulva turning to a more blue color, an increase in vein size and more vaginal discharge.
There may also be a small amount of blood during sex (spotting) which is usually entirely normal but you can check with a doctor if you are worried or if there is a lot of blood.
1. Sex in the Different Trimesters
If you’re a man reading this then you may not know that there are three trimesters during pregnancy that roughly last for around three months each.
In terms of having sex, the first and the third can be particularly difficult.
In the first, there aren’t a lot of changes to the vagina and it will feel normal for a man.
For women, however, there are a whole heap of other changes. The most obvious of these to anyone else will be the feelings of sickness.
Along with feeling sick, many women will also become nauseous and fatigued.
On top of all of this, there is likely to be highly sensitive nipples and bloated feelings.
If anyone felt this way, then sex is the last thing on their mind. The second trimester can feel a lot different.
The estrogen and progesterone levels that can affect your mood calms down and you’ve not yet become uncomfortable with your baby bump.
Many couple have sex as normal during this stage but a lot of women still feel uncomfortable in doing so.
The third trimester can be challenging for two reasons when it comes to having sex.
We mentioned all the ways the vagina changes in the previous section but to go with this, the size of the baby bump can simply make women feel uncomfortable and awkward.
It can also severely limit the positions in which you can have sex.
2. Can My Partner Hurt The Baby?
One of the common queries we hear from men is that they are worried that they might hurt the baby if they have sex.
This often is followed by jokes that they wish they were well endowed enough to cause such damage!
The reality is that the baby is well protected during sex.
If your partner feels something during sex then they may worry about poking the baby.
If they do get that far, then what they will be feeling is your cervix which is a long way from the baby.
The cervix is more than enough of a barrier to protect your baby but the level of protection goes much further than that.
Behind the cervix are the very strong and thick muscles of the uterus. Inside is a lot of fluid with your baby floating in an amniotic sac.
In short, not only will your baby not be harmed during sex, they won’t even be aware of what’s going on at all. If your partner is worried, they shouldn’t be.
The only effect can be if the woman has an orgasm which may cause a wave through the fluid, which is not harmful.
3. What Should You Do?
So you’re thinking that my husband or my boyfriend says I feel different inside during pregnancy? Well, what should you do about it?
The first thing is to speak openly and honestly with your partner about it.
Do they want to continue to have sex or do they want to wait until after you’ve recovered post-birth?
One of the most frustrating things from either side is not knowing.
If you want to have sex but your partner keeps putting it off, this can not only feel frustrating but it can make you feel insecure about how your look and whether you’re attractive to them anymore.
If your partner doesn’t want to have sex then ask him why. He may think that because you feel differently inside that he’s going to harm the baby.
If so, then you can reassure him that during sex, he’ll be nowhere near the baby.
Men are often very protective and if so, any thought that they could hurt you or the baby can be hard to overcome.
If you’re feeling insecure or hurt by what they said, explain to them why what they said was inconsiderate and explain the changes your body is going through.
Often any issues can be overcome by communication. You may feel different inside during pregnancy but that is perfectly natural.
Also read: What To Do About Unsupportive Partner During Pregnancy
Summary
By now you should be armed with all the knowledge you need on the changes that happen to a vagina during pregnancy.
While the vagina does change during pregnancy, the exact nature of these changes will vary quite a lot from one woman to the next.
If you hear that my husband or my boyfriend says I feel different inside during pregnancy then it may put them off sex.
This often has nothing to do with how attracted they are to you, instead it’s often that these changes make them feel uncomfortable about the thought of causing any damage to you or the baby.
If you’re experiencing challenges with sex during pregnancy, then talk the issues through with your partner.
There is a good chance they have misconceptions about what the women’s body is going through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to have mixed feelings about being pregnant?
It feels as though when you’re pregnant, there are a lot of expectations about how you should think or feel.
People talk about pregnancy being this blissful experience but for many women, the reality is very different and that’s okay.
When pregnant, you may not be able to do the things you usually love doing or you may be apprehensive about how your life is going to change.
All of these things are completely normal as many people have mixed feelings.
It’s important to not feel alone and discuss any worries you have with your partner, family or friends.
What does being pregnant feel like on the inside?
Your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy both mentally and physically.
As you get into the latter stages of pregnancy, you’ll start to feel slight twinges with pinching and pulling pains as your baby develops.
Eventually the baby will start kicking which can feel strange at the start and can be painful.
It can also be strangely reassuring knowing your baby is active.
Other changes on the inside we’ve talked a lot about already. These include your vaginal changes along with changes with your hormones.
This can lead to feelings of fatigue and sickness that often goes away after the first trimester.
Do you leave your partner when pregnant?
It’s very possible that you’ll stop wanting to have sex. That applies to other men and women.
It’s always good to talk to your partner and explain the reasons why. This can prevent them from losing confidence and feeling insecure about how they look.
Pregnancy is a challenging time and it’s not always the beautiful journey they movies would lead us to believe.
Everyone is different and pregnancy mentally affects people in different ways.
If you talk through your issues, then you’ll be able to get through any challenges.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.
