Loving feeling
The voluptuous blonde - whose career flits between singing, acting and presenting - is due to give birth next month and revealed last week that far from making her tired and emotional, her pregnancy has heightened her sex life with her fiance, Eric Johnson.
The 31-year-old Fashion Star mentor told radio presenter, Ryan Seacrest, that she has felt more sensual since becoming pregnant.
“I am definitely feeling intimate,” she said. “I’m kind of unstoppable right now.”
Margaret Hanahoe, community midwife at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, says many women feel a surge of hormones during pregnancy, and, while some shy away from intimate relations, others have a bigger sexual appetite.
“The pregnancy hormones can have effects either way,” Ms Hanahoe says. “Some women find their sexual activity increases - perhaps because there is no fear of pregnancy. While others find they have no appetite at all. Both feelings are normal, as the hormones of pregnancy respond differently with every woman.”
Some couples go the other extreme and abstain, as they are afraid it may damage the baby, but the midwife says sex during pregnancy is fine, and, at full-term, may even induce labour.
“Men are sometimes afraid to have sex as they are worried about hitting the baby’s head, but it is perfectly safe to continue having sex in pregnancy. However, sometimes different positions may make lovemaking more comfortable. For example, in late pregnancy an all-fours position or lying on the side may be easier.
“Prostaglandin is the hormone used to induce labour and it can be found in sperm, so I would recommend sex to women to help induce labour. But although it can be successful, there are plenty of cases where it doesn’t work, because the cervix is not ready,” she says.
Sex, however, is not advised if the waters are broken.
Niamh Healy is an antenatal teacher with Cuidiu. She says some women lack libido during pregnancy and it is important for both parties to be happy with the level of intimacy.
“When talking about this in class with parents, we cover how wide the range of libido can be in pregnancy - from nil to a raging sex drive - for the women and the men,” she says. “This is normal, but mismatches in libido can cause problems in relationships and talking about it can be very helpful.
“No one should be put under pressure to do anything they don’t want to do, and sometimes compromises can work, or being inventive and thinking up new ways of being intimate. It’s important that both truly believe that the love is still there, even if the sex drive is temporarily low,” Ms Healy says.
