Everything changes the moment you discover you’re pregnant, whether it was planned or not. Now, your entire focus shifts towards nourishing the little one growing within you.
While the journey will feature plenty of excitement and fulfillment, it also comes with lots of changes - some that can take a toll on not just you, but your relationship. One of the most common is low libido during pregnancy.
So what causes libido changes during pregnancy, and are there natural ways to increase libido while pregnant so you can regain a healthy sex drive without exposing your developing child to risks?
From hormonal fluctuations to self-esteem issues, physical pain, and misconceptions - there are so many reasons you’ll feel your sex drive faltering while expecting. It’s perfectly normal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to increase libido during pregnancy.
We’ll share some of the tried and true solutions we’ve used to improve pregnancy libido below, from foods that increase libido during pregnancy to lifestyle changes, relationship adjustments, and more. First, let’s unpack all the common causes of libido changes during pregnancy.
What Causes Low Libido During Pregnancy
You’re probably already starting to realize just how much disarray pregnancy can create in how you feel. From hormones to emotions, there are tons of changes going on inside you right now as you prepare to bring a new life into this world.
Unfortunately, though, many of these changes can also impact your pregnancy libido in a negative way. Here are some of the most common reasons pregnant women feel their sex drive plummet.
Hormone Fluctuations
Estrogen and progesterone are two key hormones that influence your sex drive. However, they begin to evolve as your body adapts to the needs of a growing baby. These hormonal fluctuations can manifest themselves in lower sex drive.
This becomes especially pronounced later in the journey, most often in the second and third trimesters. You’ll find yourself feeling more tired, irritable, and less interested in sex.
Weight Gain
It’s no secret that pregnancy comes with weight gain. Most women gain anywhere from 25-30 pounds. While it’s perfectly normal, so many mothers-to-be struggle to see their bump as sexy - or the extra weight accumulating in the face, arms, legs, etc.
This shift in body image can dampen your desire for physical intimacy. It’s hard to want to be sexually open when you don’t feel good about yourself.
Self-esteem issues aside, the physical toll of carrying extra weight can lead to back pain and overall discomfort. This can make the idea of having sex far less appealing.
Anxiety and Stress
Pregnancy brings many new responsibilities and concerns, and especially if this is your first time being pregnant, you’ll start to feel anxiety and stress piling up - especially as your due date looms closer.
Worrying about the baby’s health, the upcoming delivery, or how life will change can weigh heavily on your mind. How could you possibly be present enough to have good sex with all these anxious thoughts racing through your mind?
This starts to lead to an increase in stress, which creates its own problems. Increased cortisol will kick your body into focusing on survival rather than pleasure, causing libido to drop.
Sleepless Nights
Restless nights and disrupted sleep patterns are another hallmark of pregnancy, and unfortunately, this will only get worse once the baby joins you Earth-side.
It can be tough to find a comfortable sleeping position with your growing belly, and restless leg syndrome becomes an issue of its own. Exhaustion from lack of sleep can drain your energy and leave you feeling too tired for sex
Libido naturally takes a back seat when your body is constantly fighting fatigue, as your energy reserves are focused on getting through the day.
Fear and Misconceptions
Some women (and their partners) may fear that having sex during pregnancy could harm the baby or cause complications. This leads them to avoid it altogether, sometimes subconsciously.
The truth is, though, sex is perfectly safe during most healthy pregnancies up to a certain point in term. In fact, it’s necessary! Just read about the effects of lack of physical intimacy in a relationship if you’re not aware of how important physical intimacy is in a relationship.
Still, the worry about causing pain, discomfort, or harm can build unnecessary barriers. We’re here to help you tear them down with tips on how to increase libido during pregnancy. Can you take libido pills while pregnant as a quick fix?
Can You Take Libido Pills While Pregnant?
The short answer is no, we generally don’t recommend taking libido pills while pregnant. Most aren’t tested for safety during pregnancy, and their ingredients may pose risks to both you and your baby.
Why Not?
While you may feel the frustration of a lower sex drive during this time, it’s important to prioritize the health and safety of both you and your developing child. As difficult as it is, pregnancy libido is just not the main focus for you at this time.
Most libido pills contain herbs, hormones, or stimulants that can interfere with pregnancy-related hormones or even increase the risk of complications.
For example, ingredients like yohimbine or DHEA are commonly found in libido boosters and may have adverse effects such as raising blood pressure or affecting fetal development.
The stakes are simply too high to take any chances. Your child comes first, as does your own personal health during pregnancy.
What About Tabs?
We address a really similar question in our blog - is Tabs chocolate safe for pregnancy? Unfortunately, the Tabs chocolate ingredients haven’t been proven safe for women who are expecting or the developing child in question. So typically, we suggest avoiding it.
It’s too bad, because the horny chocolate we’ve created worked wonders to naturally raise your sex drive and can actually increase the pleasure you have during sex. So, how does Tabs chocolate work?
It combines the dark chocolate sex benefits with some of the other most powerful aphrodisiacs - like maca root, epimedium (horny goat weed), and kanna.
These all work in synergy to lower your mental guard and get you emotionally ready for sex while priming your body at the same time. From improving blood flow to the genitals to increasing physical touch stimulation, the best aphrodisiac chocolate transforms your sex life.
However, you’ll likely have to wait till after your pregnancy to consider trying sex chocolate. There aren’t any side effects of sex chocolate that you need to be concerned about, it’s more a matter of us not being able to say with certainty that sex chocolate for women who are expecting is completely safe.
That being said, you may still consider asking your doctor for their opinion on the matter. Maybe they’ll give you the go-ahead to try Tabs! If so, it’s one of the best natural ways to increase libido while pregnant.
Otherwise, you’re going to have to try some of our other tips below on how to increase libido during pregnancy.
How to Increase Libido During Pregnancy: Natural Ways to Increase Libido While Pregnant
Living with low libido during pregnancy starts to take a toll not just on you, but also on your partner. You shouldn’t take 9 months off from being intimate. Instead, here are some proven ways to improve your pregnancy libido.
Start By Talking With Your Partner
The first step in addressing low libido during pregnancy is to have an open conversation with your partner. We know it’s uncomfortable, but you’re going to have a baby together - nothing should be off-limits at this point!
Your partner is probably already feeling the effects of your low libido during pregnancy, so it’s not like you’re going to catch them off-guard. Express how the pregnancy is impacting your body and mind and the way in which it’s impacting your sex drive.
Share your thoughts, listen to their concerns, and work together to rebuild intimacy. In our guide on how to talk to your partner about lack of intimacy we mention that communication creates a deeper bond, and this difficult discussion can actually make your bond stronger than before!
Natural Libido Boosting Foods and Herbs
Whether you’re trying to find the top herbs for libido female or the best libido booster for men, Mother Nature offers a cornucopia of options to choose from. Diet is one of the best natural ways to increase libido while pregnant.
Foods rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and vitamins - like dark chocolate, avocados, and almonds - can improve blood flow and mood. But what you don’t eat is just as important. Avoid sugar and processed foods as these can make matters worse.
One of the most well-known pregnancy libido boosters is maca root, which is an adaptogen known for balancing hormones and increasing sexual stamina. Just be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before trying any sort of supplement.
Focus on Non-Sexual Physical Intimacy First
Many are unaware that there are actually two forms of intimacy - emotional intimacy vs physical intimacy. You can’t have one without the other. That’s why if you want to learn how to bring back intimacy in a marriage, it starts with the emotional side of things.
Having that conversation we mentioned earlier is a great first step. Build upon that by having regular check-ins with your partner where you each discuss the journey and your relationship as a whole.
From there you can start building towards sexual intimacy with non-sexual forms of touch. That can be holding hands, cuddling, or giving each other massages. Each of these acts releases oxytocin, the "bonding hormone," which can improve your emotional and physical connection.
We have more tips on how to increase physical intimacy in a relationship. But before you know it, this non-sexual closeness will have rekindled the flame in your relationship that may have burned out.
Try New Things With Your Partner
If you’re still struggling to reignite passion, it could be that you are doing the same things over and over again. Try something new! This can be as simple as a romantic date night in a new spot, a playful game, or experimenting with new positions.
Keep an open mind and be patient with yourself and your partner as you explore what works best for you during this time. The goal is to bring fun and novelty back into your life.
Consider Taking a Baby Moon
Nothing builds intimacy quite like some alone time free from distractions, which is why a baby moon is one of the best tips we have to offer in our guide on how to increase libido during pregnancy.
This is just a short vacation before your baby arrives, and it can do wonders to help you reconnect away from the stresses of daily life. It’ll provide much-needed relaxation and give you both the space to focus on each other.
It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, either. Whether it’s a cozy weekend at a local spa or a beach vacation, all that matters is you’re making time to rekindle your pregnancy libido.
Exercise and Staying Active
Staying active during pregnancy has countless benefits, and boosting low libido during pregnancy is one of them. So how does exercise increase libido? There are actually quite a few ways!
It improves blood flow, elevates mood, and enhances body image - all of which can bring your sex drive back to life. Try gentle exercises such as prenatal yoga, walking, or swimming to stay fit and boost your confidence simultaneously.
Just be sure to choose activities that are safe for your stage of pregnancy. Contrary to what many assume, weightlifting can still be safe up until a certain point in your pregnancy. Ask your doctor if you’re unsure about the optimal exercise regimen.
Prioritize Self-Care
This is one of the most important times in your life to pamper yourself with things that make you feel good and help you relax. Make time for a warm bath, read a good book, or practice mindfulness.
It doesn’t matter what you do, only that you’re taking time for yourself. This can do wonders for your energy and subsequently your pregnancy libido.
There’s another form of self-care you should be engaging in, too: masturbation. Yes, we’re serious. Many pregnant women find that they’re disconnected from themselves sexually during pregnancy. How could you possibly have good sex with your partner?
You need to get to know yourself again, first. Take matters into your own hands and you’ll be shocked at just how much stronger your sex drive becomes
Manage Fatigue With Rest
You’re probably already starting to realize just how exhausting pregnancy can be. You’re growing an entire new life within your belly, after all! This fatigue is one of the common culprits for libido changes during pregnancy.
You can manage it by getting enough rest and adjusting your sleep schedule. Incorporate short naps during the day if possible, and create a peaceful sleep environment to improve your rest quality.
Parting Thoughts on How to Increase Libido While Pregnant
Bringing new life into this world brings about many changes, and it's completely normal to experience fluctuations in pregnancy libido. That doesn't mean you have to put up with libido changes during pregnancy, though!
We’ve shared a multitude of natural ways to increase libido during pregnancy so you can turn things around and regain your sex drive. From talking to your partner to eating libido-boosting foods and prioritizing self-care, you know how to increase libido while pregnant now.
Our blog has more resources on how to increase libido while on birth control, how much is sex chocolate, how to deal with a partner with low libido, how to overcome fear of physical intimacy, how to make aphrodisiac chocolate, and more.
But at this point, the only thing left to do is put these tips on how to increase libido during pregnancy to the test. Remember that when your baby is born you can take advantage of our secret weapon for intimacy here at Tabs.
Celebrate the journey when it’s all said and done. Spoil yourself and your partner with our chocolate and experience the most satisfying sex you’ve ever had! Order today so you’re ready when the time comes.