Sex... do it or not if you are wanting baby to stay in there a little longer?

[element2012]

Ok mamas, is sex going to bring on birth time if we are getting close?  At 37 weeks I am feeling the beginning changes happening.  I would like the LO to stay in there a little bit longer... will sex really bring birth time on?

[cedarwoman]

I don't think so. We had some around 37 weeks and nada... (now at 39+2) I think it does more to prepare the cervix than actually induce labor if I'm not mistaken - that is, it can help soften everything up so the cervix is prepared to dilate when it's time for that. My mw commented that everything was quite soft up in there, but my cervix at 38.5 weeks was posterior and closed still.

[slimkins]

I agree that it is more for softening the cervix. If you are really concerned about that, have your partner refrain from releasing inside.

Although, I think orgasms can bring on uterine contractions, so, not sure where to help you there. Have sex, but try not to enjoy it too much? hah!

[Devaskyla]

Yeah, it won't put you into labour unless you're ready. With N, I was feeling great & we were doing it nearly every day at the end. I was still over 40 weeks before he decided to show up. Labour went quickly though & I think it helped with that.

[wombjuice]

The prostaglandins in semen can help ripen the cervix (theoretically), but sex is not going to put you into labor if your body is not ready (and neither will lots of walking, eating spicy foods or eggplant, etc., unfortunately).  We still have sex every other day or so, and as much as I wish it would put me into labor at this point, it hasn't.  My own personal research leads me to believe that the initiation of labor has a lot more to do with the maturity of the fetus than previously believed.

So...if you want sex, go for it without fear!  And if you don't want it, don't do it just to help bring on labor.  Humans are, after all, some of the only mammals that still mate while heavily pregnant...and those babies come out eventually, too.