Let’s face it: life is busy and all of us are guilty of taking our partners/husbands/wives for granted from time to time. Valentine’s Day may be a “Hallmark holiday” to some, just another commercial event contrived to get us to spend money, but for me, it’s a time to really stop and try–try hard–to connect with the feelings of romance, intimacy and companionship that are such unique and vital components to a loving partnership.
For pregnant women, romance and intimacy–both physical and emotional–may be different now. My own personal experience was that I felt more romantic, more amorous, more easily aroused and sexier when I was pregnant.
Emotionally, however, I was conflicted. At once I felt both a deeper connection with my husband and a desire for greater emotional intimacy because of our shared responsibility in creating the life growing inside me, and yet I felt a greater anxiety about our relationship and disconnect as he seemed to drift away and react negatively to my body.
I understand that for other women, the experience could be just the opposite of mine. Many pregnant women dislike their round, large, changed bodies and feel unattractive. They don’t want to be physically intimate because they feel so self-conscious of their bigness.
Sexy might be the furthest thing from your mind if you have physical pregnancy discomforts, too. Round ligament pain, low back pain, Braxton-Hicks contractions, cervical discomfort, breast sensitivity, and varicosities such as hemorrhoids can all make a pregnant woman less likely to be “in the mood” than before.
Emotionally, however, you might deeply desire to be closer to your mate. Excitement about creating a child together may strengthen your bond. Emotional intimacy, support, and a connected emotional journey could make your pregnancy feel very romantic, even if the physical relationship is less active than before.
What changes is pregnancy having on romance with your partner? Will your pregnant Valentine’s Day be different than ones before?
Wishing you a romantic day,
Tara
