To Lube or Not To Lube During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of joy for most women, but the list of don’ts can seem downright overwhelming for some.
Don’t eat soft cheeses. Don’t get in a hot tub. Forget about your favorite deli turkey for a while. Don’t you dare go horseback riding. Don’t clean out the cat’s litter box. (Okay, nobody’s really upset to give up that last one.)
Since so many things that were perfectly fine before can be dangerous now, is lube safe to use during pregnancy?
The good news is that it is safe as long as you’re using the right kind.
We’ll discuss reasons pregnant women may need lube, FAQs about using lube during pregnancy, and which personal lubricant is the best choice no matter what stage of life you’re in right now.
Table of Contents
- Can You Use Lube While Pregnant?
- 3 Reasons Women May Use Lube When Pregnant
- 9 FAQs About Using Lube During Pregnancy
- Chiavaye: All-Natural Lube and Personal Moisturizer Made With Every Woman in Mind
Can You Use Lube While Pregnant?
Is it safe to use lube while pregnant? Absolutely!
Most women experience extra vaginal discharge during pregnancy, so they may need the slipperiness lube provides.
But since every woman and pregnancy is different, many people find that the hormonal changes of this time may cause dryness. Others are more sensitive because of increased vaginal blood flow.
For these women, safe lubricants during pregnancy can be a lifesaver.
So what do we mean when we say safe lubricants? You may not be aware of this, but not all personal lubricants are created equal. Some of them contain nasty chemicals that nobody — and certainly not pregnant women — should be putting in their bodies.
Chiavaye created our all-natural personal lubricant based on a woman’s health needs. We’re proud to provide a product that can be used on any part of the body through all stages of life.
3 Reasons Women May Use Lube When Pregnant
Whether dryness is an issue or not, lube can help provide a more enjoyable intimate experience.
But there are a few different things that may cause extra dryness during the months of pregnancy. Let’s explore them here.
#1: Vaginal Dryness
It’s no secret that your hormones are in a constant state of flux during pregnancy. In particular, changing estrogen and progesterone levels can cause dryness as well as thinning and inflammation of the vaginal walls.
This can lead to discomfort in your day-to-day activities, not to mention making sex a less-than-pleasant experience.
Using personal lubricant can help your vagina feel more like it does in its natural state, and it can surely make sex feel more comfortable and pleasurable for you and your partner.
#2: Dehydration
Hydration is important whether you’re pregnant or not.
But when your systems are a little out of whack due to pregnancy, staying on top of your water intake is one of the most important things you can do.
Water has many benefits during pregnancy, including:
- Aiding in digestion
- Helping form amniotic fluid
- Promoting nutrient circulation
- Assisting with waste leaving the body
If you aren’t getting the recommended 8 to 12 cups of water every day, not only will these functions be reduced, but you’ll also feel a lot dryer — and this includes the vaginal area.
#3: Medication Side Effects
It’s generally a good idea to limit the medications you take while you’re pregnant, but sometimes those medicines are necessary.
Medications that are known to cause vaginal dryness include:
- Sedatives (most sedatives should be avoided during pregnancy)
- Cold/allergy medications
- Heart/blood pressure medications
You should always consult with your doctor before taking any medication while you’re pregnant. It’s even a good idea to discuss natural supplements, as some may have adverse effects during pregnancy.
9 FAQs About Using Lube During Pregnancy
#1: Is Lube Safe During Pregnancy?
Yes, it is 100% safe to use lube while you’re pregnant. Just make sure you choose a quality lube with pregnancy-safe ingredients. More on that later!
#2: Will Lubricant Reach My Baby While I’m Pregnant?
There’s no way for lube to reach your uterus (and your baby) while you’re pregnant.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, your cervix is tightly closed during pregnancy, so nothing — including lube — is getting through during sexual activity.
There’s also the presence of a mucus plug during gestation, which helps seal the cervix and also protects your baby from infection.
So you can rest assured that using the right lube during pregnancy is perfectly safe.
However, it’s important to note that since your skin is a filter, whatever you put on it can end up in your bloodstream and the rest of your body. That's why it’s so important to only use lubes with the right ingredients.
#3: What Are the Benefits of Using Lube During Pregnancy?
Some of the benefits of using lube during pregnancy include:
- Making sex more comfortable if dryness is an issue
- Keeping things slippery and smooth if pregnancy increases your libido
- Helping you feel more in the mood if pregnancy symptoms like nausea and fatigue and putting a damper on your sex life
- Decreasing the chances of UTIs, vaginal infections, and soreness that can result from unlubricated sex
- Helping decrease friction caused by increased blood flow to the vagina
#4: What Are the Best Lubes To Choose During Pregnancy?
The best lubes to use during pregnancy are all-natural and won’t disrupt the natural pH levels of your vagina.
When you use Chiavaye’s personal lubricant, you don’t have to worry about anything. That’s because we only use six all-natural, vegan, hypoallergenic ingredients. That’s it.
They are:
- Sunflower seed oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Coconut oil
- Almond oil
- Evening primrose oil; and
- Vitamin E
These ingredients not only provide many health benefits but their combined nourishment and hydration are also long-lasting.
#5: What Lubes Should I Avoid While I’m Pregnant?
Unlike the natural oils and vitamins we listed above, some lubes contain ingredients that can actually be considered toxic. Why would you want to put those in your body, especially when you’re pregnant?
Check your labels and be sure to stay away from anything containing:
- Glycerine
- Propylene glycol
- Benzocaine
- Silicone
- Petroleum
- Parabens
- Sodium hydroxide
- Artificial fragrances or flavors
- GMOs
- Hormones; or
- Any other types of allergens
When you use Chiavaye, you can rest assured that you and your baby will be safe from these possibly harmful additives.
#6: Are Other Lubricant-Like Products Safe for Pregnant Women?
It’s not uncommon to hear about other types of slippery substances being used as lube. But they often contain some of the harmful ingredients we discussed above.
There’s really no substitute for a good lube, so don’t try to swap it out for these products:
- Petroleum jelly
- Baby oil
- Olive oil
- Vegetable shortening
- Moisturizing lotion
These can increase your risk of irritation. And when it’s so easy to get good personal lubricant, why risk using an inferior product?
#7: Can Lubes Affect Your Chances of Getting Pregnant?
The chances of getting pregnant are affected by many elements, including:
- Age
- Pregnancy history
- Medical history
- Lifestyle factors
- And more
There isn’t much scientific evidence available about whether using lube affects pregnancy rates, but we do know that some lubricants upset the pH balance of the vagina. This means they may negatively affect sperm and the chances of conceiving.
Just one more reason it’s important to go with a natural product when it comes to lube!
#8: Are Lubes Helpful for Women After Pregnancy?
Absolutely! Hormone levels change once again postpartum — especially for women who are breastfeeding — and can bring on even more vaginal dryness, tenderness, or tightness.
It might take a while for you to even feel like having sex again, but once you do, using a quality lube will make it much more comfortable for you. And in the meantime, you can always use Chiavaye as a personal moisturizer to help you feel more like yourself again.
#9: What Are Other Ways I Can Make Sex More Comfortable During Pregnancy?
If lube by itself isn’t cutting it to make sex during pregnancy as pleasurable as it could be, there are some other things you can try in addition to it, such as:
- Using memory foam pillows — Pregnancy pillows can be positioned in a variety of ways to give extra support during sex and alleviate pressure from potential sore spots.
- Using sex toys — Especially in the later months of pregnancy when your body is bigger and you can’t necessarily use all your old moves, it can be fun to introduce new internal or external devices like vibrators, massage wands, and more.
- Changing penetration depth — As pregnancy progresses, your cervix starts softening, which may cause certain positions to be less comfortable for you than they used to be. Swap out positions that involve deeper penetration for those that you can control a little more.
Chiavaye: All-Natural Lube and Personal Moisturizer Made With Every Woman in Mind
Chiavaye is a company created by a woman for other women (and men) around the world dealing with personal, intimate, and universal health issues such as:
- Pregnancy
- Postpartum time
- Endometriosis
- Intimacy
- Cancer
- And more
If you want to help ensure a healthy pregnancy and postpartum period, you can’t make a better choice for your all-natural lube than Chiavaye. Join the movement and become part of the Chiavaye family today.