It’s a taboo subject for many, but with a little bit of convincing, we’re confident anyone can get on board with a bit of period sex. While most women will experience cramps, headaches, insatiable hunger and wild mood swings, there’s another side to being on your period that no one ever seems to talk about.
You’ll also be incredibly horny.
The cocktail of hormones flowing through your body will ramp up your sex drive and leave you wanting to mount anything in sight. You might think you just have to wait it out, but this isn’t the case. If your partner is on board with period sex, then you might just get your wish.
The female orgasm is a natural pain reliever, so if you’re feeling cramped and achy, this could actually be one way to overcome your symptoms. It’s also an incredible way to build intimacy in your relationship.
Period sex is the best way to tell your partner that you love and adore them, even for those 2-5 days a month they might be a raging hormonal mess. Period sex shows how truly comfortable you are with your partner.
And finally, period sex can actually bring your period to an end sooner. When you orgasm, your uterine lining contracts and this helps to speed along the process. It also flushes out something known as prostaglandins which are responsible for the dreaded period flu. So you could enjoy shorter periods with less severe symptoms.
While you can feel pretty confident period sex won’t result in a pregnancy, this isn’t the only reason you should consider protection. Unless you and your partner are certain you’re monogamous, then you should be using protection every time. But there are some practical reasons to consider wearing a condom, even if you’re monogamous and have both been recently tested.
Wearing a condom during period sex makes for much easier clean up. It’s also worth eliminating the chance that you could get pregnant. While it’s unlikely that you could be ovulating while on your period, the female body is a wonderful thing and nothing should be ruled out. And remember that sperm can survive inside you for seven days, which could be just the right amount of time for your ovaries to release an egg. It’s better to be safe if you aren’t trying to start a family.
And from a practical standpoint, you are more susceptible to infection and STIs during your period. Your cervix is more open and exposed during this time, so there’s more chance that bacteria or viruses could take hold. And your vagina is also less acidic, so your chances of experiencing a bacterial or yeast infection are increased.
If you can’t have a conversation about the practicalities of period sex, chances are you aren’t ready for it. You need to be honest with your partner and find out if they are on board. Period sex is not something that should be sprung on your partner without warning. They need to be aware that it’s happening and be able to consent to moving forward.
If your partner is squeamish or hates the sight of blood, don’t take it as a personal attack on your body. Period sex isn’t for everyone, but you can use this as a perfect time to ask for some alone time to administer some pain relief solo.
You might also want to lay down a dark towel on the bed to catch any mess. If you want to avoid mess altogether, enjoying a bit of steamy shower sex could be the perfect way to ease yourselves into period sex.
Next up, you will need to remove any pads, tampons or period cups before you go any further. Some soft sponge tampons and flat menstrual cups may be left in during sex and can make the experience less messy.
Some women prefer to take a shower beforehand so they feel more fresh and clean. While menstrual blood does not smell, it can be uncomfortable if you have been wearing a pad or period pants all day.
Unless you’re in the shower, you want to think about gravity. While the average woman only passes 16 teaspoons of blood throughout their entire period, those with heavy periods might lose more. This can look like a lot if the woman is on top, so this position is best avoided.
You should also consider the possibility of stomach cramps making it more difficult to get into more complex positions. Try simple missionary or spooning as you start to figure out what works for your and what makes you feel most comfortable. You could advance to a position like the butterfly to enjoy some deeper penetration.
Keep some wet wipes handy and a spare towel so you can start the clean up process. You might want to jump straight in the shower and then grab your chosen sanitary products.
It’s important to talk about it when you are done so you can determine if you both loved it, hated it or want to try something different. If you hate it and never speak of it again, it could leave one or both partners to feel unnecessary shame about the experience when there is no need to.
Getting out of your comfort zone is great for intimacy and it could help you to explore new things in the bedroom. Even if period sex isn’t your favourite thing, at least you will know you have tried it and can tick it off your list.
There may be small adjustments you want to make or you might simply want to try again on a lighter flow day to see if the experience is more enjoyable. There’s no shame in asking for what you want in the bedroom and your relationship will be stronger for it.
