A midwife has whipped up a clever plasticine model to reassure nervous dads that sex is safe during pregnancy - and that they won't accidentally bash the unborn baby with their bits.
Louise Broadbridge, who's known online as The Honest Midwife, created her educational video after noticing that men were shying away from sex with their pregnant partners because they were scared their unborn baby was 'watching' them or could be harmed.
Watch the video here:
Louise created a model of the female reproductive organs complete with a thrusting Play-Doh penis to show EXACTLY why there is nothing to be scared of. The video shared via Louise's social media account has caught not only the attention of her 50k followers, but more.
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Mum-of-two Louise said: "I have a different approach to what you would expect. It's a bit cheeky and there's a bit of silly humour in there. Sometimes you need a bit of humour. People are worried and anxious but it can be fun and educational too.
"People don't want uptight, they want to be educated in a fun way, that's the universal appeal.
"I probably get about three or four messages a month about sex during pregnancy. I think it's good to have that visual where it's not actually going anywhere near the baby. It sticks in your mind if it's funny or quirky."
Midwife Louise explained that sex can be a GOOD thing in pregnancy, and isn't necessarily something for soon to be parents to avoid. She said: "Sex during pregnancy is on the whole safe. Unless their partner is at risk of pre-term birth, there isn't a reason why they can't continue to enjoy a healthy sex life.
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She continued: "If there was any bleeding, if they've been told they have a low-lying placenta, or if they're having twins, they're often advised to abstain from sex. But if you've got a low-risk pregnancy, there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't have sex."
In fact, Louise has given sex in pregnancy the go ahead as it's proven to be beneficial for both mum and partner. She explained: "It's actually good for both of you. It promotes the release of oxytocin, the happy hormone, so it's very good for wellbeing."
Since the start of the pandemic, Louise has hosted free Zoom classes for parents-to-be, particularly as many mums struggle to access antenatal education in person. As a result, Louise found herself trying to think of new ways to educate and engage her expectant parents and her Play-Doh idea came to life.
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Louise said: "This was a really last-minute thing. I have a reasonably big Instagram account and I get lots of questions. It's all very well me saying to someone that it's safe to have sex in pregnancy, but I know from my own experience, my husband was a bit funny about it. I think they think your baby is waving at it."
In Louise's video, she demonstrates where the baby sits and how having sex means a man's penis won't affect baby at all. As she puts it, "their willy doesn't even come close!"
Sex in pregnancy can be different for every couple, and Louise explains that some couples can find their sex life very different during those nine months.
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She shared: "Women will often have a very heightened sex drive during pregnancy, or they go completely off sex. You often find the women who have a heightened sex drive, their partners are a bit reluctant. Women don't necessarily talk about it until you put these posts up.
"It's not something women want to necessarily go to their midwife and say 'I'm really upset because my partner doesn't want to have sex'. It's one of those taboo topics really."
Featured Image Credit: Kennedy NewsTopics: Sex and Relationships