The 6 Best Sex Positions to Induce Labor

As you come to the end of pregnancy, you start to think of all the ways you might induce labor, and the safest way to try is having sexual intercourse with your partner. Sex is safe for most pregnant women, but it only works if your body is ready, but you need to find a few sex positions to induce labor.

It’s really all about the comfort when having sex late in pregnancy.

Most women will tell you that sex is not for pleasure during the third trimester. Your belly is huge, and you haven’t seen your vagina in weeks.

At times, you feel like a cow – a beautiful one though – and feeling sexy is difficult.

You aren’t alone! We all feel this way as pregnancy comes to an end. However, if there’s a chance that this could help us meet our baby sooner, we may do it anyway!

Sex is one way to induce labor that many women say works for them, even if doctors cannot prove why it works. If you’re wondering if some sex positions work better than others, keep reading to find out what you need to know.

Although sex is typically safe during a low risk pregnancy, be sure to consult your healthcare provider if you have any known health risks.

Related: Natural Ways to Induce Labor

Does Sex Induce Labor?

Are you tempted to try to induce labor naturally? Sex is one of the safest things to try; use these best sex positions to induce labor!

Experts say that they cannot prove that sex or using different sex positions works to induce labor, but many mothers will tell you that it worked for them.

How Does Sex Induce Labor?

The reason why sex can induce labor is not what you may think. While most people would believe that the penis penetrating and thrusting in the vagina would induce labor, that’s not typically the reason.

Human sperm contains high levels of prostaglandins, and this substance helps to ripen the cervix and start labor.

Doctors use a synthetic version of prostaglandins, like misoprostol, to help ripen cervixes and speed along labor.

Another reason that sex might work to induce labor is that, when you orgasm, it releases oxytocin throughout your body. Pitocin is the artificial form of oxytocin, so it might be enough to give your body the jumpstart to begin labor.

An orgasm causes your uterus to contract, and if your body is ready, it might fire up your body to start labor.

Related: Curb Walking: Can It Help to Induce Labor?

Does Sex Always Induce Labor?

No, sex doesn’t always induce labor. Most women have sex all throughout their pregnancy, including in the final weeks, without going into labor.

Few studies, if any, provide conclusively that sex induces labor. It’s not guaranteed, and doctors have no idea why it helps some women but not others.

It’s sure fun to see if it’s going to work for you though!

Related Post: Absolute Signs That Labor Is 24-48 Hours Away

When Can Sex Induce Labor?

As I just mentioned, sex doesn’t work to induce labor for all women.

It’s believed that sex is most likely to bring on labor for women who have normal, complication-free pregnancy. You will need to be full-term or past-term, and your body has to be ready and ripe for labor.

Is It Risky to Have Sex Late in Pregnancy?

It’s normal to be worried that sex late in pregnancy might induce labor.

What if you go into labor before your baby is ready?

Unless your doctor tells you not to have sex, it’s not risky in the last weeks of pregnancy. Your body needs to be ready for labor for sexual intercourse to cause you to go into labor, so don’t stress.

If it happens, it means your body and baby were ready!

Related Post: Ways to Go into Labor Overnight

Do Some Sex Positions Work Better to Induce Labor?

Not necessarily. If sex works to induce labor, it’s because of sperm and your orgasm; the position itself won’t change that.

However, sexual intercourse in the last few weeks of pregnancy is tricky, to say the least. Since the goal is for you to orgasm if you want to induce labor, you need to try sex positions that help you feel the most comfortable.

Avoid laying flat on your back! That’s typically the worse sex position in late pregnancy. The missionary position puts extended pressure on your stomach, and it might cause the blood supply to the lower section of your body to be interrupted.

6 Best Sex Positions to Induce Labor

1. Cowgirl

Women love this sex position because it gives you ultimate control over pacing and depth of penetration. Your big belly won’t get in the way, and your breasts won’t get smushed.

Since, chances are your boobs are sore away, that’s something else you want to avoid.

Use the sensitivity of your breasts to your advantage right now. The cowgirl position gives your partner easy access to your breasts.

Related Post: The Ultimate Third Trimester Checklist to Prepare for Labor and a Newborn

2. Doggy Style

Another one of the best sex positions to induce labor is doggy style. There are many ways to do this, such as leaning on a couch or chair.

Penetration from behind is comfortable for most pregnant women because your big belly won’t get in the way!

Your partner will need to be considerate and understand that deep penetration might be uncomfortable.

3. Hovering Butterfly

If you have good balance or support yourself against a wall, hovering butterfly is a great sex position to induce labor. It’s also a great position to receive oral sex since women should avoid being flat on their backs.

Related Post: What is Midwives Brew & Does it Work to Induce Labor?

4. Masturbating

While sperm helps to soften your cervix, oxytocin from orgasms is the real key to inducing labor. That means masturbation, including side-by-side masturbation, is a great way to induce labor without getting physical.

Sex is exhausting at the end of pregnancy! Sometimes, finding a position where you feel comfortable and can orgasm feels like searching for the Holy Grail.

Don’t feel bad; this happens!

5. Reverse Cowgirl

Flip that Cowgirl around! This sex position gives you the same benefits as the traditional position; you have full control, and it’s quite comfortable, even in the final weeks of pregnancy.

The benefit of using reverse cowgirl is that it stimulates your clitoris more, making it more likely for you to have an orgasm.

The better you orgasm, the more likely uterine contractions will start!

Related Post: 29 Things About the Moments After Delivery That All New Moms Should Know

6. Spooning

Spooning is one of the most comfortable sex positions in late pregnancy. This position is when both partners lay down, and the woman is penetrated from the side.

Laying on your side is one of the position comfortable ways to lie down, and it takes pressure off your back and uterus.

The only downfall to using this position is that it doesn’t allow for deep penetration, but for some women, that’s preferred in late pregnancy.

When to Avoid Having Sex During Pregnancy

If you’re worried that sexual intercourse will cause problems at the end of pregnancy, talk to your doctor. It’s normal to worry that it might trigger labor to start sooner than expected.

Don’t be surprised if you experience some minor contractions after an orgasm. This is normal, but in most cases, they won’t continue beyond an hour or two after sex.

If you have a history of premature labor or issues with your placenta, your doctor might recommend that you avoid sexual intercourse at the end of pregnancy.


Even though doctors might not be able to prove that sex works to induce labor, it’s safe to try! Try these different sex positions to induce labor and remember that it’s all about the orgasm for you!

Are you tempted to try to induce labor naturally? Sex is one of the safest things to try; use these best sex positions to induce labor!
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