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Masturbation During Pregnancy Is A Thing—I Would Know


Considering the various benefits of female masturbation, it should come as no surprise that pregnant women—especially those that see an increase in libido—continue to masturbate. Typically, some of those benefits include “relaxation, anxiety and stress reduction, and intimacy with a partner (such as during mutual masturbation),” says Dr. Millheiser.

During months when a lot of things may not feel so good—let’s hear it for morning sickness, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, heartburn, hemorrhoids, constipation, and headaches—self-pleasure doesn’t need a justification. “I literally just masturbated because I was that horny during pregnancy,” says Angela, 38. “I probably did it every day during my third trimester and still had sex with my husband that night.” Sarah, 39, agrees. “During my second pregnancy, all of my appetites were increased,” she says. “I probably masturbated a couple of times a week, in addition to having sex with my husband.”

Is Masturbation During Pregnancy Safe?

In most cases, masturbating during pregnancy is perfectly safe. “In general, a woman cannot hurt the baby during masturbation,” Millheiser says. “However, placing sex toys inside of the vagina during masturbation should be avoided if conditions such as preterm cervical dilation, preterm premature rupture of membranes, vaginal bleeding, abnormal positioning of the placenta, or preterm contractions and labor are present.”

Hearing this came as a real relief. Before this pregnancy, I suffered a miscarriage. And like so many women, I questioned every little thing in fear that it might happen again. “I had suffered a miscarriage prior to my pregnancy and I knew that an orgasm was a ‘wee little contraction,’ so I made my ob-gyn swear on his life that orgasming wouldn’t make me lose this totally viable, healthy pregnancy,” says Sarah, 39. “I probably asked him nine times and didn’t even care if he and his nurses talked about the weird horny lady after I left my appointments.”

I know what she meant; when I masturbated early on in pregnancy, I could feel my uterus contracting and it freaked me out for sure—but since Millheiser confirmed that a woman cannot hurt the baby during masturbation, I tried to stress about it less. I also spoke to my own doctor about my situation—something that all pregnant women should do—who echoed Millheiser’s words.

Masturbating during pregnancy is a regular routine for me—and many other women. With as much as goes on in our bodies and minds during pregnancy, masturbating is something within a our control to make ourselves feel a little better. And, honestly, anything that helps me relax, quiet my anxious brain, and lets me fall asleep quickly is something I will certainly continue to do.

Irina Gonzalez is an editor and freelance writer based in Florida covering parenting, recovery, and Latinx culture. Follow her on Instagram @msirinagonzalez.





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Prince Harry Reportedly ‘Cut Off’ Some of His Close Friends During Meghan Markle's Pregnancy


Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step down as senior members of the British royal family has obviously had tremendous ripple effects across the monarchy and the media. There has been an emergency summit with the queen, public statements refuting “bullying”, and so many rumors about how this all went down and exactly why the Sussexes wanted to carve out a “progressive new role” for themselves within the monarchy.

A source recently told People that Prince Harry “cut off” some of his close friends “about six months” into Markle’s pregnancy with baby Archie, who was born in May. “Most no longer even have his cell number,” the source said. “They totally understand that men often drift from their friends after marriage, but there’s still a lot of resentment because they had been so close for so long.”

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Obviously, there could be a million reasons for this—assuming it’s even true. Who among us has not grown apart from friends we had in our youth, especially as lives start to diverge and people start their own families? It’s a totally natural (and not at all shady) thing to have happen. People also notes that the Duke of Sussex is still very close with his pal Charlie van Straubenzee. They attended each other’s weddings, and van Straubenzee is rumored to be one of Archie’s godparents. (In one of their many moves to do things differently, the Sussexes did not release the names of the godparents.)

While we await final decisions about the details regarding what Prince Harry and Markle’s future will look like as they divide time between the U.K. and North America, the duchess was spotted out and about visiting Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre on January 14, and Harry is scheduled to appear at an event at Buckingham Palace tomorrow (January 16).



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Pregnancy Skin Care: Best Tips for a Pregnancy-Safe Routine


My skin is still adjusting to pregnancy life, so I’m trying to give myself a little grace that this is just part of the process. I certainly don’t have a pregnancy glow, more like a few hormonal acne spots and undereye bags. I have had lots of issues with nausea and exhaustion, so I don’t have the energy to stand at the sink and do a long skin care routine. Three to five minutes, and I need to be done.

I’ve always been obsessed with beauty products. My pre-pregnancy skin care routine was pretty intense. I would try new brands and products every few weeks. If it was new and trending, I wanted in.

But with pregnancy, you have to be careful about what might be harmful to you and baby. Early on during my pregnancy I learned that I had to stop using tea tree oil, which I used faithfully on my breakouts, because it could potentially send me into early labor. It’s a muscle relaxant, and my doctor immediately alerted me that the scent alone could be a trigger.

Finding products that are safe and useful during pregnancy can be tough, so my pregnancy skin care philosophy became “get back to basics.” Clinique’s 3-Step System was one of my go-tos, since it had worked for me in high school when I had crazy hormonal outbreaks. I also indulged in my fair share of vitamin E oil. I really liked Nature’s Truth. The oil really helped with the extreme dry skin that pregnancy brought on.

That was probably the biggest change I had to deal with–I found that throughout each trimester, my face slowly became more and more dry. So every few weeks I found myself adding more moisture to my skincare regimen. I vividly remember my skin feeling rough and scaly the last week of my first trimester. It was so hard to camouflage the changes, especially because I kept my pregnancy a secret until 16 weeks. [Triena’s son, Brave, was born in late October 2019.] I indulged in facial masks, steam sessions, and heavy creams and oils. The Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator was one of my favorites.

My favorite part of my pregnancy was my second trimester. It was primetime! I had the mom-to-be glow, and my skin tone was even and radiant. I felt beautiful.

Aadilah Tootla Saley, founder of South African modest apparel brand Zaynah

I have always been a firm believer in taking care of my skin through nutrition. Vitamins and raw foods are the best ingredients for hydrated, youthful glow. And eating a clean, balanced diet—including a lot of greens and protein—has always contributed to my skin being clear and bright. In the morning, I have a green smoothie with spinach, cucumber, green apple, and vegan protein powder. After my workout I usually have eggs. Lunch and dinner consist of fish or chicken, rice and broccoli. In between I eat plenty of fruit, and I keep away from dairy. I also take a marine collagen with vitamin C. I actually started my own supplement brand, called FitForce, to get the exact mix I like. It really makes a difference.

This is my second pregnancy, and my skin is still pretty clear and glowing, but relatively dry compared to normal. I don’t have specific brands I’m loyal to—I change it up depending on how my skin feels. But I do always use a face wash and a konjac sponge, followed by an SPF. At night, I use a cream and I add a lemon anti-bacterial night serum to deal with my skin dryness.

Sara Gaynes Levy is a writer in New York City. Follow her on Instagram @saragayneslevy.





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Meghan Markle Just Shared Some Never-Before-Seen Pregnancy Photos


Meghan Markle announced on Tuesday that, in addition to guest-editing the September issue of British Vogue, she’s been hard at work on another special project. Later this year she’s
launching a workwear collection with four brands—Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw, and Misha Nonoo—to benefit her patronage Smart Works, a U.K. charity that helps unemployed women get back into the work force.

On Wednesday, Markle provided a little more insight into the effort by sharing several photos of visits she made to Smart Works while she was pregnant with Baby Archie, whom she gave birth to in May. The images were posted to the official Sussex Royal Instagram account, and the caption states that Markle was moved by the “impactful work” she saw when she met with the charity. The organization not only helps women get the skills they need to feel job-ready, it also provides them with donated clothes they can use in their place of business. This is where Markle thought she could help.

“Throughout her visits she noticed that while the donations were plentiful, they were also notably a combination of mismatched items and colors which weren’t always the right stylistic choices or sizes that didn’t necessarily ‘suit’ the job at hand: to make a woman feel confident and inspired as she walked into her job interview,” the Instagram caption reads. “As a result, launching this autumn, The Duchess will be supporting a collective to help equip the women of Smart Works with the key workwear essentials they need as they enter into the workplace.”

The photos show Markle hugging women involved in the charity, rifling through the available clothing options, and sitting in meeting rooms with Smart Works personnel. The images are proof of how hard Markle was working even while she was pregnant. “Not only does this allow us to be part of each other’s story; it reminds us we are in it together,” Markle wrote in Vogue.





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Alabama Woman Charged With Manslaughter—For Losing a Pregnancy After Getting Shot


Late last year Marshae Jones, a 28-year-old living in Alabama, was shot in the stomach during a dispute with 23-year-old Ebony Jemison. At the time of the shooting, Jones was five months pregnant. Although she survived, the fetus did not. And this week she found herself in court over the incident. It was there that a Jefferson County grand jury indicted her for manslaughter—of the fetus.

Jones was booked into jail on a $50,000 bond, according to authorities. The police argued that since Jones allegedly started the fight, Jemison only shot her in self-defense. And because Jones failed to get herself out of the situation, they reasoned, she’s culpable for what happened. (Police initially charged Jemison with manslaughter for the death of the fetus, but unlike in Jones’s case, she was ultimately not indicted, according to al.com.)

“The only true victim in this was the unborn baby,” Lieutenant Danny Reid of the Pleasant Grove Police Department said after the shooting in December, al.com reported. “It was the mother of the child who initiated and continued the fight which resulted in the death of her own unborn baby.”

This case comes in the midst of a heated national debate over a woman’s right to choose and whether a fetus should “count” as a person under the law. But it’s no surprise that this case is taking place in Alabama. Last month Alabama voted to pass the most severe restrictions on abortion nationwide. And 25 Republican male state senators passed a bill outlawing abortion from the moment of conception onward, without provisions for cases of even rape or incest. Doctors who perform the procedure could also be punished with life in prison. Alabama governor Kay Ivey, a Republican, then signed the bill into law. While it’s uncertain if the bill will go into effect, it sets up a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade—the apparent goal of recent state-sponsored abortion restrictions.

Alabama is also one of the 38 states that has fetal homicide laws. In other words, in cases of violence against a pregnant woman, the fetus is recognized as a victim. That means a woman can be prosecuted if it’s believed she precipitated a miscarriage.

“When a five-month pregnant woman initiates a fight and attacks another person, I believe some responsibility lies with her as to any injury to her unborn child,” Reid also added. “That child is dependent on its mother to try to keep it from harm, and she shouldn’t seek out unnecessary physical altercations.”



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How 'Life in Pieces' Is Tackling Pregnancy With a Realness Rarely Seen on Sitcoms


A woman pooping during childbirth isn’t something you expect to see on television. It’s definitely not something you expect to see on a network comedy. In fact, there’s only one sitcom I can think of that’s done it: Life in Pieces, when it premiered on CBS in 2015. “I got a lot of feedback from that episode,” Zoe Lister-Jones tells Glamour of the scene where her character, Jen, gives birth. “It was so unabashedly real about what labor is really like…the things that don’t get talked about. I have to say, my friends really loved seeing that.”

Now in its fourth season—which premieres today—the show’s executive producer and writer Barbie Adler want to keep that moment going, by continually showing the humor in these very real situations. A lot of that comes from Jen’s storyline. She’s pregnant again—and though she’s been on this journey before, there’s plenty of new material Adler wanted to explore.

“There’s an episode about food sensitivities and smells for Jen, and I went through it with my husband,” Adler says. She drew from her own pregnancy for the episode; for a time, she couldn’t be around her spouse, Life in Pieces creator Justin Adler, because she was so sensitive to smell. “That’s just a miserable part of pregnancy, and it can last a long time. It causes tension in a relationship. The woman is pregnant, but the partner feels pressures as well and obviously he can’t quite voice that when she’s vomiting on the floor.”

Zoe Lister-Jones stars opposite Colin Hanks on Life in Pieces.

Ron P. Jaffe/CBS

Other topics this season include a leaky bladder, hot flashes, and what happens when a relative walks in on an exposed breast. “They’re just about as real as it gets,” Adler says of the storylines. “Jen has a really strong sense of humor about the circumstances. You’ve got no choice but to go with it when you sneeze or cough and pee comes out. Those things happen!”

It’s also why, four seasons in, Lister-Jones is still loving the role of Jen. “There’s a lot of truth to what we’re playing,” she says. “The more that these parts of women’s lives are represented authentically, the better. Telling the realities of pregnancy or motherhood or marriage in a way that feels relevant and unapologetic is always exciting.”

And as long as the audience keeps tuning in, Adler is happy to draw from her own life to make women feel less alone. “You want to feel what you’re writing is funny but can connect to people. I had miserable pregnancies. During each one there wasn’t a moment where I felt it was beautiful and my body was changing in a wonderful way,” she says, laughing. “I had seen so many portrayals of perfect pregnancies, and I was like, ‘No, that’s not what happened to me.’ It’s gratifying to know I wasn’t the only person that went through that.”

Birth class and delivery simulation

“There’s so many ways that people are making their families,” executive producer and writer Barbie Adler says. “It was important for me to show the different experiences.”

Erik Voake/CBS

It’s also why Adler and the team are excited to give a voice to women—and men—who are experiencing fertility issues. Colleen and Matt (played by Angelique Cabral and Thomas Sadoski) explore adoption this season, among other twists and turns in their journey to parenthood. “There’s so many ways that people are making their families,” Adler says. “For some people it comes with such ease, while others have had heartache for five or 10 years. It was important for me to show the different experiences and finding the light at the end of the tunnel, even if the tunnel keeps getting blocked by a boulder. You just keep finding options. Most important, these couples have each other to get them through it.”

Jessica Radloff is Glamour’s West Coast editor.



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