Add a Little Spice to the Holidays With These Safe Sex Tips
As the temperatures outside are starting to drop, are things heating up between you and your partner? The transition from fall to winter might mean more holiday celebrations to attend, tasty seasonal flavors to try, and cold nights to spend cozied up with your special person.
But in all the fun of the season, especially the fun you’re having with your partner, remember to always keep safe sex practices in mind. STIs don’t take holiday vacations. The threat of pregnancy doesn’t lower just because the temperatures do. Keeping yourself and your partner protected throughout the holidays is the greatest gift you can give to one another.
Keeping It Spicy With Safe Sex
Safe sex—or, really, safer sex—can sound boring, but there’s no reason it should be! Adding safer sex practices to the bedroom shouldn’t take away from the pleasure and enjoyment for yourself and the man in your life. If anything, it should add more peace of mind and deepen the connection between you two.
Safe Sex vs. Safer Sex
We commonly refer to the practice of shielding against STIs and pregnancy as “safe sex.” But that phrase is a little misleading. Those who are sexually active can be as careful as humanly possible and lower their risk of pregnancy or infection significantly, but never completely. There is always a chance, even a tiny one, of a sperm reaching the uterus or a virus finding its way from one person to another, even with barriers or birth control solutions in place. Condoms can break. Birth control schedules can get interrupted. IUDs and vaginal rings can fail for whatever reason.
Unless you practice abstinence, 100% safe sex is just not possible.
That said, barriers like condoms and birth control solutions like hormone pills, rings, injections, or IUDs still greatly reduce the risks of sex. If you want to have sex with way less danger, safer sex is the way to go!
Tips for Having Safer Sex During the Holidays
Whether you and your guy are going out of town for the holidays or you’re staying in all season long, be sure to follow these sex tips for a safer but still spicy time:
Bring Condoms
Condoms are quite literally the catchall method for safer sex. Not only do they work to prevent sperm from entering the uterus and potentially leading to pregnancy, but they also act as a barrier against any viruses or bacteria that may be present on the skin or the fluids of yourself or your partner.
When you want a comprehensive solution for safer sex, reach for the condom.
Tips for Condom Use
- The size of a male condom does matter for comfort, safety, and performance – the wrong size can tear, fall off, or lead to circulation issues. Be sure your man has access to the right size for him.
- Female condoms are highly effective, although slightly less effective than male condoms. Since they are looser than male condoms, there is the possibility of one slipping when in use. Stop intercourse and correct it if you feel it move out of place.
- Use lube – condoms add more friction, which can be painful. Add lube for a more enjoyable experience.
Use Birth Control
From birth control pills to injections, vaginal rings, implants, and IUDs, there are several options to protect yourself from the possibility of becoming pregnant. Talk with your doctor about your options to find the right solution for you.
Have Emergency Contraception on Hand
It’s always wise to have a backup plan in case of an emergency. Have a morning-after pill like Plan B One-Step on hand just in case something with your regular birth control method goes wrong.
Possible Reasons to Need Plan B
- The condom broke.
- You forgot to take your regular birth control pill.
- You didn’t insert this month’s vaginal ring.
- You failed to receive your most recently scheduled birth control injection.
- You didn’t use any protection before having sex.
Get Tested for STIs
One way to better protect your health and the health of your partner is to get tested for STIs. Infections can go under the radar for weeks, months, years, or even an entire lifetime. But just because you or the person you are with show no symptoms or signs of infection, viruses, bacteria, or parasites can still spread.
It’s always best to be informed. If you both go into the holiday season knowing each other’s STI status, you can a.) seek effective treatment or begin management, if necessary, and b.) take appropriate steps to avoid any further spread.
Common STIs to Be Weary Of
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Trichomoniasis
- HSV 1 and 2 (Herpes)
- HIV
- Hepatitis B and C
- HPV
The team at Women’s Clinic of Atlanta offers birth control solutions and thorough STI screening so that you can stay safer this holiday season.
Protect yourself while still having fun with your partner throughout the next few months with help from Women’s Clinic of Atlanta. Our medical professionals can start you on the birth control that is right for you, including the pill or Depo-Provera injections. We also offer full-panel STI screenings to inform you of your status and help you find treatment or management if infected.
Schedule a birth control consultation or STI screening by texting “appointment” to 404-777-4771 today.
Women’s Clinic of Atlanta is HIPAA compliant and AAAHC accredited.
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