For couples who prize intimacy and close contact when they make love, side-by-side sex positions give maximum opportunity for cuddling, caressing and kissing.
Most couples like to bring variety into their sex lives by using sex positions that suit their mood at the time. And for couples who make love several times a week, lovemaking can range from the warm and intimate to the highly adventurous.
Athletic sex positions which require the couple to be fit and supple can be highly enjoyable from time to time, but they do have their drawbacks. Many of the more adventurous positions, while providing stimulation in new and different ways, are often tiring and are rarely romantic.
Positions for intimacy
Side-entry sex positions allow for maximum body contact, are restful, and are ideal for occasions when intimacy is the order of the day. They are particularly useful when one or both partners are tired, or when the woman is pregnant.
In many of the side-entry positions the man is able to cuddle his partner, and his hands are free to caress her. And for the couple who like their lovemaking to be accompanied by words of love, these are among the best sex positions for intimate conversation.
Side-by-side sex positions give you plenty of scope to massage and stroke your partner – and the skin-on-skin contact is great.
‘Spoons’ position
The best known of these sex positions is known as the ‘spoons’. This is an exceptionally good position to use during pregnancy because the woman’s stomach can lie flat on the bed and it is very restful for her in the last few months of pregnancy.
The couple lie on their sides with the man cuddling into the woman’s back as she draws her knees up towards her stomach. He then tucks into her and penetrates her.
Penetration can be very good, especially if the woman angles her body down towards her feet and the man can, in a limited way, make thrusting movements. He can reach around and stimulate her clitoris or she can open her legs and do so herself. He can also reach round and caress her breasts and stomach and, at the same time, kiss her neck and back. The area of skin contact is extensive and this can be very romantic and sensuous.
It is a very pleasant position for the couple who like to fall asleep after sex – in fact, it is quite possible to go to sleep with the penis still in the vagina.
Side-by-side sex positions need not be rear-entry. Try rolling over from missionary position sex to slow the pace and share control of your lovemaking.
Variations
A variation on this position is for the woman, once penetrated, to roll over on to her back a little and to place one leg over the upper leg of the man. This opens up her vulva considerably and leaves her clitoris available for her or her partner to caress. She now has both hands free to caress herself, or her lover.
Her stomach is totally free, again making this position good for late on in pregnancy. Penetration can be good but not exceptionally deep, and any thrusting movement is somewhat restricted.
From the woman’s point of view it is restful and she can stimulate herself and her partner’s scrotum. In some women the man’s penis stimulates the G spot in this position, giving extra sensations.
A further variation is when the couple lie on their sides facing one another. The woman draws up her legs to her chest and opens them widely. The man then enters her while the woman folds her legs around his back. She also cuddles him around the shoulders with her arms.
Penetration can be very good but movement is somewhat restricted. The couple can kiss very easily and passionately. There is a lot of skin contact and this can make the couple feel very much ‘at one’ with each other.
This position is not suitable for very overweight people or for women who are pregnant.
Side-entry position
One of the best lovemaking positions of all is a side-entry one. The woman lies on her back and the man on his side at right angles to her body. The woman can then draw her thighs back towards her stomach while he enters her as he lies underneath her.
Penetration is deep and movement can be good, but not excellent. It is another restful position during pregnancy or for the larger woman. Both partners can reach the woman’s clitoris to stimulate it and the man can caress most parts of her body, including her breasts. The only real disadvantage is that they cannot kiss.
It is a good position for a ‘quickie’ because it involves very little undressing. It is also good for conceiving, especially if the woman remains with her legs in the drawn-back position for a few minutes after intercourse. The woman can also reach the man’s scrotum.
The anus of both partners is accessible for those who like anal stimulation and it is a good position for inexperienced women who have difficulty having orgasms during intercourse.
Levels of penetration
A further position is achieved when the woman lies on her side, turning slightly on to her front and supporting her top half with her forearms on the bed. The man cuddles into her back just as in the spoons positions, then puts his upper leg over her hips as he penetrates her.
It is a pleasant position for the man to be able to caress the woman’s back with one hand, but she can do very little. Penetration is not especially good because her legs are fairly straight, but he is allowed quite good movement.
By drawing her knees up to her stomach she can increase penetration, but the position then converts into the more restful and satisfactory ‘spoons’.
This sex position is also ideal for a woman who is making love for the first time after she has given birth. It is a time when a woman may be wary of deep penetration, especially if she has had an episiotomy. Also, she may have tender breasts if she is breastfeeding.
She can start off making love with her legs fairly straight, thus limiting penetration, and, as her confidence grows, she can draw her knees up. But at all times she will be in control and this can ease any fears she may have.