Sunday News (Zimbabwe)

I no longer enjoy sex!

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MY boyfriend and I were going to have sex for the first time the other day. It was my first time but he has done it before. I was not nervous or anything but he couldn’t get in at all. Why did this happen? Reply You need to be relaxed and before your boyfriend tries to enter you, it is good to start by having foreplay, like touching, kissing, masturbati­ng each other or having oral sex. All of these things help you to feel excited. Some positions might be easier than others too if you experiment with different positions, don’t keep trying one if it’s a painful one. It is also possible that your hymen has not stretched yet and this is why you have not been able to have sex.

It may also be because of tight vaginal muscles in response to sex. This is called vaginismus: an involuntar­y spasm of vaginal muscles. It sometimes happens when a person is feeling worried about having sex, is not really sure if it’s the right thing to do, or is worried about the risk of pregnancy. If you can’t insert a finger or tampon in your vagina it would be a good idea to see a doctor and have an examinatio­n and find out if there is any hymen there or if there is another cause, such as vaginismus. The best place to try would be a family planning or sexual health clinic, but any doctor you feel comfortabl­e would be fine. If you are thinking about having sex, you also need to think about protecting yourself from STIs and unwanted pregnancy.

I don’t know what is wrong with me. I have never enjoyed sex and I don’t feel a thing. Am I normal? Reply Sexual experience­s reflect the connection of the mind and the body. What goes on in the mind is affected not only by what is going on sexually and non- sexually between the partners, but by everything that has gone on in a woman’s life. Sometimes even experience­s from childhood can be relevant. This means that what you feel when your body is being stimulated by your partner depends not only on the partner’s skill, gentleness, care and ability to be guided by your needs, but also by what is going on in your mind while this is going on. Is your mind settled? Were you once raped? Were you raised by parents who taught you that sex is bad? All these and more could be the reason you don’t enjoy sex. Go to the doctor to find out what’s wrong with you.

My boyfriend and I have been together for three years. We break up and make up all the time. We love each other and are happy together, but our sex life has become monotonous; the same thing every time, and it’s over rather quickly. I try but he is not even trying to make it work. Is he just not that into me anymore or is there anything I can do to make us both feel sexy again? — Bored. Reply You care for each other, but it sounds as if you have become more like good friends than lovers. Sometimes relationsh­ips go through periods where there is little or no sex, but usually there is a reason such as exhaustion after the birth of a baby, a stressful job, Send your sms to 0773111328 or 0772115830 or write to Sis Noe, Sunday News, Box 585, Bulawayo. You can also follow Sis Noe on http://sisnoe. blogspot.com

Dear readers Please note that Sis Noe is not a medical doctor but an elderly woman who has almost seen it all. She is a mother, grandmothe­r, great-grandmothe­r and aunt to many people. Those that require medical attention please visit the nearest clinic or hospital. Sis Noe is flattered by your confidence in her. Bombard her with social issues/problems — she will be of much help to you.

redundancy or a death in the family. Maybe after getting back together it felt exciting at first, but that has not been sustained. You need to discuss this with your boyfriend, and find out why he no longer responds when you try to recapture your exciting sex life. It may be that part of him wants to play the field, and maybe you do too. If he is not prepared to try to reignite your sex life, I don’t think this relationsh­ip has a future.

My girlfriend has a temper and thinks nothing of insulting me. In private and in public, I am repeatedly told that I am stupid and fat, yet she still expects me to rise to the occasion and make her happy. Other people don’t have relationsh­ips like this. What am I doing wrong? Reply It sounds like it’s time for some home truths. Firstly, your partner needs to hear that unless she stops acting like a brat, this relationsh­ip is over. Secondly, you need to ask yourself why you have been putting up with this treatment. Choose your moment, be calm but firm and read her the riot act. By standing up for yourself, you may win back her respect and she may change her tune. Alternativ­ely, you might find the self- respect and confidence needed to end this relationsh­ip and find someone who deserves you. Hi Sis Noe I was a virgin but I did not bleed when I had sex with my husband. Reply Not all women bleed when they have sex for the first time. Vaginal bleeding from first time intercours­e typically occurs when a woman’s hymen tears. The hymen is a thin layer of tissue that covers part of a woman’s vaginal entrance. Although the tissue itself is thin, it is filled with blood vessels — that is why tearing the hymen can lead to bleeding. Among women who notice bleeding when they first have sex, some notice only a small amount of bleeding and others notice a significan­t amount. However, some girls are not born with much hymen tissue at all and so when they are older and have vaginal intercours­e for the first time, they don’t notice much bleeding, if they notice any at all. Other times girls are born with a typical amount of hymen but the hymen tears during childhood or adolescenc­e without them even realising it. A young woman may tear her hymen while washing her vagina by inserting her finger or fingers or another object. Also, a young woman may tear her hymen while being fingered by her partner as part of sex play. Even tampon use may help to wear away parts of the hymen over time. Sports that require a lot of leg work, running, riding a bicycle can cause the hymen to tear. In other words, there are several reasons why you did not bleed during your first sexual intercours­e but that doesn’t mean that you were not a virgin. I hope this is helpful.

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