How to Be Natural In the Bedroom With Organic Personal Lubricant

We are all adult mamas here so let’s have an adult conversation about how to be natural in the bedroom with organic personal lubricant and contraceptives. Many a magazine talks about the importance of foreplay and technique in the bedroom, but all of us tired mamas can probably agree that while those are great tools, they are not of utmost importance during this season of having small children. Intimacy is an important part of a marriage or committed relationship but having minimal energy and dealing with some of the changes that occur in our bodies postpartum make it a new jungle to explore. Having the right organic or natural products on hand can make a huge difference in comfort during intercourse.

So don’t be shy, read on!

Organic Personal Lubricant

There are two ways natural lubrication occurs in a woman’s body. First, through arousal and second, when she is ovulating. Due to hormone levels during breastfeeding, women often have vaginal dryness that no amount of arousal can hydrate. Ideally, you and your partner will have time to warm up your bodies to produce natural lubrication every time you engage in sex but when that isn’t practical, having an organic personal lubricant that works well and isn’t harmful to your body is the next best thing. When you are ovulating and considering intercourse, you probably need to consult your family plan, or else you will likely end up pregnant. It is an unfortunate truth for those of us avoiding pregnancy--when no amount of foreplay produces lubrication, it means we are very unlikely to get pregnant (or we are breastfeeding and could get pregnant unexpectedly!). It also means painful intercourse without a little help from a trusted organic personal lubricant!

Like nearly every conventional personal care product on the market, natural personal lubricants contain parabens. Parabens act like estrogen and disrupt your endocrine function. They are found in nearly everyone’s urine thanks to how readily our bodies absorb the parabens from every product we use. I try to avoid all parabens, but I want to avoid them in something like a natural personal lubricant since it goes inside the body, not just on it where the skin will absorb them.

Many commercial personal lubricants are petroleum based. You know what petroleum is, right? It is a fossil fuel. From my research, I found that petroleum jelly may or may not be all that dangerous, but it is not natural. Thus, you may or may not care to avoid petroleum in your personal lubricant but good luck finding a product that doesn’t have parabens (which are obviously bad for you) but does have a petroleum base. They seem to come as a pair.

If you are trying to get pregnant, then some commercial personal lubricants can be harmful to sperm. You will likely want to consider an alternative or one that has been researched and proven not to harm sperm as much. From my research, the commercial product that did the least amount of damage to sperm was Pre-Seed. If you are struggling with fertility, it may be more important to have a trustworthy product that doesn’t reduce your chances of pregnancy than it is to avoid the toxins of the personal lubricant.

Coconut Oil: An Organic Personal Lubricant

Coconut oil personal lubricant was the very first option recommended by all my mama friends after my first baby. I’ve personally tried it, and I am not a fan, but if it works for you, it is natural and organic options are readily available.

The Pros: Using unrefined, organic coconut oil means you will not be absorbing any harmful chemicals at all. It is long-lasting. This would be a multi-purpose product in your home, and it has a long shelf life.

The Cons: If you use latex condoms, which would be the second most natural condom option, coconut oil can degrade the latex and rupture it. This would expose you to STDs or pregnancy. Coconut oil is said to be anti-microbial. This means it creates an unfavorable environment for bacteria and fungi to grow. This sounds like a great benefit, but your vagina creates its perfectly balanced flora of organisms. Using coconut oil could disrupt this and lead to bacterial vaginosis or a yeast overgrowth.

Conclusion: Many women use coconut oil and are very happy with it. Most likely you have it in your home so you can give it a whirl and decide for yourself.

Natural or Organic Personal Lubricant

For many years, there were not many organic personal lubricants to choose from. Now there are quite a few!

Aloe Cadabra is a natural option that is not organic, but it has a pretty clean ingredient list. I purchased it on Thrive for the best price. 

The unscented version is the way to go based on the reviews--apparently, the fragrance kinds can be irritating. It is compatible with latex and other condom materials. There are no studies currently on the effect it has on sperm.

Sustain Organic Lubricant is a brand of unscented lubricant that has minimal ingredients and a relatively good reputation for being long-lasting. There is nothing profound about its performance but it is reliable, and the company donates money for each purchase. They also have a subscription option so you can get the lubricant and/or fair-trade, NON-GMO latex condoms. The products are widely available too at Target and Whole Foods in many cities.

Certified Organic Yes brand lubricants look incredibly promising. I have not personally tried them, but they have fertility-friendly personal lubricants, water-based, plant-based, oil based and more!  The reviews seem great. They seem to be a niche company, so they specialize in just lubricants (and personal wash). One thing to remember is that water-based products must contain a preservative of some kind to prevent mold growth. It is possible for the company to avoid specifying the preservative they used since it makes up a small percentage of the total ingredients. 

Good Clean Love brand lubricants are my top choice. The basic unscented kind would be my number one recommendation for the breastfeeding mama battling hormone-induced vaginal dryness. They also sell several other products like Vanilla Chai Body Candy with an ingredient list like Avocado Butter, Shea Butter, Organic Jojoba Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, Coconut Oil, Essential Oil Blend, Tocopherol, Agave. You have to appreciate a company that doesn’t just do the basics naturally but also offer more creative options for those who want them! One of the main reasons Good Clean Love is the top pick for me is the small bottle size.

Minimal ingredient lists mean the product is more likely to go rancid, become contaminated from normal use or grow mold. I prefer to throw out my bottle every month. Doing that with a large bottle would be even more wasteful!

Firefly Organics is one of the very first organic lubricant options to hit the market. It comes highly recommended by many individuals and public figures. It boasts about being approved of by "Playboy, " and it is recommended by dermatologists. It is also one of the most expensive options for higher shipping. It is a larger bottle, and it definitely grows fungus no matter how hard you try to keep organisms from touching the opening. Thus, you may spend more and throw away more with this product. Luckily, the performance is well worth it. It could be a game-changer if you are really struggling with getting your body to respond to intimacy. 

Sustain is a brand of condoms that are fair trade, vegan and free of any additional chemicals that may be harmful. One big factor with the Sustain latex condoms is the lack of odor. Many latex condoms have a strong odor and dry powder that can be irritating and unpleasant. These are unlike any other latex condom I’ve encountered.

There are several other brands like Glyde and Sir Richard’s that are latex but avoid additional chemicals. Sustain is the only brand recommended for individuals with latex sensitivity (not latex allergy).

Natural Lambskin or Sheepskin Condoms

Lambskin or Sheepskin condoms are made from the intestine of the lamb. They do not protect against STDs but can prevent pregnancy. If latex is not an option for you, then lambskin may be. They are obviously not vegan. They might be free from chemicals but the lambs themselves may not be humanely or ethically cared for...if this is an issue that concerns you. I have no personal experience with these as they are hard to find, expensive to ship and the thought of using an animal’s intestine just goes beyond my comfort zone.

Spermicides and Other Natural Contraceptive Products

Conventional spermicide is in no way a safe, non-toxic option of preventing pregnancy. It also isn’t that effective with a 10-20% failure rate. There are some DIY options out there like using lemon juice or lactic acid (think juice from fermented veggies like pickles or cabbage). I probably won't ever try those and let you know how they work but if YOU do--please report back! I’m genuinely curious.

One vegan brand called Contragel lists only these ingredients: 5 All Natural Ingredients

Water
Lactic Acid
Sodium Lactate
Methyl Cellulose
Sorbic Acid
It may or may not be worth trying. It must be used with a cervical cap. The company that sells Contragel also sells FemCap--a cervical cap made of silicone. This looks like a great natural option if you are already a fan of spermicide and the cervical cap.

The Ultimate Natural Contraceptive

Natural Family Planning, the Rhythm method, etc is a great natural way to prevent pregnancy. It does require some education and diligence. I recommend reading Take Charge of Your Fertility. I personally have this OvaCue monitor and use the mobile app that was made as a collaboration between TCOYF and OvaCue. This option works best for me because I am still breastfeeding and none of my children sleep solidly through the night. To use just a basal thermometer you need to have slept at least 5 hours before taking your morning temperature for optimal accuracy. I never stay still for 5 hours during the night so this method would never work for me. OvaCue reads the electrolytes from my mouth and vagina to determine when I am ovulating. So far, it has given me great peace of mind and my husband and I have been able to eliminate all toxins and chemicals related to sex and pregnancy prevention.

Hope you aren't overwhelmed with the options. Did I miss any that you have considered?

Thanks for reading!