15 married couples reveal how often they really do have sex
It's no secret that the longer a couple is together, the less sex they're likely to have. At the beginning of a relationship, there are few things more exciting than exploring your new partner's body and getting to know their likes and dislikes. Once the honeymoon phase is over, however, sex becomes, well, a little less exciting and as a result, people are "doing it" less.
That's not to say that married couples can't have healthy sex lives - far from it. But as anyone in a long-term relationship will tell you, most couples tend to settle into a routine in the bedroom. That's why introducing toys or trying out new positions is so exciting for those who've been together for a while. You remember what made it so good in the first place.
To shed light on how often long-term couples are getting down and dirty, one Reddit user asked married couples how often they have sex and the results are surprising, to say the least. One thing's for sure, no two married couples are the same in the bedroom. In fact, if these Redditor's experiences are anything to go by, some married couples are having more sex than new ones!
1. I think we can all relate to this couple
"At least once on the weekends and about two times during the week on average. It really just depends how tired we are during the week when we get home. Some weeks we don't have any. I've been married eight years."
2. The couple who are still at it like rabbits
"I'm 27 and my wife is 31, and we have three children. Our 10th anniversary is next month. We do it every day. Rarely it slips to every other night if we're busy, but never a longer gap then that. One time she was mad and we didn't do it for about 13 days. I thought that was the worst."
3. A more suitable amount of sex for most people
"No kids, married five years, [we have sex] four times a week. We have been together for a total of eight years with dating included."
4. I guess less is more!
"Married one year. Twice a month."
5. For some, the stereotype lives up to its reputation
"No kids, [we got] married young. Year one: eight times a week. Year two: five times a week. Year three: three times a week. Year four: once a week. Year five: three times a month. Year six: twice a month."
6. This couple only slows down when they've got a bun in the oven
"Six years married, two kids and a third on the way. Actual intercourse: three to four times a week when she's not pregnant. During pregnancy (like right now), one to two times a week. She makes sure I'm taken care of, though, even though her sex drive is decreased right now."
7. As regular as a Saturday night takeaway
"Married five years. Lived together four before that. Have sex once a week."
8. Hormones control this couple's sex life
"Five years here, first kid on the way. Pre-pregnancy, I would say three to five times a week on average. Since she's been pregnant it's varied from none for a week, or two to three to five times a day. Just depends on what the hormones are up to. We also take care of ourselves periodically too - more often if the other isn't feeling up to sex."
9. Another couple who've fallen pray to the stereotype
"Sadly we are in a pattern of about four to five times a year. Been together 3.5 years. Pregnancies and babies have killed our sex life. I'm a once a day type of libido."
10. Fair play to these two
"I've been married to the love of my life, my beautiful wife, Julia, for a little over 13 years, and we've been steady at one to two times per day for as long as I can remember. When we were first married, it was off the charts. After a while, we slowed down a bit, but we're still as horny as all get-out."
11. This couple keeps things varied
"Married seven years, four-year-old twins, sex is usually once or twice a week, though we occasionally go through spurts where it's every day for a week or three."
12. Sometimes it's best to force yourself to get in the mood, apparently!
"We have sex nearly every day we're together. Sometimes I'm not in the mood but do it anyhow, and I always end up getting in the mood AND am in a better mood afterwards."
13. It's always frustrating when one person wants it and the other doesn't
"Married eight years, one kid (seven years old). We have sex once every two months on average. I gave up trying to initiate things a couple of years ago. Can only get shut down so many times in a row before it gets old."
14. Being a parent can take its toll on a couple's sex life
"Married three years, with a four-year-old and 13-month-old. Our sex life sucks. I have no sex drive, but I think it's because of sleep deprivation and hormones. But anyways, sex varies. Sometimes it's once a month, other times it's a few times a week."
15. Another very randy couple
"We have been married 2.5 years now, and we have sex almost every day, and sometimes twice a day on the weekend. We do have the occasional week where we get really busy, and we go a few days without, but when we get the chance to again after those few days, we seem to have a marathon."
So, if there's anything to be learned from these Redditor's experiences it's this: sure, things do slow down in the bedroom department for some couples once they're married, but it's far from the majority's experience. And for every couple that simply can't be bothered every more, there's another that still can't keep their hands off each other!