So many slangs and phrases are commonly used to refer to different sexual activities. One popular phrase is "pop your cherry". Do you know what it means? Cherry in this phrase refers to virginity, and the phrase became popular in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. Many young girls have little clue about what to expect when they lose their virginity. This makes them ask, "What happens when your cherry pops?" Keep reading to learn everything about it.
Exactly What Happens When Your Cherry Pops?
Inside your vagina, there is a thin layer of skin called the hymen. You lose your virginity when this layer breaks because of vaginal intercourse. "Popping your cherry" is a slang used to refer to the "popping" of the hymen. You may notice a small amount of blood coming out when you break your hymen through vaginal intercourse. It is not always the case though because you can break it while doing things like dancing, gymnastics or horse riding. Keep in mind that you lose your virginity only when your hymen breaks during a vaginal intercourse – you are still virgin even if your hymen breaks while inserting tampons or playing sports.
What Is the Common Age to Have Sex for the First Time?
What happens when your cherry pops? It is different for different women, but you may also be wondering when is the right time to have sex and lose your virginity. It is quite natural for young girls to develop a wrong notion about it, especially after seeing teens having sex in films and on TV. The reality is that no more than 16% of teens lose virginity before the age of 15; however, 61% of teens have had sex by the time they turn 18.
It is quite interesting to know that teens today are waiting longer to have sex than they did in the past. About 19% of never-married females and 21% of never-married males had had sex before age 15 in 1995. The percentage dropped considerably in 2006-2008 when only 14% of never-married males and 11% of never-married females had had sex between 15 and 19 years of age.
Tips on Having Sex for the First Time for Girls
Now that you have some information about what happens when your cherry pops, you may also want to know about things you should remember when having sex for the first time. Here are some tips every girl should remember before having sex for the first time.
1. Don't Push Yourself to Have Sex
Understand that you should enjoy your first sex encounter – you are going to lose your virginity once only and you should make those moments special. Think hard and know if you are going to do it with the right person. Do it only when you are ready – physically, mentally and emotionally.
2. Never Ignore Protection
This helps prevent unwanted pregnancies and keeps you from contracting any sexually transmitted infections and diseases. Talk to your partner and select the best protection – you can opt for birth control pills, condoms or a diaphragm as well. Ask your partner to wear condom because this gives protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
3. May or May not Bleed
Understand that you may or may not bleed when you have sex for the first time. There is a misconception that every woman bleeds when she loses her virginity, but that is not true. The reason is that your hymen may have already been broken while cycling, running, jumping, exercising, or doing other things. In this case, you do not bleed in when having sex for the first time.
4. Lower Your Expectation
Do not set your expectations very high, especially if your partner is a virgin too. It is going to be a bit awkward for both of you for the first time. You will enjoy it more once you two get into sync. You can make it more enjoyable by not rushing through things. Tell him to be gentle and spend time in foreplay to make it more special.
5. Don't Focus on Pain
Do not think too much about pain before you even have sex. Pain is one of the biggest concerns for girls, and that is the reason why they often ask, "What happens when your cherry pops?" Keep in mind that there will be some pain during your first time, but thinking too much about it is only going to make things worse. It is different for every woman and do not be surprise if you experience very little pain during the intercourse.
6. Take Your Time
Keep in mind that foreplay is important. In fact, it is as important as sex itself because you are not going to have an enjoyable experience if you do not spend enough time on foreplay. Kissing and touching will make you feel aroused and this will help keep your vagina wet. This in turn prevents pain caused by penetration.
7. Make the Atmosphere as Stress-Free as Possible
Take some time to prepare the perfect atmosphere by shutting off your phone, removing distracting clutter, and removing anything that may make you feel nervous. You can make other arrangements as well, like dimming the lights, playing soft music, and taking a quick shower before you two get into the act. If you constantly worry about other things, you are never going to have fun.
8. Orgasm May not Happen
Do not expect to have an orgasm during your first time. No matter what you do, there will always be some tension during the first time. That tension keeps you from reaching an orgasm. Moreover, your partner may not be that experienced either. Do not feel sad if you do not have an orgasm, and do not fake it either just to make him feel better. Let him explore things about your body to make you feel better the next time you two engage in sex.
9. Take Care of Yourself Afterwards
As mentioned already, you may experience pain during and after sex as well. If there is pain, you can take OTC pain relievers for relief. Avoid aspirin though if you are under 19 years of age. Keep in mind that there is nothing wrong in talking to your doctor if you experience extreme pain.