When I decided to get a Paraguard, aka the copper IUD, I heard a lot of horror stories, all of which made me a little worried that it would affect my sex life in a not so great way.

People told me that I'd basically have my period all month long for the first few months. And that my husband would feel that little string hanging down inside me.

But contrary to what seems to be popular belief, I love love LOVE my IUD, and I think it's made my sex life better, not worse. Here's why:

Typically, men are seen as having a high libido, stopping at nothing to get some, and a lot of times, it's actually true. Many men I know are often ready to get down and dirty at a moment's notice.

But what happens when the tables turn? What happens when your husband or partner doesn't like sex ... and you do? How do you handle this crushing blow?

I'm the first one to tell people that I think pornography can be great for married couples, so long as there's no addiction involved. And I certainly don't think that parents need a special kind of porn.

But if you're uncomfortable with even soft pornography or you want to be sure your kids don't accidentally pop in a DVD or search your computer history, here are four sexy books and movies that will work just as well to get your motors running.

If you had asked me a few years ago what I thought about having sex when you have your period, I probably would have rolled my eyes and said, "GROSS!"

But a couple more kids later, I totally understand why people do it.

And I'm not ashamed to admit that I actually kind of like it.

It's not uncommon to hear new parents gripe that not only are they not getting any sleep, but don't even ASK about their sex life -- which is totally in the dumper since junior came along. Sure, there are exceptions (like Tori Spelling who made headlines for ignoring doctor's orders to wait at least six weeks before getting intimate), but new research from Norway shows a newborn will sap your libido. The study found that relationship satisfaction, including sexual satisfaction, takes a major nosedive during the early stages of parenthood. Agh.

The finding echoes what Texas A&M researchers found, which is that 90 percent of new parents experience a sudden deterioration in sexual function after having a baby. In other words, as soon as you have a baby, you immediately get screwed out of maintaining a healthy, happy sex life?!

Not so fast.

Fifty Shades of Grey has inspired countless ladies to heat it up in the bedroom, so why shouldn't Jessica Simpson get in on the action? According to Perez Hilton via Star magazine, our fave new mama (sorry, Snooki) has become "obsessed with Fifty Shades of Grey-inspired sexy times" since she's dropping baby weight. And in fact, she's soooo obsessed that she's "telling everyone" about the "string of X-rated romps" she and fiance Eric Johnson have been having.

The insider says, "[Jessica] talks about it nonstop. They haven't had sex in a while, and she's definitely making up for lost time!" Ooh la la!

If the summer of 2012 is remembered for one thing, it will most likely be that E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey gave millions of women's sex lives a steamy boost. We don't need researchers to tell us that! But they are, nonetheless, and so we have stats now on just how much the erotic trilogy has spiced things up in many, many bedrooms ...

A study from Netmums.com found that, on average, women got intimate with their partners just once a week before reading the book, but after finishing it, they were having sex three times a week! Oooh la la! And that's just the tip of the, err, iceberg.

Finding a married couple who complains about too much sex is as likely as coming across a mermaid or a unicorn. They just don't exist in this world.

All those jokes are true. The nookie takes a serious dip after the "I do's." But it's not the actual institution of marriage that's to blame, it's everything that comes with it.

You may not realize it, but all of those everyday responsibilities are getting in the way of your love life. That after-work routine is automatic, but a seemingly harmless to-do list can put a serious cramp in your couple time.

Check out the 5 biggest habits that are ruining your sex life.

Image via Cristiano Betta/Flickr