Foreplay is generally seen as what you do before you get to intercourse, to prepare yourselves (especially the woman) to be ready to receive ‘penetration’ by the man. Intercourse is seen as a vigorous activity consisting of the man thrusting into the woman, or less frequently, the woman bouncing around on the man.

The problem with this limited view is that it assumes:
1) that intercourse is the ‘main event’ of sex and that other activities simply lead-up to that ‘main event’;
2) that intercourse is such a vigorous activity that plenty of preparation is required.

But let’s look at this differently. Let’s say that:
1) intercourse isn’t the main event, that it’s just one of many elements of sex and love-making;
2) intercourse doesn’t have to be vigorous and requiring lots of preparation;
3) intercourse can in essence be part of the foreplay.

Now that’s a different view!

With this approach the lines between foreplay and sex blur and it all becomes part of a flow of love-making that changes every time and can last from moments to hours.

Gentle intercourse can start the whole sexual encounter, even without any movement at all. Having your genitals connected while gazing into each other’s eyes, or kissing, or simply lying there enjoying the feeling of genital connection – is a type of foreplay. That could be enough in itself, or it might lead on to more vigorous intercourse, or more vigorous oral or manual, or bring in toys, lie around in 69 for ages, get up and dance, chat, have a cup of tea, and then do it all again… Whatever! Create something wonderful and new every time!

Source: Jacqueline Hellyer