Every year, nearly 4 million women struggle with the joys and struggles of life after the birth of a baby. They're thinking about sleep schedules, long nights, first smiles, and the future of their baby. They're also thinking about adjusting to their new life with their partner. And one of the things that's often on new mothers' minds is how their sex life will change after giving birth.
The truth is, every woman is different. While our bodies generally work the same way, some women experience very mild physical changes and see little impact on their sex life, while other women face more challenges in this area.
So let's talk about it. Sex is an important part of your relationship with your husband. Sex helps you connect, increases intimacy and emotional closeness, and is a beautiful way to express your love for each other.
As frustrating as it may be after having sex with a child, it's important to slowly ease yourself back into a normal, healthy routine in your relationship.
Today we'll explore some common issues women experience in their sex life after having children and how to get back to having a pleasurable sex life with your partner.
Sex Takes a Break After Birth
If you and your partner had sex several times a week before you got pregnant, your sex life will slow down after your baby is born.
After giving birth, there is no universally required wait time before having sex again, but most doctors recommend waiting 4-6 weeks after delivery. This is because the risk of sexually transmitted infections is highest in the 2 weeks after delivery and regardless of how you gave birth, it's important to give your body time to recover.
Maybe You Like Sex More
Giving birth can introduce you to a variety of new sensations in your pelvic area. Especially if you give birth vaginally, you may start to notice more pleasurable sensations throughout your body and genitals, and you may become more sensitive to stimulation in general. That means orgasms feel better and more intense. Some people even report feeling more comfortable with their bodies after giving birth, which gives them more freedom to explore and seek higher pleasures during sex.
Sex may not feel good at first
Immediately after giving birth, estrogen levels in the body drop significantly and breastfeeding time is short. These low levels actually mimic menopausal symptoms for a while, especially in the first 2 or 3 months after giving birth, so women may experience mild but present menopausal symptoms. These can include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, pain, and night sweats. Dry vaginal tissue can cause irritation and even bleeding during sex, which increases the risk of infection. No one wants to have sex in this situation!
In addition, you may experience intense pain in the pelvic area immediately after giving birth and this can make sex uncomfortable. Even if you've had a C-section, you may recover from a combined procedure with your C-section and any other procedure. Give your body time to recover - sex will become more pleasurable again over time.
Breastfeeding can affect your libido
As we indicated in the previous point, during breastfeeding your body has lower levels of estrogen which can lead to general physical discomfort. However, breastfeeding also releases a hormone known as oxytocin. This hormone makes you feel positive emotions towards your baby and also suppresses your libido. While this suppressed sexual desire may prevent you from having another baby soon after giving birth, you feel less excited about being physically intimate with your partner.
Emotions may be running high - be patient
Aside from any physical changes you may notice, remember that you and your partner have just experienced a major change in your life. The first few weeks and months after birth can be incredibly stressful, even for the most organized people, especially if it's your first baby. You will be adjusting to a new life schedule, which may include things like lack of sleep, inconsistent meal times, and little time to do things that were once part of your daily routine. These changes can lead to increased stress and depression, including more tension, arguments, and less time to resolve conflicts in healthy ways.
As your body continues to change after childbirth, you may experience changes in your self-esteem. Body image issues and stress after having a baby are common and will go away with time.
