Sex is wonderful, but it can be a little awkward after birth. Most women don’t feel like having sex with their partner immediately, but if you’re a new mom, you might wonder how long you should wait. There are many misconceptions about the time you can have sex after birth. This post will explain the truth and help you understand how long you can have sex after birth.
You know that sex is a great way to bond with your partner and enjoy a healthy relationship. But you may be wondering: how long after birth can you have sex? The answer to this question depends on several factors, including your age, your delivery type, and how often you have sex.
This question has been asked since dawn and is still being debated. The reason why this is such a hot topic is that sex is something that many people are reluctant to talk about. They feel it’s private and personal and doesn’t want to share it with anyone.
In This Article
Sex After Delivery:
After having a baby, knowing how long you should wait before having sex again is important. It is common for new mothers to be worried about their ability to have sex after giving birth. There are many myths about the time you can have sex after delivery. Some believe you should wait for six weeks, while others believe you should wait for a few months. So in this post, I will bust all the misconceptions about sex after birth.
I’m going to tell you how long you should wait after your child’s birth before you can have sex. It’s a bit different from what you might think, but it’s very important to consider when deciding how long you should wait before having sex.
How long to wait to have Sex after Delivery?
When you are pregnant, your body experiences various changes, which include physical and mental changes, although there is no definite timeline to have sex after the delivery of your child. Though, it depends on various factors such as what type of delivery you had gone through and other things.
When you had vaginal birth: So when you had a vaginal birth, it’s recommended to wait for at least 4-6 weeks in normal cases, yet if you had a perineal tear or episiotomy, which is a surgical cut vagina to widen it for the birth of the child then you had to wait for around six weeks else prior sex can cause vaginal infection which could be dangerous for you.
When you have a C-Section: Those who have a C-section should wait a little longer so their body can heal; though, for many moms who gave birth via cesarean, recovery takes a little longer. Getting your doctor’s approval at your postpartum appointment is important because your incision takes a long time to heal.
Various postdelivery hormones make vaginal tissue very thin and sensitive. Many other things such as uterus, cervix, and vaginal size increase which have to return to their size before you can have sex again. So make sure that your body is compatible before you get on the bed again with your partner for sex.
Even every woman is different, so their healing process will be, so it’s best to wait for some time after the delivery of your child. Also, as a new member has joined the family, it would be difficult for both partners to manage sleepless nights, changes in daily routines, and many other things, so make sure you give enough time to your body to get healed up before you can enjoy and get back to start your sex life again.
How does Delivery Effects Sex?
There are various studies out there in which it has been proven that sex after delivery doesn’t feel the same as pre-delivery. Even in a few studies, it has been found that approximately 83 percent of females experienced problems in the first three months of their sex life after the child was born. Although as the month passed, the percentage of women feeling discomfort in sex after birth eventually decreased.
Other most common sex issues post delivery:
Vaginal Dryness: You feel like your vaginal part is drier than usual. It’s just the post delivery common issues faced.
Unperiod Bleeding: It is just another common issue faced by post-delivery mothers as their uterus heals up, and during this process, there is some unusual bloodshed. You should consult the doctor immediately if it doesn’t stop within four to six weeks.
Thin Vaginal Tissues: Hormones released after the birth of a child makes the vaginal tissues more sensitive and thinner, which can also lead to tissue injury or vaginal tearing.
Soreness: The body goes through intense strain during labor. Some women experience soreness for four to six weeks after delivery when the contractions are so intense.
There are other more common issues in women post-delivery such as fatigue, libido, vaginal tissues losing elasticity, pain, various body muscles loosening up, and in some rare cases, perineal tear or episiotomy, which is the tear in vaginal tissue and can be dangerous.
How soon can we Conceive Again? Is it safe?
You can conceive in no time after the baby’s birth as experts suggest first ovulation after the birth is about six weeks, while other few women ovulated earlier. For the mother who is breastfeeding, it can act as birth control if done properly, yet it is better to use condoms and other birth control if you don’t want another child.
Moving forward and talking about the safety of conceiving again. So if you are planning to conceive again sooner, you can do that, but it is not recommended as there is a risk of congenital disabilities and premature birth. The professionals highly recommend taking at least 12 months gap between both pregnancies. Although it depends from woman to woman and what has been their health history. So you should consult your doctor regarding the time gap for your second conception.
Why are you Bleeding after Sex Postpregnancy?
If you have sex or not, following the birth of a child, you will experience some regular bloodshed when your uterus is healing. And having sex can cause some additional blood-shedding during that period which is normal, but you should wait for a little.
Although you need to keep precautions as at this time your vagina is dryer than usual and even very thin and sensitive, there are chances that it can get torn or injured. Also, few experts suggest that it can also get inflamed or swollen up; in these cases, if there is blood-shedding, then it’s not normal. And if it doesn’t stop in four to six weeks after the delivery, you should immediately consult your doctor regarding it.
Here are a few Postpregnancy tips for Healthier Sex-Life:
Postpregnancy sex is a hot topic these days. Whether a mom or a dad, you’re likely to get questions from friends and family about your sex life after having a baby. It cannot be easy to answer since you may not want to discuss your personal life with other people. And when it comes to sex, many things can affect your sex life. But here are some things you can do to ensure a healthier sex life after pregnancy.
Wait for your body to heal: After giving birth, your hormones might throw your body into chaos. You may not feel like having sex. You may experience mood swings. Or you may be so tired that you want to relax and watch television instead. So it would be best to take it slow after your child is born. Give your body time to heal your uterus, cervix, and vaginal parts.
Take it Slow: As soon as you get a green signal from your doctor to indulge in sexual activities, your body may deny it as a sudden jump back to normal life. So take things slowly and calmly; start with intimate activities and foreplays to warm up the body for the sex. Even you can address your partner to give various massages to relax and calm your body and heat it for sexual activities.
Foreplay: I understand that you haven’t had sex for a long time, and your body is urging high sex drive, yet taking things slowly is recommended. Starting with foreplays, it would not only warm up your body but also allow time for the vagina to produce its lubrication for intercourse. Also, you can include it in mutual masturbation to ease the process more before intense penetration.
More usage of Lubrications: After the baby’s birth, your vaginal part could become drier than usual. As mentioned above, even the vaginal tissue is very thin and sensitive. Without proper lubrication, penetration would cause tiring or injuries to tissue which can be dangerous, so try to use proper lubrication during foreplay and intercourse. Also, try to use water-based lubrication rather than oil-based lubrication as it can affect your vagina and even cause irritation.
Take out time for Sex: It could be hard to take time with a new family member. So make sure to take out enough time for yourself and your partner, so you don’t lose the spice of your sexual life. Plan everything in a schedule, and I am sure you will find a loophole where you can get time for yourself.
Exercises: Kegel exercises help build pelvic muscles again, so practice it daily with a fixed routine. You can also consult your doctor or trainers and ask them about the other right exercises to practice postdelivery. It will be very beneficial for you. Even exercise will help you regain your strength and sensation in the vaginal part.
Communicate with your partner: Make a successful communication with your partner. As mentioned above, sex postdelivery is way too different from the usual, so you must talk with your partner and tell him about what you feel good about and what not. This will deepen your bond with your partner and help both of you enjoy your sexual life.
The Takeaway:
It is known that pregnancy makes various changes in your body during time, so it’s recommended by experts to at least wait for four to six weeks so that your body can be healed up before you get back with your sex life. It is also important to take things slow and calm. It will help you in your future sex life. Make sure to follow every tip for a healthy sexual life postdelivery.
I hope you have found what you were looking for, and if it helped, you share it with your other mom-to-be, or new mom’s so that they can also know the truth and the myth regarding post-delivery sex life. Thanks for reading.
