Sex After Baby: How Long To Wait

Sex is one of the most pleasurable activities in the world. Every time is the right time to enjoy sex. However, the postpartum period is an exception. The mother has to recover both physically and emotionally. Also, the arrival of a baby changes the couple's routine and habits.

Parents usually wonder about sex after pregnancy. In this article, we provide some information and tips to safely resume sexual activity after childbirth. Sometimes this could lead to conflicts in the relationship.

How long to wait to have sex after baby

To resume sex after pregnancy, gynecologists usually recommend waiting 40 days  —the well-known quarantine. This is the average time it takes for the female reproductive system to recover from childbirth. Although this is a general fact, there are occasions when this period of time can last longer.

In the case of childbirth where an episiotomy is performed —a technique in which a small cut is made in the tissues of the vagina and perineum to enlarge the birth canal—, may delay its resumption a little longer so that the wound heals well. The same thing would happen in the case of Cesarean delivery, although it affects a different area of the female body.

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Low libido and sex drive loss

The physical and emotional sequels are also important. Sometimes women are scared that resuming sexual activity may cause them pain, especially if they have been performed Caesarean section or episiotomy, as mentioned above.

This fear and insecurity may also be increased by the possible reduction in natural lubrication after childbirth (more likely if breastfeeding). This aspect improves over time. In the meantime, this process can be facilitated by massages with rosehip oil and special lubricants.

All of these factors may contribute to lower sex drive.

New family member, new life

In this section, we talk about the changes in the couple's daily life. Changes and more changes. To begin with, the new role of parents can become engrossing: the priority is the well-being of the baby and the time for the couple is greatly reduced, which leads to fewer occasions for sexual intercourse.

The pace of life accelerates. Parenting is exhausting, not to mention the lack of sleep. Therefore, tiredness also negatively influences the onset of sex after baby.

There are also emotional changes that can affect sex drive, such as stress, frustration, or even sadness. These changes are usually normal, but they are still factors that can alter sex after baby.

The arrival of a baby accelerates the pace of life of every couple, and that can difficult sex after pregnancy

Relationship conflict

As we have seen, sex after pregnancy can be a complicated issue for a couple. All the changes that happen in this period of time, plus the physical recovery of the mother, the emotional ups and downs and the daily life of the new parents, can result in a conflict at the sexual level.

It is possible that the woman is the one who finds more conditioning factors that make sexual intercourse difficult, while the man is willing to resume sexual activity earlier. This can be a problem in the relationship. In this case, communication and mutual understanding are key.

Sharing your feelings with your partner will help facilitate the situation. Both of them should be able to adapt to the situation and understand each other's feelings so that the complications that may arise regarding sex after baby do not go any further.

Tips for sex after baby

The main advice for resuming sex after pregnancy is to wait for the right moment for the couple, especially for the woman, who in addition to recovering physically, must also do so emotionally.

In terms of physical recovery, and to make sex pleasurable again, it is recommended to practice exercises that strengthen the pelvic musculature.

Also, communication and trust are essential to enjoying sex again after childbirth. Taking enough time to find out how you two feel will help you both enjoy sex the way it used to be. If vaginal dryness persists, lubricants are a good help to improve it.

To sum up, sex after baby can be a sensitive topic for a couple. If they manage to be communicative and take care of the relationship, it will again be something you will enjoy as you used to, or even more.