During a vaginal delivery, your vulva has had to endure a lot, which means that the first time you have sex can be very exciting, but a caesarean section can also cause a lot of nerves. No matter how you get used to it: your body undergoes a true metamorphosis and performs a top performance from which you have to recover. It is therefore extremely important to give yourself enough time to recover. Do you want to try between the sheets? Then you can expect this.
That’s how long you have to wait before you can have sex again after giving birth
Before we tell you what to expect, it’s important to give your body time to heal. How long your body needs to recover depends on the situation, but with a vaginal delivery it is often recommended to wait four to six weeks before having sex again. It is also important to wait a while before having sex in the case of a caesarean section. Because even though the baby was not born vaginally, the body still needs time to recover.
Whether you want to have sex again after this period is different for everyone. After all, sex is about much more than just being physically capable. For example, it is not surprising that you are exhausted after giving birth, feel less sexy or are afraid of any pain that will make your libido hard to find. Excitement is what makes sex great, but you sex drive simply needs time after pregnancy to get going again. There are therefore several reasons why you feel less like having sex after giving birth.
This makes you less interested in sex after pregnancy
Physical complaints, hormonal changes, fatigue and getting used to the new situation can simply cause less sex drive. For example, the hormones estrogen and progesterone that are important for your libido decrease drastically after childbirth. This can cause you to experience no sexual desire at all for a few weeks. Do you also breastfeed? Then it may take even longer for your libido to return because breastfeeding keeps estrogen levels low. And this is actually a good thing, because your body needs time to recover. So listen carefully to your body and get to know your new body.
Does Sex Hurt After Childbirth?
Are you afraid of pain? You’re not the only one. “Most mothers are very afraid of pain during sex after giving birth,” gynecologist Alyssa Dweck tells Women’s Health US. But if you give your body enough time to recover, sex doesn’t have to hurt. So whether you feel like having sex after a few weeks or a year, Dweck recommends being careful the first time anyway.
These are the causes of pain during sex after pregnancy
If you do have pain during sex, this has various causes. Here you can read what your vulva has to deal with during and after childbirth. For example, you may experience discomfort due to the hormonal changes after giving birth. Because of the decrease in estrogen, your vagina becomes dry and the wall of your vagina can become thinner. This can also cause some bleeding. Above all, take it easy, spend enough time on foreplay to experience enough excitement, don’t be afraid to use lube and communicate with your partner. Are you finally really ready? Then you can expect this.
What does the first time after giving birth feel like?
Sex often feels (temporarily) different after childbirth, but this is different for everyone. A small-scale study shows that 83 percent of women experienced sexual problems such as vaginal dryness and pain in the first three months after their first delivery. Over time, fortunately, this becomes less and less and sex can feel like before again. In fact, there are mothers who swear that their sex life has improved after pregnancy. For example, after the baby your body can undergo physical changes that can help you have better orgasms, but you can also have more difficulty reaching a climax.
More intense orgasms after pregnancy
Let’s start with the good news first. There are several reasons why your post-baby orgasms may be more intense. “There seems to be some evidence that nerve compression from childbirth can positively increase orgasmic sensitivity,” sexologist Kat van Kirk tells Women’s Health US. According to her, you can also have more vaginal muscle control after giving birth, which makes your orgasms feel more intense. But this is not all. According to gynecologist Susan Lin, the vagina may also have changed direction, making it easier to come in certain positions. She also says that growth hormones during pregnancy can increase the number of nerve endings near your clitoris. Sounds good!
Difficulty coming after childbirth
Unfortunately, there are also a lot of mothers who have trouble coming after giving birth. Because in addition to the fact that you have less sex drive due to a lower estrogen level, this hormone can also make your orgasms feel less intense. Even if your pelvic floor muscles are a bit weaker after childbirth, the contractions of the muscles during an orgasm may be less strong, so that you come less intensely. Recognizable? Pelvic floor muscle exercises can help with this.
No matter how you look at it: the first time sex after giving birth is different for everyone. Give yourself and your body time to recover and discover what you like. And also remember that you can get pregnant again surprisingly quickly.
Sources: Healthline, The Bump, Insider
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