Gynaecologist Manjiri Mehta’s Advice On Rekindling Your Sex Life After Having A Child

📷 Remember when you used to have sex just for the fun of it? You can do that again. You may state there are several hurdles in place; your child does command maximum attention. Your day is spent running after your child and juggling a ton of responsibilities. And having a child is a great thing, but don’t let it stop you from being intimate with your partner. So how can you go back to being yourself in the bedroom and what are some ways to rekindle your sex life after having a baby?

1. How does childbirth affect your sex life, what’s different?

The process of childbirth affects sex life in two ways, one is immediately after delivery and then slightly later. Immediately after delivery whether normal or caesarean, the body has undergone stress and it is recuperating. The sexual organs are sore, painful, and the drive is also very low due to physical, hormonal and emotional reasons. Speak to your doctor about ways of reducing discomfort and about the right ways of resuming sex life.

1. How does childbirth affect your sex life, what’s different?

The process of childbirth affects sex life in two ways, one is immediately after delivery and then slightly later. Immediately after delivery whether normal or caesarean, the body has undergone stress and it is recuperating. The sexual organs are sore, painful, and the drive is also very low due to physical, hormonal and emotional reasons. Speak to your doctor about ways of reducing discomfort and about the right ways of resuming sex life.

2. When is it safe to start having sex?

There is no fixed time that is safe to start sexual activity again; it can vary a lot from person to person. After a caesarean delivery, the complete healing of stitches takes about 6-8 weeks and hence that is the minimum time one should wait to resume their sexual life. The same holds true after a normal delivery too.

3. Do you need additional lubrication? What are signs your body is not ready?

Sometimes you may feel the vagina is dry, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby. This is purely because of hormonal changes. Give your body at least 2-3 months to get the balance back. In the meantime, any inert medically tested lubricant jelly can be used.

4. Are you more prone to infections?

During the period after delivery, infections can occur easily due to rawness of the area and low immunity. Also, stitches near the vagina (Episiotomy) can certainly make you prone to infections. Speak to your doctor about ways of keeping infection at bay.