Intimacy After Childbirth - Staying Sexually Active & Intimate

Intimacy After Childbirth:

Staying Sexually Active and Intimate

The main reasons that women experience a decrease in sexual desire are fatigue and lack of time. Sex and intimacy are not the most important part of a relationship, but they are definitely a highly valued aspect. For most couples, figuring out how to stay sexually active and intimate with a partner following the birth of a child can help not only the individuals within the relationship, but the relationship itself.  Below are some tips for staying sexually active and intimate following childbirth.

Make Time for Yourselves

After pregnancy, you may find that most of your time is spent caring for your newborn, rather than on trying to be sexual with your partner. It is important to have time for yourselves after the birth of a child to maintain your relationship. Many people find that it is easy to find time for each other by:

• Having a date night. Hire a babysitter, or ask a friend or family member to watch the little one(s).

If this is not an option, do things together while the baby is sleeping—take a shower, cook a nice dinner, or give each other a massage.

• Taking turns pleasing each other. Stress and fatigue may cause one or both partners to become

disinterested in sexual activity and taking turns means that one person does not have to exert too much energy.

• Maintaining privacy (as best as possible!). Putting the child in another room, even for just a few

nights a week, may make it easier to find time to be intimate with your partner.

Be Creative

Having a child can mean little time and opportunity for sexual activity (and fewer places!). Be creative

in coming up with times and places to be sexual with your partner. For example, try sexual activity in the shower while the child is napping or asleep for the night. This can help you accomplish two things at once! If you are able to go out on a date with your partner, try being intimate in the car or try going to a hotel. Use your imagination and work with your partner to come up with creative ideas that work for you!

Fight Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most common complaints of new parents, and one of the most common reasons couples are no longer intimate after the birth of a baby. To help counter the effects of fatigue on your sex life, try engaging in sexual activity at different times during the day, not just before bedtime. Try to get a quick moment together while the child is taking an afternoon nap. If you are breastfeeding, you may find that it is helpful to nurse before sexual activity. That way, you can put the infant down for a nap and will have fewer distractions.

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Intimacy After Childbirth

Intimacy After Childbirth: Fact Sheet

The Challenges:

• In a 2000 study, 83% of women experienced sexual issues three months after delivery, and 64% experienced sexual issues six months after delivery.

 

• In the same study, only 15% of women who had sexual problems following pregnancy reported it to their doctors.

• A 2003 study demonstrated that women experiencing postpartum depression were significantly less likely to have resumed sexual activity during the time of the study than non-depressed women.

• The same 2003 study showed that 60% of women had not talked to anyone (partner or health care provider) about their sexual problems following pregnancy and delivery.

• The two most common questions for health care providers among mothers and fathers four months postpartum are "How soon after childbirth is birth control needed?" and "How soon do most couples resume intercourse after childbirth?"

Overcoming the Challenges:

• In the 2000 study from above, 89% of respondents had resumed sexual activity within six months following childbirth.

• Women in a 2005 study experienced orgasm around 12 weeks after childbirth.

• Women with less invasive modes of childbirth with fewer complications tend to have fewer postpartum sexual side effects than women with invasive modes of delivery and more complications during childbirth.

We, at Pure Romance, feel that it is very important to take care of your body before, during, and after pregnancy and delivery. These statistics help reiterate the fact that while sexuality and sexual health may change during pregnancy, they will not be changed forever. To help maintain and improve your vaginal health before, during, and after pregnancy and childbirth, perform Kegel exercises, use a water-based vaginal lubricant, take things slowly, and remember that, with time, your body will regain some normalcy.


Pure Romance by Jen Lovill - Huiet
www.jenlovill.pureromance.com
513.571.1996 Call / Text
j.lovill@gmail.com