Behind all the excitements and experiences associated with pregnancy and the long-awaited expectation of the baby, and now you are at home – in the new status – of the parents. The appearance of a new little person in the family introduces its own corrections into the usual order of family life, and most importantly – in the relationship of two people.
First of all, you need to understand that one way or another, all your interests and plans in the first months of a child’s life will be concentrated around him. And here the young dad, first of all, needs to get involved as much as possible in the cares associated with the child, to give mom the opportunity to get some rest and recuperate. After all, there are many happy moments ahead, so it is very important that the relations in a couple be harmonious.
The question – when is it possible to return to sexual life after childbirth – in each individual case, a woman should decide only after consulting with her doctor. It depends on many factors – the mode of delivery, how traumatic were childbirth and others. However, the main recommendation in most cases is to begin sexing not earlier than 4-6 weeks after birth, provided that the birth has passed through the birth canal.
Consider several popular myths and doubts that often arise for young mothers who decide this question for themselves.
Can too rapid resumption of intimate life adversely affect the health of the mother?
If the birth was without complications and there were no ruptures of the perineum, then it is recommended to begin sex life after 1.5 months. On average, this time will be enough for a woman to fully restore the body. Also, do not forget about lochia – the constant “satellites” of the postpartum period. Lochia is a bloody discharge from the genital tract of a woman, which lasts on average up to 6 weeks. At this time, the cervix is slightly ajar, as during menstruation, and there is a risk of infection. But if there is absolute trust between the partners and both are healthy, then it is quite possible to start intimate relationships even earlier, because each case is unique and individual. In any case, it is important for the young father to show maximum patience and care during this period to help the woman cope with the inevitable fatigue — this will ultimately “work” in a positive relationship and return to a harmonious sex life.
There is an opinion that if there were injuries during childbirth, then it is necessary to return to sexual life no earlier than six months later.
If your birth was traumatic and there were tears or cuts, in medical terminology also called episiotomy, soft tissue, it is recommended to begin sex life after 2-3 months, after a visit to the gynecologist. During the reception, the gynecologist will examine you on the chair, make sure that the tissues have healed completely and there is no inflammation. However, even if everything looks good, you can feel discomfort and feel the seams – this can be a serious obstacle to the resumption of sexual life. If this happens, do not delay with a second visit to the doctor. In this case, to solve such problems will help intimate plastic.
It is believed that excessively intensive sex life after childbirth can adversely affect lactation.
From the second half of pregnancy, colostrum appears in the breast of a woman. Since that time, breastfeeding is ready, but as the pregnancy continues, the body produces a large amount of progesterone (the hormone of pregnancy). He, in turn, prevents the appearance of milk. 10-12 hours after delivery, milk appears instead of colostrum.
Production of breast milk occurs under the influence of the hormone prolactin. Its level increases after each feeding, thereby stimulating the emergence of a new portion for subsequent feeding. Thus, the longer the milk is in the breast, the slower the formation of new milk. This mechanism protects the mother’s mammary glands from overflowing. This is the only factor affecting the production of breast milk. Stressful situations in the life of a young mother during this period can also have a negative effect on milk production. Therefore, during this time, as well as during pregnancy, the positive emotional background in the family is important.
That is, as we see, sex life and its intensity is in no way connected with the amount of milk. The only thing that determines its quantity is your genetics and how much your child needs it.
Do I need to be protected and what is better to choose? Indeed, during breastfeeding, oral contraceptives should not be taken.
The question of protection from unwanted pregnancy is no less relevant for young mothers. In the first months after the birth of a child, the life of a young family varies greatly and often resembles a groundhog day. In such a difficult situation, a new pregnancy will be, albeit a joyful event, but difficult and adding to the already tired mother a lot of worries.
There are several ways to protect after childbirth. The first and not always, alas, effective way is lactational amenorrhea. This method is based on the absence of ovulation, subject to strictly regular breastfeeding. While your baby is breastfed, you do not use complementary foods, feed every 3 hours during the day and between nocturnal feedings no more than 6 hours pass, if the first menstruation has not yet occurred, then the chance of becoming pregnant is 2%.
However, this method can be used strictly in the first 6 months after delivery. It should be noted that this method does not have 100% reliability, and the young mother has a high risk of getting pregnant in the first year after the birth of the first baby.
The second is hormonal contraception. Many probably know such a “strange” name as “mini-drank”. This is a variant of oral contraception, however, unlike the combined oral contraceptives, the mini-pill contains only progestin (a synthetic analogue of progesterone). The mechanism of action is based on the change of the cervical mucus and the mucous membrane of the uterus, which prevents the penetration of spermatozoa into the cavity, and when they enter – the implantation of a fertilized egg. If you have entered complementary foods in the baby’s diet or the time interval between feedings has increased, or more than 6 months have passed after giving birth, then you can safely expect ovulation and the subsequent first menstruation. At this point, it is advisable to start taking mini-drank. Young mothers can use mini-drank during the entire breastfeeding period. After its completion, it is recommended to switch to combined oral contraceptives, since they have a higher contraceptive effect.
The third, not losing “relevance” and to this day a contraceptive – a condom.
If there was a woman’s cesarean section, then how soon can you return to intimate relationships after giving birth?
Renewal of intimate relationships after delivery by cesarean section is recommended to begin no earlier than after 6-8 weeks. This amount of time on average is necessary for a woman’s body to recover. First you need to wait until the end of lochia, visit your gynecologist, do an ultrasound to check the condition of the stitches on the uterus. After all these actions, if nothing bothers you, you feel good, and the doctor did not find any problems, then you can begin sex life. The first time you may feel some discomfort, but it is natural, do not be afraid and worry. Ask your husband to be even more gentle and attentive to you, avoid poses with deep penetration and trust your feelings.