KissMeGoodnight
eLearning Series:
Your Sexual Health
Having
Sex After Childbirth
There is no doubt that childbirth is an experience
that brings with it joy, fear, and unconditional love. Many
couples are not prepared for the decline in intimacy that occurs
after a woman gives birth. There are many reasons for this,
but before examining these reasons, it is very important to
remember that you need to communicate with your partner. Your
partner may feel that you are rejecting them and paying more
attention to the baby. Tell them how you are feeling and the
things you are afraid of and why. Communication is the first
step towards rekindling your passion.
Many couples find that they
are exhausted with a new child
in the house. Between getting up frequently during the night
and working during the day, when couples finally set down to
spend time together they usually fall asleep. Most of the time
they fall asleep without a word between them until the next
feeding. During this time of transition, words and cuddling
will provide a great sense of togetherness, even if it is when
you are both completely exhausted. During this time do not
turn away from each other, draw closer. When it comes to sex,
you do not have to engage in full penetration. Both you and
your partner can benefit greatly from the stimulation of each
other’s touch.
After giving birth, a woman’s doctor will examine her and
tell her she is now able to have intercourse. However, she
may still feel uncomfortable doing so. After giving birth,
many women experience vaginal dryness. In addition, their breasts
leak milk whether they are breastfeeding or not. A woman may
also be self-conscious about her body since it may not have
the same appearance as her pre-pregnancy shape. Not everything
returns to normal instantly after giving birth. The woman’s
body goes through many changes to prepare and give birth and
will go through several more to return to pre-pregnancy stage.
Communicating with your partner is essential during this time.
For the woman, childbirth is quite traumatic both physically
and psychologically.
If you witnessed the childbirth, you might be amazed how a
child came through the vaginal canal. The immense amount
of stretching that her vagina took, as well as her uterus,
needing
time to shrink back down to its original size. This takes time
and will not happen the moment she comes back from the hospital.
Along with the physical changes that she went through, the
body is healing and returned to normal hormone levels, as well.
During the next six months, it will be best if you and your
spouse talk about and approach sex calmly and lovingly. Regardless
of how many times you tell her how sexy she looks, she will
give you a look that tells you she thinks you are insane. Patience
is paramount during this time.
Generally a woman should not consider participating in intercourse
at least until her postnatal examine. If she is still bleeding
at this time, she should wait until the bleeding has subsided.
The post-natal exam is normally scheduled for six-weeks after
giving birth. Even if she is given the “all clear,” her vagina
may still be swollen or sore and may not lubricate well.
Simply because intercourse is out of the question, at least
temporarily, there are other methods to engage in that help
the couple’s release a bit of pent of energy. It is safe for
the woman to have an orgasm and doing so will help to strengthen
the muscles of the pelvic floor. Here are some activities that
you can enjoy together until she is ready to participate fully
in intercourse.
Hand-petting of the woman by the man (manual stimulation)
He can use his fingers to stimulate her clitoris but should
avoid putting his fingers inside until her healing is complete.
The clitoris will get a lot of attention during this time
The woman can perform oral sex on her partner
Caressing of each other’s bodies
Anal sex is all right as long as there are not hemorrhoids
present and you both agree. Remember to use a condom if you
engage in anal penetration
Activities to be avoided during this time:
Oral sex should not be performed on the woman by her partner
for at least the first few months after childbirth for a couple
of reasons: 1) doing so may introduce infection into the vagina
and womb, and 2) blowing air into the vagina can cause an air
embolism and lead to death. Find ways that the both of you
can use to help each other. Over time, the woman will feel
comfortable having sex again. # # # # #
by KissMeGoodnight.com
: 2006
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