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After giving birth many women go through a period of adjustment to their "new" body. You may wonder if you will lose the weight you gained during pregnancy and if you will ever get your figure back again. It can be very helpful to see that you are still desired by your partner. The postpartum period is a good time to explore being close to your partner without sexual intercourse. You both may be eagerly awaiting the opportunity to make love again, and this is an important time to approach each other with tenderness and continued communication. You may find that you have little or no interest in sexual intercourse immediately following childbirth.The delicate vaginal tissues are inevitably strained, bruised and torn – and it takes some weeks for these injuries to heal up.Furthermore, childbirth involves very considerable hormone changes as well as emotional stresses. Therefore, very, very few women feel rampagingly sexy until a long time after they have given birth. |
 How soon can you resume having sex?
| In general, a woman shouldn't consider having full sex (ie intercourse) until after her postnatal check-up. This examination usually takes place about six weeks after the birth. According to a recent study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, 90 percent of couples have sex within a year of having a baby. But don't let that statistic alarm you! On average, couples resumed intercourse seven weeks after the baby's arrival. Women who had cesarean sections had intercourse slightly sooner than those who'd given birth vaginally. If you're in any doubt about whether to resume sex, ask the doctor who does your postnatal examination for advice. |
| When you think the moment is right, go for it. But take it slow and easy, and keep your sense of humor. The best time is after you've fed your baby and he's likely to sleep for at least an hour. That way you won't feel rushed through lovemaking. It is common to feel very dry and lack the vaginal lubrication that had been normal for you. This is due to the reduced estrogen after the delivery of the placenta. Prolactin and oxytocin can also interfere with lubrication if you are nursing. Using a lubricant (usually found near the condoms or the tampons and sanitary pads in the drug store) should reduce any discomfort you might feel from vaginal dryness. But you should also let your partner know what feels good and what doesn't as you're going along. |
 If you are breastfeeding
| you may worry that your breasts will leak at an inconvenient time — and they might. During climax, some women discover that they experience letdown (their breasts leak or spray milk). That's because the hormones that are present during orgasm are also present during letdown. There's really nothing you can do about it except laugh it off and clean it up. As time goes on you probably won't have as much of a problem because the letdown reflex lessens as breastfeeding becomes more established. Keep a towel nearby and remember that this, too, will pass. With time, sex will likely be as satisfying, if not more, as it was before your baby came along. |
| Most of all - remember that continuing a sexual relationship after a new baby is usually a gradual process. Just be patient with yourself and your partner, and desire will eventually return. While conception is highly unlikely in the postpartum period, when exclusive breastfeeding, if another pregnancy is not desired at this time, it would be wise to resume the use of contraceptives. Discuss your options with your care provider. |
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