After Pregnancy

When Can I Have Sex Again?

This is a question that is on the mind of many new parents whether they ask it aloud or not. Your doctor will advise that you wait 6 to 8 weeks after giving birth before you resume having sexual intercourse. This is normally the length of time that you will be experiencing vaginal bleeding as well after the birth of your baby.

However, many women may only have vaginal bleeding for a couple of weeks and wonder if sex can be enjoyed this soon.

Studies have shown that most couples begin to enjoy sex sometime during the first two months after their baby was born and by the second month, they were having sexual intercourse two to three times per month. Around 20 percent of all couples did not even wait 4 weeks before enjoying sex again.

Having sex again after birth of your baby should include some factors which include do you have stitches, did you have a vaginal birth or a c-section, are you still bleeding heavy. Once you answer these questions, you should know more about when you can have sex again. If you have stitches, you will be taking a chance on breaking the stitches. If this happens you may need medical attention to repair the stitches, you may even tear the tissue more than it was already cut or torn during delivery.

Of course, with a C-section you should wait so you do not take the risk of tearing the stitches in your incision. This can be more harmful in the long run.

If you are still bleeding heavy, sexual intercourse may increase the amount of blood or even make you bleed longer.

The best recommendation is of course listen to you doctor and your own body. If you are not in pain and the bleeding has stopped, most of the time it is fine to enjoy sexual intercourse. However, your body is now going back to its original shape including all the internal organs. You should start out slow and penetration should not be deep the first few times. Your body needs time to heal after giving birth.

If sexual intercourse is causing pain, then let your partner know so he can adjust his position so as not to have deep penetration, until you no longer feel pain. Then try going a bit deeper each time until you do not notice any pain. Once you have achieved this, sex can be enjoyed as often as you like and as often as you have the energy.