Within 2-3 weeks after the appearance of the baby, many couples in a hurry to return to a full sexual life. In this case, a lot of questions arise: how, when, and most importantly – is it safe to do this after childbirth?
Postpartum abstinence
Abstinence is the main rule of safety after childbirth. Even if a woman feels great and hormones make themselves felt just a few days after giving birth, experts recommend that you refrain from intimacy for at least 6-8 weeks. It is this period that the uterine mucosa will need to fully recover.
Too early return to pleasant occupation threatens infectious diseases, as well as inflammation of the inner layer of the uterus – the endometrium. If the birth was difficult and was accompanied by ruptures of the perineum, it is recommended to increase the period of abstinence to 2-3 months. However, this rule applies only to vaginal sex – its lack can be completely compensated by oral or other type of sex acceptable for partners. Oral and genital caresses are safe to test in the first days after birth.
Safety precautions
In any case, the renewal of sexual contacts is recommended to be done gradually: so as not to damage the tissues recovering after childbirth. The first contacts will require maximum attention and tenderness on the part of the partner – he needs to understand and accept the numerous changes in the physiology of the woman’s recently become mom. The walls of the vagina for several months will return to the prenatal state – at this time a temporary decrease in sensitivity may occur.
Special exercises will help speed up the recovery process, for example, slow retraction and relaxation of the vaginal muscles (such exercises are recommended in various poses several times a day) or special postpartum physiotherapy. The arising discomfort can always be overcome with the help of experiments, for example, changing the angle of inclination and choosing more comfortable poses.
Self-help measures
Particular attention during this period will be required to intimate hygiene: after all, even after the required 6-8 weeks, the woman’s body will be especially sensitive to various infections.
During the first sexual intercourse, many women feel dry in the vagina – this is a completely natural postpartum phenomenon. It is caused by a lack of estrogen in the body. Lubricants (gels and lubricants) sold in pharmacies, sex shops and supermarkets will help to cope with the problem.
Certain difficulties await the woman from the point of view of the psychological state – up to 8% of women face depression in the postpartum period and completely lose interest in sexual contacts. Conflicts between tired spouses are widespread – resentments very often arise for a husband who does not help enough to take care of the house and the child. It is important that during this difficult period, someone helps a young mother: stay with the baby, support psychologically , etc.
Very often, the couple simply can not relax – it seems that the child can wake up at any time. In this case, you can not put off intimacy for the night, but ask your grandmother or nanny for a little walk with the child during the day. If you can’t survive the crisis on your own, it makes sense to make an appointment with a qualified family psychologist.
Lactation does not protect against pregnancy?
Another important issue that you must definitely think about after childbirth is protection against unwanted pregnancy. Despite a fairly high awareness of contraception, 10% of Russian mothers have an abortion in the first year after giving birth!
One of the reasons for such indicators is a persistent belief in the contraceptive effect of breastfeeding. It really exists, but experts do not recommend relying on it – it persists only for 6 months after giving birth and only subject to a whole list of harsh conditions (feeding strictly on demand, the absence of additional feeding or feeding , etc.). In other cases, you must use contraception. Particularly reliable contraception is important for women who have given birth by caesarean section, because the recommended interval between pregnancies and childbirth in their case is 2 years, which are necessary for the formation of a full scar on the uterus.
If a woman is breast-feeding a baby, the choice of suitable contraceptives is significantly narrowed – because they must be effective and safe for the baby. It is recommended that a newly born woman immediately abandon inaccurate physiological methods: calendar and temperature. In the first 6 months after the birth of the baby, nursing mothers are contraindicated in combined hormonal contraceptives containing estrogen – this hormone can affect the amount of breast milk. After 6 months of breastfeeding, it is necessary to introduce complementary foods to the baby, its dependence on breast milk is reduced, so it is safe to use combined contraceptives.
An intrauterine device is a convenient method of contraception, but its use is not always possible. In addition , to start using the intrauterine device, a young mother needs to undergo an examination and visit the obstetrician-gynecologist several times, which is not always convenient.
Nursing mothers can use barrier and chemical methods of contraception (condoms, caps, spermicides , etc.). However, they can cause discomfort in women due to hypersensitivity and dry mucous membranes.
Contraception for freedom
If you want more freedom and ease in intimate relationships, you can use hormonal contraceptives without estrogen.
“Using a progestin contraceptive is completely safe for a nursing mother and baby. Due to the content of the highly selective (highly selective) derivative of the hormone progestogen, they are effective in protecting against unwanted pregnancy, but do not affect the quality and quantity of breast milk. While taking such pills, the woman’s body stops producing its own hormones, ovulation does not occur, and pregnancy is impossible. The effect of such tablets is preserved exclusively during their regular intake – the active substances of these contraceptives are completely eliminated from the body within 36 hours. Unlike combined contraceptives, pills without estrogen are taken for 28 days without a week break. A separate advantage of progestin contraceptives is a reduction in menstrual blood loss and an improvement in the general well-being of a young mother , ”says Tatyana Viktorovna Kaznacheeva, MD, associate professor at the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Moscow State Medical University, an expert on the No Surprise! Program.
And of course, a positive attitude towards life will help to happily transition into a new period in your life – motherhood . Remember that a changed figure, mood swings and sexual difficulties are a temporary phenomenon that time, balanced nutrition, walking in the fresh air and reasonable physical exertion will help to cope with. The main thing is that a little man appeared in the family, for the sake of whom you can go through any difficulties.