After giving birth, the female body needs time to return to its former form, both physically and spiritually. Since normal or cesarean delivery affects the female body differently, the recovery period also changes. The return of the woman to her sexual life depends on this.
When Can Sexual Life Begin After Childbirth?
The time required for the changes in pregnancy to reverse is 6 - 8 weeks. During this period, there is vaginal bleeding, the amount of which gradually decreases, and the color and consistency of the vagina become lighter. After normal delivery, vaginal tissue is edematous. If there are tears in the vagina during birth, there is also weakness in the pelvic floor.
Approximately 6 weeks after birth, these tissues recover and sexual life can begin. Since there is no damage to the vaginal tissue in cesarean delivery, after the 3rd week when the puerperal bleeding loses its activity, sexual intercourse is safe depending on the wishes of the couples. Protection for a new pregnancy is one of the most frequently asked questions of this period. Ovulation and menstrual cycles return to normal later in women who are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding women may not menstruate, but that doesn't mean they won't get pregnant. Ovulation starts in the 6th week after the birth. The environment that protects the part of the uterus, which we call the uterus, from infection, becomes sensitive with postpartum puerperal bleeding, and therefore microbes can reproduce more easily.
However, the uterus becomes inflamed more easily after delivery. In order to be protected from such inflammations and infections, it is necessary to wait for the bleeding to end after delivery. After the birth, if the currents are gone, the bleeding has stopped and the pain is no longer felt, there is no harm in having sexual intercourse. It should be noted that if the mother does not breastfeed her baby, ovarian functions return 4-6 weeks after birth and ovulation may occur.
Therefore, if it is not planned to get pregnant again, it is absolutely necessary to be protected. It should also be noted that breastfeeding does not prevent pregnancy. As people say, milk does not protect.
Should Therapy Be Done for Sexual Life?
For some couples, pregnancy and childbirth can leave very deep scars. A woman's inability to adapt to the physical and mental changes she experiences, and her inability to carry out the role of mother and wife at the same time can cause sexual problems to occur and grow. Likewise, the man's inability to get used to the parenting role and his wife's not adapting to the mothering role can cause mental problems as well as erection and ejaculation problems. It is recommended that couples who cannot overcome their problems and cannot return to a normal sexual life should seek help from a specialist.
These Advice for You
It is very important for couples to show understanding and patience towards each other in order to facilitate the return to sexuality after childbirth. is important. Other things that can be done can be summarized as follows:
Couples can talk openly with each other about the physical and mental changes they experience. The woman should inform her husband about how the pregnancy and childbirth process she went through affects her, and the man should inform her husband about how it has been affected in general throughout this period.
The woman's readiness for intercourse after the birth (vaginal secretions secreted during intercourse, healing of the stitches if she has given normal delivery) it may take longer. Therefore, it may be necessary for the woman to inform her husband about this issue and to keep the preparation period longer. differences in contractions. In some women, contractions may become more intense, while in others they may decrease. In order for a normal sexual relationship to be experienced, couples need to discover the most suitable positions for themselves due to this change.
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