Can You Have Anal Sex After Giving Birth? You'll Want To Wait

Ask any mother about sex after giving birth, and she'll likely give you the same advice: it's a good idea to wait until your postnatal checkup about six weeks later to make sure everything is healing on time. After all, you don't want to risk messing up stitches or hurting tears as they heal (yikes). That said, can you have anal sex after giving birth, or will that have to wait, too?

In general, it's also a good idea to hold off on anal sex until your doctor gives you the green light for sexual activity. Sure, it does seem like anal would be an easy loophole. But many common pregnancy complications, from hemorrhoids to episiotomies, can make anal sex painful or even disruptive to your healing process, as noted in Baby Center. There may be cases in which you can go for it prior to the typical six week mark, but these are best judged by your doctor.

This is not to say that you have to swear off all sexual activity in the postpartum period, however. According to WebMD, kissing, erotic massage, or oral sex may be a good way to keep your fires stoked while you continue to heal from childbirth. Just because you can't have full intercourse yet does not mean that you have to go without any affection.

Once your doctor has given you the green light to resume sexual activity, you may want to take it slow the first few times you attempt anal sex again. According to Cosmopolitan, using lots of lube is crucial: basically, as much as you can manage. What's more, it may be a good idea to use a condom even if you and your SO are otherwise fluid-bonded, because condoms can help prevent the spread of bacteria around your nether regions, as further noted in Cosmopolitan. Because if there's one thing you don't want, it's an infection in that area just a few weeks after giving birth. So although it may take you and your SO some time to get back in the swing of things, you can eventually balance the demands of childbearing against your own sexual desires. But seriously: use lube.