How Soon Can You Have Sex After Giving Birth?

It's normal to wonder how pregnancy and childbirth will impact your sex life. As you've probably heard a thousand times, having a baby will change everything, and this also accounts for what goes down in your bedroom. So how soon can you have sex after giving birth? The answer depends on your delivery, potential complications, and personal feelings. The exact timeline will vary a little for everyone, but fortunately there are ways to ease back into sex after giving birth.

First, your delivery will play a big role in determining your timeline for resuming sex. According to the Mayo Clinic, both women who deliver vaginally and those who have C-sections need about four to six weeks without penetrative sex to properly heal and recover. Even if your delivery is picture-perfect and free from any complications, your body will just need a little R&R. Waiting until after your six-week postpartum exam is generally a smart move.

Next, any form of complication during your delivery may affect your timeline as well. For instance, if you have a tear or episiotomy, the return to a normal sex life may be even more slow and painful, according to the National Health Service. Even women who had a breech or assisted birth may need a little extra time to heal, as noted by Kidspot. Again, the variables are many, and there is no perfect amount of time to wait for all couples.

Lastly, it's important to consider how you feel and whether you even want sex at this time. The bodily and hormonal shifts you're going through are nothing to discount, and then there's the sheer exhaustion that accompanies the round-the-clock care of a newborn. As explained in Baby Center, it's common for some couples to wait at least six weeks to three months after birth before trying to have sex again. Keep in mind that it isn't a race, and you and your SO are welcome to resume your sex lives in a timeframe that works for you. It's completely understandable if your bed is just used for nothing more than sleeping for a few weeks. But don't let this discourage you: your body will heal, your libido will return, and you will have sex again. One day.