WHOA, BABY! A NEW MOM'S GUIDE TO SEX

Check out these tips to help you get busy after baby.

After you have a baby, sex isn’t exactly your first priority. Your body is recovering, you’re exhausted, and you have an infant that demands all your attention. The good news is you will want to have sex again! When you’re ready to get back into the groove, here are some things to keep in mind.

Give your body time to heal.

Most doctors will encourage you to wait at least four to six weeks before engaging in sex. After that waiting period, you may still need additional time to recover. Every woman is different, so don’t put pressure on yourself to have sex before you’re ready.

Do Kegel exercises to tighten your pelvic floor muscles.

Your pelvic floor muscles play an important role in sexual arousal and climax. These muscles are weakened by vaginal delivery, which can affect the degree to which sexual intercourse is pleasurable. You can tighten your floor pelvic muscles by doing Kegel exercises.

First, find your pelvic floor muscles by squeezing the muscles you would use to stop yourself while urinating. You can also insert a finger into the vagina and squeeze it using your pelvic floor muscles.

To do the exercises:

1. Start by lying down with knees bent and feet on the floor. Tighten the pelvic floor muscles, hold for three seconds, and then release for three seconds. Try a few the first time, then work up to three sets a day, 10 repetitions each set. Be sure to isolate the correct muscles; don’t tighten your butt, abs, or thigh muscles while you do Kegels.
2. Once the muscles get stronger, practice doing Kegels while sitting, standing, and walking. The great thing is that you can do them virtually anywhere!

If you do Kegel exercises regularly, you may start to see results in about a month. If you’re having trouble with the exercises, visit your health care provider for advice on how to do them correctly.

Explore your new body alone.

Spend some time exploring what feels good to you. What you used to enjoy may not be as pleasurable, and things you previously disliked may now be quite enjoyable. By masturbating, you can determine what is sexually satisfying post-pregnancy.

Communicate with your partner.

You have to be open and honest about what feels good and what doesn’t. If vaginal intercourse is too painful, you may want to stick with oral sex for a while. If your breasts are too sensitive, make it known. When it comes to sex after pregnancy, honesty is the best policy.

Contrary to what you may have heard, the beginning of parenthood isn’t the end of your sex life. Take your time, communicate with your partner, and enjoy having sex in your post-baby body!