A cesarean section, which replaces natural childbirth, is an incision in the uterus with an incision in the abdomen. During the operation, the female genital organs can also be affected, which subsequently take time to recover. In this regard, it is worth immediately deciding when it will be possible to return to sexual activity, and whether it will harm the body.
Recovery of the body after childbirth
Considering that a cesarean section is an operation with deep involvement of the pelvic organs, the body does not recover from it immediately. Internal and external seams can bleed and be painful for a woman. As after any operation, it is imperative to wait for complete recovery, and this often takes weeks or even months, which is individual in each case.
In order not to be mistaken and to harm the body, it is necessary to listen to medical recommendations. It is the gynecologist (and in his absence, the surgeon) who determines how the recovery proceeds and informs how long it will be impossible to make love, carrying out the following manipulations in a specially equipped office:
- visual examination of the abdomen and external genital organs;
- probing and tapping the uterine area;
- checking the condition of the seams after cesarean section;
- performing ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.
Typically, the recovery period after surgery is 6-8 weeks. This is a conditional term, and in each individual case, a woman may begin to feel better after 2-3 weeks, or the period may drag on for months. This is influenced by the general state of immunity, as well as adherence to the doctor's recommendations. The disappearance of postpartum lochia (postoperative bleeding) becomes a separate medical sign that it is possible to return to sexual activity.
Even after a woman begins to feel better, one should not rush into an intimate life. There are many physiological characteristics of the body during this period, which must be taken into account. In addition, the psychological component plays an important role: a woman must be emotionally ready for intimacy.
Physiology of the body
To resume sexual activity, you need to go through several stages:
- Wait for the end of postpartum lochia;
- Visit a gynecologist or surgeon, having received a conclusion that the postoperative stitches are tightened, and sexual activity will not lead to their discrepancy.
- Decide on contraception, which has its own characteristics during this period. For example, birth control pills are contraindicated for young mothers during the lactation period. The use of an intrauterine device becomes possible only six months after the operation. Options such as condoms and vaginal suppositories remain. In this case, you must additionally use a lubricant.
- It is important that the man is aware of the delicacy of the state of the woman's body in the postpartum period and makes extremely smooth movements that do not injure the woman's genitals. In this case, you should use classic poses without deep penetration.
Despite the noticeable recovery of the body after a cesarean section, during the first intimacy, a woman may feel discomfort and pain. This is a natural process and you shouldn't worry about it. The muscles and tissues of the vagina are gradually stretched and toned, which may take some more time.
Before having sex, it is worth making sure that both partners do not have colds, infectious and other diseases, since the temporarily weakened female body remains very susceptible to them. For the same reasons, it is recommended to use condoms in the first 1-2 months after the onset of sexual activity.
One of the features of the female body after childbirth is that the desire for intimacy can be minimal or even completely disappear. A decrease in libido is inevitable during the lactation period, since the hormonal background of the body changes somewhat. That is why a man should understand that the right moments for intimacy can occur quite rarely during the entire first year after childbirth.
Psychological characteristics of the body
Very often, a cesarean section and childbirth in general negatively affect the psychological state of a woman. For some time she may experience the following sensations:
- depression;
- self-doubt;
- frequent mood swings;
- false pains.
All this leads to the fact that even a normal and rather quick healing of stitches and wounds does not ensure a woman's readiness for the beginning of intimacy after pregnancy and childbirth. The situation can be aggravated by various changes in the body in the postpartum period: stretch marks and cellulite appear on the body, overweight, deterioration of the skin and hair can be observed. Because of this, young mothers experience complexes that add even more self-doubt to them.
In some cases, the opposite situation arises: after childbirth, a woman experiences incredible happiness, but it is completely focused on the newborn baby. As a result, the young mother devotes all her time to him and practically does not think about other issues and problems. This can also inhibit sex life.
The so-called chronic fatigue syndrome is becoming a separate phenomenon: many new responsibilities are "dumped" on a woman, caring for a child requires a lot of time and effort. In this case, you often have to do a lot of housework. That is why, during the first year of motherhood, many women experience extreme fatigue, and the desire for intimacy, accordingly, does not appear either.
How to get back to sex
If a woman is not psychologically ready to have sex, a man in no case should force her to intimacy and, moreover, commit violent actions. This will only aggravate the psychological state and may lead to even greater problems in bed in the future. You should give your spouse a little extra time to get used to the new way of life and gradually begin to pay attention to the life partner again.
If the body of a young mother has fully recovered after the operation, she does not feel too tired and burdened with various responsibilities, the psychological barrier should be removed, otherwise intimacy in the family may disappear for a very long time. Socializing with a woman, dating, and other courtship on the part of a man can help to create the necessary arousal. There is also the option of a joint visit to a psychotherapist, who is able to quickly resolve the problem of the sexual plan and establish contact between partners.
