An Australian study that claims a majority of women wait more than six weeks to have sex after birth doesn’t surprise me at all. Sex was the last thing on my mind after I gave birth to my child. Now I know I’m not alone.
The study periodically surveyed 1,507 first-time mothers living in Melbourne, Australia about their sexual activity within the first year after childbirth.
Overall, 41 percent said they had resumed vaginal sex within 6 weeks after delivering their baby, 65 percent by eight weeks, 78 percent by 12 weeks and 94 percent by 6 months.
I can’t even tell you how many friends made a comment on how “long” I’d have to wait to have sex and what a bummer it was. When friends who hadn’t had children said it, I just thought, “I don’t want to ruin anything for these future moms by telling them I have zero interest in sex right now.” When friends who had children said it, I just thought, “What? Did you seriously have a hard time waiting?”
I was recovering from a c-section. I was uncomfortable. I was exhausted from trying to nurse a new baby every hour and a half. The last thing I wanted was to be touched by anyone. God forbid my husband wanted to go near my boobs. No way. Knowing that the majority of mothers in the study didn’t resume sexual activity by six weeks makes me feel a little better about the whole situation.
Breast-milk stained shirts, dark circles under my eyes – after the birth of my first child, I wasn’t feeling like a sex kitten by any stretch of the imagination. My body looked and felt different than it ever had. I always thought stories of people having sex in the delivery room after they had given birth were urban legends. They’re not! Maybe this time around I’ll be a little more prepared for the way I am going to feel after birth. Maybe I will feel totally different and be ready to get my groove back quicker. Whatever happens, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who may be struggling a little bit.
(photo: maxriesgo/ Shutterstock.com)
