Resuming sexual activity

The time between having a baby and resuming sexual activity varies from couple to couple. Some of it depends on your partner's healing from childbirth.

Although a Cesarean birth may have prevented stitches in your partner's perineum (the area around the vagina), your partner will need to recover from major surgery. In addition, the Cesarean incision (surgical cut) must heal.

Your partner's health at the time of birth and the health of your baby also greatly affect your partner's energy.

Your partner's health care provider will give instructions about when it is safe to have sex again. Until then, you and your partner can be close without having intercourse.

• Use massage, touching, cuddling or kissing.
• Know that your partner probably feels unattractive right now. Light candles, buy flowers, and tell your partner how much you love them. Let your partner know that they are attractive to you.
• Keep your sense of humor.
• When you're ready to leave your baby, even briefly, get a sitter and go for a walk, a drive or a date.
• Help your partner feel less exhausted and speed healing by:
  • encouraging them to nap when the baby sleeps
  • giving them a break at least once a day. Take the baby so that they can relax.

Have a supply of condoms or another over-the-counter form of birth control. That way when the two of you are ready for sex, you will have the protection you need to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.