Are you worried about how sex might be after having a C-Section Delivery?

I know I was completely nervous about having sex with my husband after the birth of our first child. I am sure that many other new moms are as well.

And although I have never had a traditional vaginal birth, I have had two successful C-Section deliveries, and therefore I am completely comfortable with explaining what you should expect when having sex after giving birth via C-Section.

*Disclosure – I am not a doctor or a healthcare professional. These recommendations are entirely my opinion and my experiences as a mom who has had C-Section births. These tips worked for me after both of my C-Section deliveries. Please always consult your doctor for professional advice about postpartum intimacy.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE)

Sex After a C-Section Delivery

Although the topic of sex can be an extremely uncomfortable and embarrassing subject for most people to discuss, it is something completely natural. I also believe that being prepared and knowing what to expect can take a ton of pressure off of you and your partner during your first sexual experience postpartum.

So to start off with, if you are planning on having a C-Section delivery or have recently given birth via C-Section than you were probably given discharge papers from the hospital explaining that you should not engage in any sexual activity for 6-8 weeks postpartum.

I highly recommend that you take at least that time to allow your body to recover from giving birth.

Think about it. Your cervix took 40 weeks to get to the full size for delivering your little bundle of joy. It’s only natural that your body would need some time to recover no matter how you gave birth.

What to Expect

Of course, when you have a C-Section delivery you may not think that sex will hurt since the baby didn’t come through your vagina, but that is definitely not true. The biggest explanation for this is the fact that your baby took up all of that space and caused a ton of pressure down there.

It is best to be prepared and completely honest with your spouse. I also recommend that you listen to your body.

Here is everything you need to expect and also some of my tips for having comfortable sex after having a C-Section.

Wait Until You Get The Green Light From Your OBGYN

First of all, wait until you have your 6-week postpartum appointment with your ob-gyn before you even think about getting intimate with your partner.

The biggest reason your doctor tells you this is purely for safety and comfort. The last thing you need is to have complications and end up back in the hospital.

At your checkup, your doctor will likely check your cervix to make sure that it has gone back down in size as well as evaluating your incision. Whether you have staples or stitches getting your incision checked out is routine to ensure that it is healing properly and has not become infected is important before becoming intimate.

More Pregnancy and Childbirth Posts You Might Like:

Discuss Birth Control

Once you have your doctor’s clearance to resume sexual activity, you will want to make sure that you and your partner have discussed whether or not you will be using any sort of birth control.

Just because you might not have resumed your normal period cycle doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. Even when you are breastfeeding.

Talk to your doctor about your options to make sure that you choose the right method for you and your lifestyle.

Be Honest With Your Partner

I cannot stress enough that you should always be completely transparent and honest with your partner about whether or not you are ready to have sex after giving birth. Everyone is entirely different and it is okay to wait until you are ready.

Some parents are entirely too tired to even think about being intimate after bringing home a newborn baby.

But when that day does come and you feel that your body is healed enough, ask your partner to take things slow. Also, try not to have high expectations. Like I said earlier, your body has just been through a major event and you will likely want to take baby steps.

For example, I have had two C-Section births and have always talked to my husband about how I am feeling before becoming intimate. This way we are both on the same page and he knew more of what to expect and how to respond if I needed to stop at any moment.

The truth is that postpartum sex can be very painful at first but it does get better in time. You may also experience numbness around your incision which is completely normal and expected after having those muscles cut.

Take A Pain Reliever

If you are concerned about the pain you can also take Tylenol or Motrin before sex. This will help with some discomfort you might feel as well.

I also recommend having a personal lubricant close by just in case you are feeling quite dry down there.

Remember, you just gave birth to another human being so your body might not be as moist as usual. Your body will take time to recover.

Give Yourself Time To Recover

My last bit of advice for becoming intimate after having a C-Section birth is to give yourself grace. Your partner will understand especially when you are open and honest about how you are feeling.

Your body will get back to normal in time and so will your intimacy.

If I have missed any advice or tips that have worked for you with becoming intimate after having a C-Section birth please leave them in the comments below.

What No One Tells You About Sex After a C-Section