S-E-X after C

jesslw

I know after a vaginal birth the rule is nothing in the vag for 6 weeks. This makes sense to me, but I'm pretty sure the same rule applies to C section births too. Why is this?

Did/will you wait 6 weeks? How necessary is this, is it just a suggestion or a hard and fast rule?

 What is sex like the first time or first few times after a C? I've heard it can be painful. Painful in the incision area or the vag itself?

What has your sex drive been like since your section? If it's lower, do you blame the surgery or just having a newborn around in general (lack of sleep, hormones, etc)?

pitterpatter129

No sex for 6-8 weeks (my OB says 8 weeks!) because you have a giant wound in your uterus where the placenta detached that needs to heal.  No tampons either.  You don't want to introduce any sort of bacteria up there that could cause an infection.

Sex was horrible the first time.  The incision site was fine and healed by then.  It was the vag that hurt.  I had an *almost* vaginal delivery, but I've heard it's still painful even if you never even went into labor.  Something to do with hormone levels.  Sex is STILL painful for me 13 months pp, as I am still breastfeeding and the hormones just don't promote fun sex at this point.  It's getting a lot better as LO slowly weans though.   Use LOTS of lube!  Think of it as nature's natural form of birth control I guess.

 

 

LanaLoves

 I think I'm the only one that wants to get it on! LOL....I completely lost my sex drive at 3 months pregnant and we probably hit the sheets 3 times the WHOLE pregnancy, and that was in the first trimester... but now one week after the C I am eyeing my hubby down for sure lol, but I'm going to wait the six weeks just be on the safe side...

magdalina.h

You have a large hole from your placenta detaching and anything in your bag could cause an infection. Sex was painful for me for close to 9 months. It's a hormonal thing

ChiTown Bridget

I was told no sex for 6 weeks because there is a chance of infection but I waited 9 weeks. Also, the first time I bd post c/s hurt and it was vaginal pain not incision pain. Also for me sex only hurt that first time and I was fine after that.

sarakiefer

Ok I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but sex didn't hurt for me AT ALL. In fact in felt quite amazing. I wasn't dry or anything, incision was healed, no pain at all in the vag

jb2rn

We tried at 6 weeks and it hurt so bad i would not let him put it in all the way. We were successful a few days ago but it was really painful. And I only got yo 9cm in labor.

SoldiersGreenBean

As PP mentioned, the rule is there because you have a large would in your uterus.

Sex didn't hurt for me, either.  We went slow, used a lot of lube, and had no problems with pain.

MouseInLux

We waited 6 weeks, no pain here at all!

Melzig76

sarakiefer:

Ok I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but sex didn't hurt for me AT ALL. In fact in felt quite amazing. I wasn't dry or anything, incision was healed, no pain at all in the vag

I'm with yah! I hope it us the same way with this LO as it was with DS.

Excited Mrs P

I'm sure I'm the minority here -- but we didn't wait the 6 weeks. Honestly, I had no sex drive afterwords bc I EBF -- but my DH was deploying a few weeks after my DD was born (and I wasn't going to make him wait a year to be with me again, esp. because I was feeling fine).

So after my 2 week checkup, my DR. said I was healing fine and a few days after that we tried. (I had also stopped bleeding at that point) We used a condom, to be sure to prevent infection, I was not dry like some have posted, and it didn't really "hurt" but...  I felt a bit sore "inside" where I was still healing internally.

I had a scheduled CS and never dilated past 1. 

pepomntpat

I was cleared to have sex at 4 weeks by my OB.  We waited until 6. It hurt. The hormones will make you dry, especially if you are BFing. It hurt until close to 8 months PP no matter how slowly or how much lube we used. 

My sex drive is pretty low. I blame it on BFing. It has gotten significantly better since about 8 months PP, though it is not back to where it was pre pregnancy and  I don't expect it to until DD weans. 

cottonlily84

We did wait the 6 weeks and I had 0 desire at that time anyway.  Simply the thought of getting pregnant and having another c-section was enough to turn me off!  It hurt bad the first time and for about 3 months.  I had a higher sex drive than even before I was pregnant but it just hurt.  You'd think with all we go through that we could skip the virgin vaginal pain part!  My incision or uterus never hurt during sex - DH doesn't put any pressure on it still - though so maybe it's just me. 

ktshafra

LanaLoves:

 I think I'm the only one that wants to get it on! LOL....I completely lost my sex drive at 3 months pregnant and we probably hit the sheets 3 times the WHOLE pregnancy, and that was in the first trimester... but now one week after the C I am eyeing my hubby down for sure lol, but I'm going to wait the six weeks just be on the safe side...

 This was us. We waited until 6 weeks. It was painful, but not as bad as I was expected. We made sure there was lots of lube and we took it slow. I had DH just hang out in there for a while. The next time was much better, and the time after that there wasn't any pain at all.

Ardmhs83

LoisLane23:

Sex was the last thing I wanted PP. My doctor said 8 weeks. It was like losing your virginity again, but worse. So painful.

Yea...this!

stuzyq14

We couldn't make it work until 3 months pp (when I stopped BF) - it just hurt so bad (we tried a couple times after the 6 week wait, but there was NO WAY).

My incision was fine, but my core was still sore and sensitive and healing.  It probably took a month or two to feel good again.