XP: TMI - Let's Talk About Sex (after a c-section)

lorelaie10 · December 2013

Anyone else having some pain during intercourse? DH and I have tried twice now, but it is waaaay too painful for me and there is almost no penetration. Yes, we used lots of lube, I was very relaxed, no crazy new position or anything.

I never labored, DH was breech, so my water broke and they did the CS a couple of hours later - no contractions, nothing. Why would this be happening? I had my membranes stripped a couple of times before they found out he was breech, could that be it? Or maybe it is hormones? I'm EPing. I'm wracking my brain looking for a reason. Any insight is appreciated.

slwprincess · December 2013

It sucks for a while. No real reason other than all those muscles have been in "healing" mode for a long time and just not used. I remember it took way longer to get warmed up so to speak.

[Deleted User] · December 2013

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slwprincess · December 2013

JandACoffee said:
I don't want to scare you, but I am a year PP and sex is still really painful if I don't use lidocaine. DD was also breech, first pregnancy, no labor, no complications. I EBF-ed and then have continued bfing since introducing solids at around 6 months. My doctors have told me it is likely hormonal with me. I have always had really low estrogen levels even before getting pregnant and breastfeeding and they are still extremely low now. I don't want to take any hormonal anything though cause I don't want to mess with bfing. I just got my period back (on DD's first birthday of all days...) so I'm hopeful things may start to level out now. She is still bfing a ton though (7-9 times every 24 hours).

At around 8 months PP I finally got frustrated enough to see a specialist and she told me that I could do PT for it if I wanted to (which would have been really expensive since it goes towards our deductible and then coinsurance applies and probably no useful since it is likely hormonal) but she prescribed me lidocaine. The lidocaine helps immensely! I just put a little in 5-10 minutes before we have sex and the pain is minimal. That being said, my sex drive is still really low but this is also just likely hormonal. I'm hopeful when I do eventually wean that things will get better and in the meantime DH and I have a strong enough marriage to make do with mediocre sex - at least we have good communication about it!

I do think I'm a rare case though, so hopefully you won't have issues this long. I just tell you this so that if it doesn't improve in the next few weeks go to your doctor and talk to them because bare minimum they should be able to prescribe lidocaine which is safe while breastfeeding. I wish I would have known that a LOT sooner!

This is a good point- I forgot about BF affecting it! Come to think of it, it did get much more comfortable after I weaned!

IdyllicMom · December 2013

Its the EPing. Sex wasn't great again until I weaned at 7 months. Keep the faith and wait til you wean. It has nothing to do with a c section.

HotChocolate79 · December 2013

I would agree it's EPing. My personal experience was a little different - my sex drive gets destroyed by pregnancy, so we maybe did it three times the entire nine month. Within days of having a CS I was ready to go. Still swollen and uncomfortable but when we did it 4 weeks out, by comparison to pregnancy sex, it was downright phenomenal. I was still EPing at the time but had minimal/no supply.

MrsLele · December 2013

I also did not labor and am BFing. it was very hard for me for 3-4 months pp. just keep at it, it will get better.

KellyAnne82 · December 2013

Duuuuuuude. Not one of the baby books prepare you for the pain that comes with trying to have sex again. I felt absolutely virginal (and not in a good way)! I thought that since my jazz wagon was spared due to my c-section that I'd have no problems, but whoa-did it hurt.

I must say, it got better. It just took a while to get back into because I was so traumatized from our first attempt. Smooth sailing now, FWIW

eandk18 · December 2013

We had sex for the first time 6 weeks pp and it HURT!!! I thought I would be spared that because i had a csection. My OB said it's because of the drastic hormone drop post partum. I think it's low estrogen levels. I'd say it stopped hurting about 8 weeks post c section....I did not breastfeed though.

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XP: TMI - Let's Talk About Sex (after a c-section)

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