Im the editor in chief of SELF and the host of our wellness advice podcast,Checking In.
In this weeks episode, were talking about sex after baby.
Today were hearing from Traci, who had a baby about four months ago.
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She says she and her husband are having serious libido issuesand its stressing her out.
The last thing either one of us wants to do is hook up, she says.
All we want to do is finish season six ofThe Americansand call it a night.
Is this normal for it to go on for so long?
I feel like I havent found the push-through mark yet.
I just stuck in the struggle zone of it all.
This is the last episode ofChecking Inseason onebut well be back soon!
And should be normalized.
I mean, lets just set the scene a little bit.
Lets talk about some of the reasonswhysomeone might be struggling with libido issues four months postpartum.
First of all, childbirth can be physically traumatic.
A lot of people experience some degree ofvaginal tearing during birth.
You may be dealing with a wound and stitches for weeks after having a baby.
It takes a long time for your uterus to shrink back down to its pre-baby size.
Your pelvic floor muscles and ligaments are stretched out.
Not to mentionbreastfeeding can be extremely uncomfortable at first for some people.
Theres nothing sexy about blistered nipples.
Extreme sleep deprivation can be a libido killer too.
You might feel uncomfortable in your skin, physically or emotionally.
And if you have a partner, youre simultaneously trying to navigate new frontiers in your relationship.
Learning to become a parent is a very intense experience.
There isnt a manual for this!
You might need to learn what pleasure feels like.
And what you like now post-baby might be different than what you liked pre-baby.
And its a process.
Show Notes
Angela Garbesis a journalist and author ofLike a Mother.
Lexx Brown-James, L.M.F.T., is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex educator.
it’s possible for you to follow her on Instagram@lexxsexdocand on Twitter@lexxsexdoc.
And It Might Suck.
