How to Minimize Pain During Postpartum Sex

Vaginal childbirth is something every woman's body is designed to do. That does not mean every woman gets through childbirth without scars, blood, or bruises. In fact, most women who experience childbirth have some sort of vaginal tearing. Whether that's from an episiotomy or natural tearing, it is a painful recovery. The normal recovery period for a woman who has given birth is six weeks. After that time, sex is okay. Undoubtedly, if you have experienced any sort of tearing or cutting in your vaginal area, you will probably feel some pain during your first postpartum sexual experience. This is inevitable. If you would like to minimize that pain, however, there are some things you can do to make your first postpartum sexual experience a bit more pleasant.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Olive Oil
• Birth control

Foreplay

1. Engage your partner in foreplay. You may be a bit nervous at first, so the best way to relax is to get your body in the mood. Wine can also help to calm your nerves and your muscles. The more relaxed your body is, the more relaxed your vagina will be.

2. Apply an ample amount of olive oil to your vagina and your partner's penis. The more the better. If you are nursing, natural vaginal lubrication is all but gone during those months.

3. Straddle your husband face to face. The man should be lying down, while you straddle his penis. This way you have complete control over how quickly and how deeply he enters you. It is extremely important for you to feel as though you are the one with the power. It will help you relax.

4. Slide the tip of his penis into your vagina. Only allow him to enter an inch or less, and stop. Hold it there for a few seconds and slide it out. Begin again, only this time have him slide in a bit more. You will feel a bit of pain, but once you get to that point, stop. When his penis stays stationary in your vagina, it helps to stretch you out and get your body used to sex again.

5. Work the penis in until the entire shaft is in your vagina. Hold it there for 10 seconds. By this point the pain should have almost disappeared. Now he can slowly and gently slide in and out.

Tips & Warnings

• Sex will be painful, but it will get better each time. Some women still feel pain months later, but it does eventually disappear.
• Commercialized lubricants can sting and irritate the vagina during those first few weeks of postpartum sex. You can return to these products within a couple of months, however, with no problems.