There are no rules about when to start having sex again after you have given birth. You'll probably feel sore as well as tired after your baby is born, so don't rush into it. If sex hurts, it won't be pleasurable. You may want to use a personal lubricant, available from pharmacies, to begin with. Hormonal changes after birth can make your vagina feel drier than usual. You may be worried about changes to your body or getting pregnant
again. Men may worry about hurting their partner. It might be some time before you want to have sex. Until then, both of you can carry on being loving and close in other ways. If you or your partner have any worries, talk about them together. You can talk with your health visitor or GP if you need some more help. You can get pregnant as little as 3 weeks after the birth of a baby, even if you're
breastfeeding and your periods haven't started again. Unless you want to get pregnant again, it's important to use some kind of contraception every time you have sex after giving birth, including the first time. You'll usually have a chance to discuss contraception before you leave hospital after your baby is born, and again at your postnatal check.Tips for starting sex again after birth
Contraception after having a baby
You can also talk to your GP or health visitor, or go to a family planning clinic, at any time.
Read more about contraception after having a baby.
Sexual health charities Brook and FPA have interactive tools that can help you decide which method of contraception is best for you:
- Brook: my contraception tool
- FPA: my contraception tool
You can also search for your local NHS contraception service.
Contraception and breastfeeding
You're unlikely to have any periods if you breastfeed exclusively (give your baby breast milk only) and your baby is under 6 months old.
Because of this, some women use breastfeeding as a form of natural contraception. This is known as the lactational amenorrhoea method, or LAM.
It's important to start using another form of contraception if:
- your baby is more than 6 months old
- you give them anything else apart from breast milk, such as a dummy, formula or solid foods
- your periods start again (even light spotting counts)
- you stop night feeding
- you start to breastfeed less often
- there are longer intervals between feeds, both during the day and at night
The effect of expressing breast milk on LAM isn't known, but it may make it less effective.
Video: when can we have sex again after birth?
This video explains when you can start to have sex after birth.
Media last reviewed: 23 March 2020
Media review due: 23 March 2023
If you’ve already had a child delivered via C-section, you are more than familiar with the procedure. While those who haven’t gone through it see it as merely “cutting you open to remove your baby”, you likely understand that a Caesarean Section constitutes major surgery. Women who have C-sections can suffer a number of after-effects and can develop problems that last
a lifetime and may affect the ability to conceive once again.What happens during a C-section?
During a C-section, the baby is surgically removed from the mother’s womb.
This is done by making an incision in the abdomen and then another in the uterus. The way the uterine incision is made is very important, experts explain, because how the scar heals can affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant again and can also affect how any subsequent deliveries will happen.
More women in the United States than ever before are delivering via C-section. Data shows that almost 1 in 3 women do not deliver vaginally. Researchers hypothesize that the reason for this is the increasing rate of obesity among U.S. women and the frequent use of epidurals as well as drugs that induce labor, both of which can cause complications.
C-sections can be lifesaving for the mother and the baby but there’s a renewed push for reducing the number of these procedures, as they can also cause problems when it comes to the next pregnancy. In addition, 90 percent of women who deliver their first baby by C-section will do so with all subsequent births.
C-sections and scarring
As with any surgery that involves an incision, it is normal for scar tissue to develop after a Caesarean section. However, sometimes this scarring can cause severe inflammation or obstructions that will make future pregnancies difficult.
In addition, scar tissue can grow and prompt the formation of large masses, which can cause endometriosis. Not only is endometriosis painful but it can also cause infertility. If it’s extremely severe, the doctor may suggest removal of the endometrial cells and tissue.
Other complications that are caused by a C-section which may contribute to fertility problems include:
- Infections that happen at the incision site
- Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes
- Surgery-induced hemorrhages
- Damage to other organs in the area including the bladder or stomach
- A change in ovulation or menstrual periods
Tackling the infertility problem – Pregnancy After a C-Section
In general, women who have had C-sections are advised to wait at least 18-24 months before trying to conceive again. This gives the body a chance to heal properly and completely. It is essential NOT to try for another pregnancy within 6-12 months of a C-section procedure. At that point, the risk of a uterine rupture becomes high and complications of a pregnancy could be life threatening.
If, however, you’ve waited through the suggested time and still haven’t gotten pregnant after at least 6 months of trying, you may be suffering from secondary infertility caused by your previous C-section. This is a problem that doesn’t get as much publicity online or elsewhere and you’ll like have friends and family that tell you not to worry about it. After all, you already have one child, right?
Nevertheless, if you want to have more children, this form of infertility is just as difficult to comprehend as primary infertility and you’ll want to address it so that you can continue to build your family.
The best way to learn more about pregnancy after a C-section is to consult an experienced reproductive specialist who can indeed determine through testing whether your problem conceiving is caused by C-section scarring or another related reason or by something else altogether.
You’ll be able to get the answers you need and learn more about how you’ll need to proceed in order to get pregnant again.
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