Breastfeeding is a normal and natural way to feed your baby. But it can also have some unintended consequences for you and your sex drive. Breastfeeding increases your energy needs, which means that if you’re breastfeeding exclusively (meaning no bottles), you may find yourself feeling fatigued more often than usual. Breastfeeding—especially when you’re doing it on demand instead of feeding according to a schedule—can also make both mom and dad feel less sexy because they’re not getting as much sleep or having enough time alone together. What’s more, nursing mothers can experience irregular menstrual cycles due to hormonal changes caused by this; this in turn might influence their libido as well as how they feel about their bodies after giving birth. Lets find out how breastfeeding affects your sex life.
Lactation is a big drain on your body.
Lactation is a big drain on your body. When women breastfeed, the hormone prolactin increases in their bodies, which causes milk production and creates feelings of fatigue. Some women experience less sexual desire after giving birth or while breastfeeding because they’re too tired or stressed to think about sex.
If your partner is feeling sexy and you’re not, it’s important to talk about it with him or her. You may end up having a better sex drive than you thought!
Breastfeeding can make you feel less sexy.
In addition to the physical changes, you may find that breastfeeding makes you feel less sexy and thus you may have decreased sex drive. It can cause your breasts to sag and become less firm, which can make them appear unattractive. You might also feel like you don’t have time to take care of yourself or worry about how you look when you’re breastfeeding. It’s important for new moms to remember that these are temporary changes and will go away once they stop it(though some women choose not to breastfeed as long as possible).
Breastfeeding changes hormone levels in your body.
When you’re breastfeeding, your body releases estrogen, progesterone and prolactin. These three hormones affect the way your body functions.
Estrogen is produced by the ovaries in women and by both male and female gonads (testes or ovaries) in animals. It stimulates the growth of tissues that develop into female sex organs. Estrogen also causes breast enlargement during puberty, regulates the menstrual cycle during reproductive years and helps maintain bone density as people age
Progesterone is a hormone secreted by the ovary after ovulation that prepares for pregnancy, maintains pregnancy and supports fetal development in all species
Prolactin, produced by the pituitary gland, causes milk production in mammals
All that new responsibility can be intimidating.
The physical and emotional changes that come with childbirth can be quite a shock to the system. You may not feel like yourself, and that’s okay! However, you are also responsible for another human being—and the thought of caring for another person might overwhelm you.
You’ve now got to worry about your baby’s health. Think about it: they depend on you for everything: food, shelter, safety (from predators), love—everything. It can be hard! But if you have a partner by your side offering support along the way (even if it’s just taking care of household chores while you put your head down at night), then maybe things won’t seem so bad after all?
This is the first time since you were teenagers that you’ve gotten to be parents together, and that is exhausting and challenging.
The first three months of breastfeeding is a time when you should be focusing on healing. This is the first time since you were teenagers that you’ve gotten to be parents together, and that is exhausting and challenging.
You’re learning to trust each other again. You’re learning to be parents together for the first time in years. You’re learning how to stay calm when your baby cries, how to help each other out with household tasks like cooking dinner or folding laundry, how to sleep next to each other again (or if she has trouble sleeping at all). And then there’s also the fact that you have this new life inside of her body—your baby—who needs constant attention from both of you so they can grow healthy and strong!
If sex was something that was once important in your relationship but fell by the wayside after having children, these are all good reasons why sex probably didn’t make its way back into your lives…yet!
Pregnancy and birth have often changed your body and feel unfamiliar to you.
After pregnancy and birth, many women feel like they have to re-learn how to be intimate with their partner. They may not feel comfortable with their body or their new shape. You might have had a C-section or episiotomy (a surgical cut made at the opening of the vagina). You may have stitches that need time to heal, which can interfere with sex for a few weeks after delivery.
You may also feel like you’re not the same person you were before pregnancy and birth. You’ve gone through so many changes over the last nine months! Your body has been stretched by growing a baby, swollen by fluid retention during pregnancy, maybe shrink-wrapped in stretch marks from rapid belly growth during pregnancy…and now maybe even some saggy bits from breastfeeding!
It takes time for your tummy muscles to recover after birth—but once they do, having sex again won’t hurt them at all! If you’re concerned about having vaginal intercourse right away after giving birth vaginally without an episiotomy (surgical cut), talk to your doctor first so they can help guide you through what’s best for YOU based on your particular situation.
Having a newborn present makes it hard to relax and connect as a couple.
Your intimacy may suffer if you’re breastfeeding, particularly in the first few weeks after giving birth. Why? Because having a newborn present can make it hard to relax and connect as a couple.
And that’s not even counting the sleep deprivation involved in caring for a newborn!
In addition to being very demanding in terms of attention, newborns are also distracting—and sometimes even mood killers—because they cry and make noise when Mommy wants some quiet time with Daddy. It takes great effort on the part of both parents to tune out all those sounds so they can get down to business while their baby is asleep or not awake yet (or just pretending).
The lack of sleep can make it tough to feel connected to yourself, let alone another person.
When you’re sleep-deprived and hormonal, it can be tough to feel connected to yourself, let alone another person.
It’s also important to note that breastfeeding your baby every three hours means that there are times when sex is not possible before or after this schedule. If you want to have a good sex drive with your partner, both of you need uninterrupted sleep at night.
You don’t want your baby being around when you’re being intimate with your partner if you can help it.
You don’t want your baby being around when you’re being intimate with your partner if you can help it. If you’re breastfeeding, keep in mind that a breastfed baby is fed at least eight times a day and often needs to be nursed at other times as well. So, when it’s time for some grown-up time, try to get your little one safely secured somewhere that isn’t right outside the bedroom door.
If your partner is willing and you have access to a baby monitor (or two), put one on each side of the room so that if he or she hears any noise, they can run over without having to enter the room itself. Another option would be hiding out in another part of the house altogether—or even just going out for dinner together!
Your sexually intimacy should be a priority, so don’t feel guilty about setting boundaries around this aspect of parenthood. Your body is going through lots of changes as well – from hormonal changes during lactation all the way down to stretch marks from growing breasts – so make sure this “me time” remains important enough that it doesn’t get pushed aside by other priorities like feeding or changing diapers (although those things are super important too).
Irregularities in Period
Many women experience changes in their menstrual cycle during the first few months of breastfeeding. These changes can be caused by the hormonal shifts that occur when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, which can affect your ovulation and menstrual cycle.
When you’re breastfeeding, your body produces prolactin to make breast milk. Prolactin is a hormone that suppresses ovulation, so it’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant while breastfeeding. This can also cause irregular periods or spotting between periods—but don’t worry, this is totally normal!
In addition to irregular periods, some women have irregular sexual desires while they’re breastfeeding. This is because of the changes in hormones during this time. It’s not uncommon for moms who are breastfeeding to feel less interested in having sex than they did before they had kids—and that’s okay! There are plenty of ways for couples to stay connected without necessarily having sex (and some of them might even be better!). It might take some time for things to get back on track once you stop it.
There are lots of ways to be intimate sexually when you’re breastfeeding
There are lots of ways to keep intimacy in your relationship when you’re breastfeeding. Talk to your partner about how you feel, and find a way to make time for each other. You may not always be able to be sexual, but there are other ways to show affection.
Try doing things like cuddling, holding hands, kissing and hugging without being intimate sexually. Find ways that don’t involve sex – maybe just cuddle together and watch TV together or go for a walk outside together instead. You can still kiss each other on the lips and give each other hugs – just make sure that both of you get enough sleep so that neither one is exhausted from sleepless nights!
Conclusion
If you or your partner are feeling like sex is disappearing, try to take a step back and look at the big picture. Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. As challenging as it can be to find time for intimacy with your new baby in the mix, it’s important that you keep your eye on the ultimate goal: raising happy, healthy children together. So, do not bother at all about the interruptions in your sex life due to breastfeeding. The more positive emotions you’re able to generate during this time of transition—playfulness and humor being good examples—the better off everyone will be!
