Mom of 4: Boy (10), Girl (7), Boy (4), Girl (2)
I thought it had something to do with making sure you were no longer dialated due to risk of embolism and the '6 week' rule was just b/c that's when most people have their first internal exam.
Boy - 10 years, Girl - 6 Years Old!, (What am I still doing here?! LOL) Dog - Eternal Puppy , Me - Done .
I had my first post partum visit at 3 weeks and got the ok then.
DS, 15
DD, 10
DS, 3
Beaming mom to DS born 10/20/2010.
The Force is strong with this one.
I am having a similar issue as scriptkitten. In addition to dryness there is definitely a lack of desire that I am experiencing that I attribute to BF. I will say though that i just got my first period post-partum a couple of weeks ago and things are seeming much better. Even though I am still BF I don't have the extreme dryness, my libido is getting better and it is finally starting to feel good to have sex. Even with extra lubricant, I will honestly say that there wasn't any pain, but there wasn't any pleasure either with sex. Thankfully it is getting better, but DD is 8 months old already so it has taken time.
For some women it is not just dryness - it is that the vaginal tissues lose their elasticity due to the bf'ing hormones. This means sex is painful since your body isn't stretching/adjusting during sex like normal (compare how it feels to pull on regular skin vs. skin that has a scab on it - one stretches with elasticity and no pain and the other pulls/tugs/hurts). There are hormonal creams you can use and ways to do sex that make it less painful - but it's more drawn out process. Usually once your cycles resume and/or breastfeeding stops things go back to normal. Not all women experience this but it is more than a matter of just 'dryness'.
Mom of 4: Boy (10), Girl (7), Boy (4), Girl (2)
It was very painful for me for months, after a c-section with barely any dilating, and a VBAC. FWIW, I was always ready mentally and libido-wise as soon as the bleeding stopped.
get some lube!
/hillary
DS #1 Summer 05
DS #2 Summer 07
Oh, thanks! I've been close to tears several times due to the painful burning stretching feeling that made no sense given my c-section, and lube only made things messier. 6 months past weaning, its finally bearable. Your explanation hits it right on the head. Why didn't my GYN know about this elasticity theory?
op, if you can insert a finger or two (in the shower, perhaps) without pain & your bleeding has stopped or slowed way down, sex should be fine. remember, though, to use some method of birth control.
mama to j karst, former 25 weeker, 12/06