Pain with Intercourse After C-section

You are not alone!! My friend told me to give it 6 months. It actually took a little longer. But, use lubrication, that will help with the dryness. It didn't feel "normal" again for about a year for me. I was so excited! I told him, wow! That actually felt good! lol = We are very honest with each other. (I breast fed for a year also)

I had terrible pain too. It will get better. I can't remember how long it took to get better. Close to a year, I think. I have no pain anymore. I wish you the best and I hope you have an understanding husband.

hey A. :)

you are not alone! i had a csection with my son...what an awful experience it was, but he's now almost 20 months old and is awesome and life is great. regarding intercourse...yep, when breastfeeding it's like ever last bit of fluid in your body is being saved for baby...including fluids made to help you stay lubricated. so...it may be tricky for a while. my husband and i had never used "products" before (ky jelly, etc.) but ended up trying some different types. i'd recommend "astroglide"...worked best and wasn't weird to clean up/off if you know what i mean.

i'd also like to mention that many women i know suffer from issues relating to their csection experience. some women experience great traumas with their labor/surgery experience and it can affect all parts of your life, including intimacy. for months and months i was not able to have sex "pain-free" with my husband because i was so tense and could only focus on fear and bad images from the surgery...somehow it was like that whole area of my body was on edge, tense, and upset and if anything touched me there (including my husband) it made a flood of memories come back and it was really difficult to just stay in the moment of love making and not go to a darker area.

i hope these two things can shed some light on the subject...just know that it will all get better with time. just keep the lines of communication open and be patient :)

Hi A.,
I am a breastfeeding mother to my 17mos old son. I had a vaginal birth but I am assuming the pain is similar. Sex was uncomfortable not only at the vaginal opening (where I tore) But also inside of the vigina near the cerxic. The pain stoped at about 6 months. We just had to keep trying. I would have to stop in middle due to the pain a couple of times. Get a lot a lubercant (KY, Astroglide)and take your time. It will stop in a while but keep breastfeeding!!!!! You are doing an awesome job.

A. - I experienced the same kind of pain however I was not breastfeeding. I also had an "emergency" c-section after coming within centimeters of delivering my son vaginally. I am not a doctor by I attributed the pain to 1) when I was pregnant basically all of my "guts" were displaced and were finding their way back to normal and 2) I had been cut open and messed with on the inside.:) My husband and I had to take things really slow in the beginning but eventually the pain lessened and now is completely gone. On a very positive note the sex is so great now so whatever happened with my guts ended up being a great thing. I would suggest talking to your doctor about it just to be sure you don't have an infection of some sort. Good luck :)

Please give yourself time. It will get better, remember it is only 3 months since major surgery, also breastfeeding, etc.,
Every woman is different. Don't stress, it will get better. I promise (speaking as a woman who experienced the same thing) It took about 6 months before every thing was back to normal.

Hi A., As many of the other moms, I had pain, too. I went to the Dr and he said it was due to lack of lubrication, but we had tried a lubricant. I think it was what the other ladies said, a thinning of the vaginal wall or something, cause it wasn't just uncomfortable, it HURT, even with lots of lubricant there was no way I could continue. I don't remember how long it took to feel good again, but it was a while. Even after it quit hurting, it wasn't comfortable for a while, especially with vigorous thrusting. My sex drive wasn't back to normal, and I didn't have orgasms regularly until I quit nursing.

I would talk to tour OB but you do not indicate if the pain is indide or out. If it is inside you may be experiencing dryness due to hormonal changes of breastfeeding or just your levels getting back to normal. If it is other pain outside remember you had major surgery and muscles were cut so you have to heal all the way.

A.,
I had the same issue and was prescribed estrogen too. I only had to use it once or twice and then everything was fine (with a little help from OTC lubricants) and I could stop using it. No more pain!
Good Luck!

Hi A.,
I know everyone is different, but I am experiencing the same problem. I had a C-section in early A., and at 6 weeks post partum I experienced excruciating pain with intercourse. I'm breastfeeding but also supplementing because I don't produce enough. Just a few days ago, I noticed that it is starting to get better. It's still a little uncomfortable, but nothing like it was before. It's possible that the same might happen for you soon, too.

Yep, lots of us experience that. :( First I would talk to your OB, just to make sure everything is cool. They can probably give you advice as well. I was told it's probably dryness related to hormonal changes. Getting a good lubricant pretty much solved the problem. Also, the more sex you have, the better it gets as far as the dryness.

HTH!

A.,
With solely nursing your estrogen levels are extremely low. Therefore your body will not be able to self lubricate, making intercourse very painful. Try using some of the KY jellies to help with this. This will help in making that area wetter therefore making intercourse not as painful and more enjoyable. I had to do this for the entire year while I nursed all my babies.
Good luck,
Trish

Hi A.,
Don't worry- totally normal. My sister in law is a nurse and she warned me about the dryness that happens after a baby and during breastfeeding. And boy! was she right!! I thought that I hadn't healed from delivery after 8 weeks (vaginal birth). Alas, nope. I think it's nature's way of spacing babies, know what I mean?
Anyway, now that my period has returned (at 6 months), sex is back to normal- or a little dryer than before but fine.
So tell your hubbie to be patient, and maybe you two can find alternate ways to be intimate. I know that I missed conecting with my husband in that way. Babies really do change things!!

A.,

I had 1 vaginal birth and 1 c-section. I had painful intercourse with both. I assumed that with the c-section it wouldn't be painful. My Dr told me that it was due to hormone changes and that it would continue until I am done nursing. He did prescribe estrogen, which you can use while nursing. I used it for a short time and it helped, but I got nervous since I am still nursing (even though he swears it is fine). I would talk about it with your Dr. You can also just use a lubricant, which should also help.

This just happened to me. I am three and a half months post partum (after C-section). What you have been hearing is exactly what the doctor told me when I went to the OB/Gyn. I was examined and was told that I was inflamed and red/irritated inside. We ruled out tearing, lack of lubrication, and allergy to latex (all questions that the Dr. had to ask). She said it was very common to have this happen due to lack of estrogen while breastfeeding. I just started to use the estrogen cream she prescribed for me. I am supposed to use it every night for two weeks before I see results. FOrtunately, I just found out from someone else that this happened to her, she was prescribed estrogen cream, she is still breastfeeding after a year, and it sounds like everything is back to normal. She's on Mamasource, so maybe she will respond to you, too.

I don't know about with a c-section, but the first time I tried to have sex again after giving birth hurt like you know where. My body just wasn't ready. Most bodies aren't truly ready until 4 months after giving birth, but we're in such a hurry apparently. 6 weeks is way too soon for most people. I waited one more month and then we made sure I was well lubricated and tried again. It was fine and so was I! :) Maybe just give it another month. Yes, I am breastfeeding as well.

Get the estrogen cream!