This week's blog is guest co-written with Kala Plasterer. Kala will share a bit about herself below, but I’m delighted to bring in a mother, OT, and someone passionate about sex after baby to write about this topic. Kala and I have been working together for a while as she is a virtual assistant to The Institute. It was a no brainer to have her write about sex after baby!
When it comes to addressing sex and intimacy, the impact of breastfeeding and pelvic floor muscles (PFM) may not be the first thing that comes to your mind... but, they will hopefully be something you consider after reading this!
You may work with breastfeeding parents in an acute, outpatient or virtual setting where the primary reason for referral isn't lactation, PFM difficulties, or to discuss sexuality and intimacy but, understanding how these areas can impact sex, will help provide better holistic care.
Unfortunately, as many of us know, addressing sex is still seen as taboo in many settings. And I'm here to tell you the single postpartum visit with a primary care provider at 6 or 12 weeks postpartum is no different. So, for OTs to truly be holistic practitioners, it’s important that we understand the basics to provide patient education and make referrals when needed!
I recently watched a great IGTV video by TheBalancedBoob, Breastfeeding and Sex, that explains so much about hormones during breastfeeding. When a parent first becomes pregnant their estrogen level goes from somewhere between 50-300 to practically 3000! But, once they have their baby, their estrogen level drops big time, all the way down to 0 (that's menopausal, just fyi!).
Why does this matter??
Estrogen is the hormone responsible for keeping the skin of the vulva, vagina and perineum lubricated and robust. So when it plummets after giving birth, the skin of those areas often becomes dry and tender which can make sex understandably painful. Not to mention any tears, lacerations or incisions that occurred during delivery and are still healing. Although estrogen levels tend to gradually increase over the first 6 months postpartum, breastfeeding can lengthen the amount of time it takes for the prior “normal” level of estrogen to be reached... further drawing out the potential symptoms of vaginal dryness, tenderness and pain. Why does the estrogen plummet? To reduce the likelihood of another pregnancy during the time the parent is using all of their resources and energy to care for and nourish the newborn.
But estrogen is just one piece of the puzzle…
It’s important to also understand the impact that pregnancy can have on pelvic floor muscles and having Sex After Baby. This 3 layer system of muscles has many roles…providing stability, holding the bladder and uterus in place, and carrying the weight of the baby during pregnancy.. to name a few. No matter how the baby is delivered, the pelvic floor muscles have been impacted. And just like any other muscle in your body these muscles can be weak or too strong. Weakness can lead to leaking urine when you cough or sneeze, vaginal prolapse, and passing wind when bending over or lifting. Tightness can lead to pain during sex, difficulty urinating, constipation, and pain that intensifies with movement.
So what’s our role when addressing sex and intimacy??
Dr. Sam DuFlo gives great recommendations in Sex After Baby about how to help our clients ease back into having sex.
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