Sex, Exercise, and your Monthly "Friend" returning...

Oh man, amnesia is in full effect for those questions. I wrote updates for the grandparents for the first year and can go back and find things like when the baby took her first steps, but I didn't include stuff like this. ("Great news! [E.G.] and I just had sex for the first time after the baby and it hurt like hell but was still bearable!!" )

I do remember the hurt like hell part tho. Sorry. (Another one where everyone is different, I'm sure.) It was one of those things where it was fine by the 10th time, say, but to get to the 10th time you had to get through the first 9...

What's your doctor say? I remember we waited as long as the doc recommended. 8 weeks maybe? Just can't remember.

I was told to wait until after my 6 week check up.

I doubt that I did... But probably at least 4-5 weeks. I would certainly wait until you stop bleeding. Your cervix is still healing and may still be slightly open and your uterus still healing. Can lead to infection if not careful.

hehehe.

Cervix is a sponsored word???

I think 6 weeks is sort of a benchmark for most things - you're pretty much advised to chill for that time and then gradually ease your way back into being yourself again. At 6 mos. after delivering my baby, I can see the wisdom in that already.

Re. exercise: I had a fairly easy birthing experience, had no tears, stitches etc., and so started going on short walks about 2 weeks after. Did take it real, real easy for 6 weeks. Now I walk for an hour a day (baby loves her stroller) and do some aerobics and crunches. Of course the most critical exercise is the Kegels. V. v. important.

Some good info here:
http://www.babycenter.com/baby/postpartumfitness/index

Re. sex, B & I had the same problem, and we had actually caved in by 3 weeks. (We had a v. long wait, too - it had been virtually impossible to get close the last couple months of my pregnancy.) Didn't hurt. Felt great. I think we were grinning for 2 straight days.

Re. period. Got mine after 3 mos. (Hooray for breastfeeding.) Seemed regular enough for 2 mos. (on time & all that), then an emergency contraception pill threw things off totally. Now it seems like things are back on track.

Yeah, that lochia thing does go in spurts. I think sometimes I was clear for a couple days, before bleeding/spotting again.

It's a good idea to check w. your doc on all of those things, of course. It'll do you great good long-term to put your feet up as much as possible for 6 weeks. I remember how hard it was to sit, that was the worst thing for the longest time - the sore bottom. (Thank God for the exercise ball.) Lying down used to set that right. (And the kegels, of course.)

Hope this helps! /hw

PS: Sozobe, I'm not stalking you.

Edit: lol. Good thing Squinney got in there.

Well Mr. J and I are getting closer and closer to caving in. I feel like a cat in heat.

The treadmill I got for Christmas is still in the garage, so even if I get too tempted (I am) ...I wouldn't be able to bring it up here (still in the box). Hopefully he brings it upstairs soon so I can at least start walking on it. It's too dang cold here to go outside (not to mention harder now that lil J is here).

Check with your doctor, of course, but I can't imagine there would be any problem with you walking on a treadmill... Unless you are also trying to have sex at the same time.

You should NEVER try to do THAT!

Will getting on the pill again START UP my period again?

I don't want it to come earlier than it needs to
Well, we don't want another Jordan too soon either, but I'm still curious!

If you're breastfeeding, there are some counter-indications for being on the pill (I forget what they are). (Ya I know, there she goes with "forget" again...) We used other methods until sozlet was weaned.

I remember some of this.

1)Nursing usually will prevent ovulation and menstruation, but you can get progesterone only birth control pills in the mean time. My period didn't return until I weaned.

2)Nursing also seems to prevent normal lubrication -- something to do with hormones, I believe, hence the painful part. Other than that, do it when you are ready and invest in a tube of ky.

3)I'm pretty sure moderate exercise is ok whenever you're ready provided you didn't have a c-section -- which I think you didn't if I recall your other thread.

moderate exercize is ok.
Realize that what is considered MODERATE by todays standards is simply walking to the TV instead of relying on the remote.

Take your treadmill at normal pace for about 20-30 minutes a day. That should be fine.
A faster then normal pace may not be ok this soon after birth. Remember , your uterus is still shrinking. You should still be feeling its 'pull' sometimes when nursing.

Kegels kegels kegels kegels kegels

oh , I think I forgot to mention KEGELS~!

not only do these help to bring the vaginal walls back to normal strength, they can also help the rectal muscles regain thier strength as well. All of the lower piping has been stretched to smitherines..
work em back to where they were before.

instead of sexual intercourse, mutual masturbation... oral sex.. toys.. etc. There are other things you can do right now that wont compromise your healing process.

honestly, for us, we didnt have sex for .. oy vey, MONTHS.. but I was also in a diffrent situation. Having had problem pregnancies before, I wasnt taking any chances.. but yeah, it can take a while before you start having sex again with no fear.

The first time after you have a baby can be one of two things.. Painful.. or you notice a lack of feeling.

It takes your body a while to go back to its pre-baby state. Nursing will help knock off those extra pounds and quickly.
Dont fall for the idea that you have to keep eating MORE food just because you are breastfeeding.
In truth, a woman only needs about 200 extra calories to cover making milk for her child.
You should be fine. :-)

Antonio--

This is a thread on the realities of childbirth and the aftermath.

Go slaver somewhere else.