Intercourse after giving birth

For many couples, having a baby is both rewarding and stressful.  During delivery there could be tearing of the vaginal mucosa which is quite painful.  That is the physical pain. However, some women continue to have emotional pain after the delivery. That emotional stress and pain may occur from a decrease in the quality of their sex lives and their own diminished libido. Some women are very upset about the change in their body following the pregnancy and do not feel attractive anymore.  Although the vagina shrinks in diameter after giving birth, the vagina never truly returns to the diameter that it was before giving birth. Even the use of kegal exercises rarely makes much of a difference and the vagina stays at its larger diameter, which can make sex less satisfying as the woman and her partner do not feel the same contact.  Common complaints are low self-esteem, difficulty achieving orgasm, and a general feeling that it doesn’t feel as close of a “fit” for both woman and partner as before. To make intercourse better for both partners one must consider having vaginaplasty.  Vaginaplasty which is also called vaginal rejuvenation,  eliminates unnecessary excess vaginal lining and tightens the muscles compromising  the vaginal walls  that become loose or weak during birth. This results in a smaller vaginal canal. The smaller vaginal diameter creates the ability to contract and control muscles easier making a closer fit between partners during sex. This creates more resistance and an increase in sexual pleasure for both partners. Women tend to climax easier because the procedure increases sensitivity to the vagina. The procedure  is performed on an outpatient basis. Recovery lasts a few weeks and within 6-8 weeks intercourse may initiate. Following a vaginaplasty the vagina will be closer to the diameter that it was previous to conceiving. Most of all women feel better about themselves and more confident in their ability to have sexual fullfilment.Helen S. Colen MD