Sexuality of the Couple in Postpartum and Early Parenthood (1st Year)

Abstract

The first birth is a major life event for all involved parties: woman, partner (and couple). This chapter will address the relevant elements that together shape parenthood and couplehood. That process is somewhat different for the average woman and the average man. Many men more or less tend to return to their pre-pregnancy level of sexual desire rather quickly. On the other hand, many women need much more time before having consolidated in their new role as mothers, simultaneously reconsidering their role as sexual partners. The woman’s physical and sexual system has been adapted by the pregnancy, birth and hormonal changes, potentially resulting in periods of low or no sexual activity. Especially when breastfeeding, her low oestrogen levels keep the vagina atrophic, and her low androgen levels keep arousability low. Together those factors create a substantial risk of developing dyspareunia. Besides these physical aspects, the woman and her partner undergo great psychological adaptations in the post-partum period. This chapter will address how to optimally navigate this phase of ‘transition to parenthood’ and new couplehood.This chapter is part of ‘Midwifery and Sexuality’, a Springer Nature open-access textbook for midwives and related healthcare professionals.

‘Feeling Ready’: A Feminist Poststructural Analysis of Postpartum Sexual Health

“…It is important to acknowledge that ‘feeling ready’ to resume sexual activities after birth involves both emotional and physical factors, some of which are interwoven (O’Malley et al, 2023). In the current literature, postpartum pelvic floor recovery has primarily been assessed with a focus on pain or initiation of sexual intercourse, with several researchers outlining how perineal lacerations or physical trauma might negatively impact sexual functioning (Leeman & Rogers, 2012; Sobhgol et al, 2019) without considering the emotional aspects of pelvic floor injury.…”

“…The term ‘sexual activities’ is used throughout this paper. While no universally accepted theoretical definition for this term exists, the authors employed an operational definition where sexual activities could include (but were not limited to) intimate massage, intimate touching, deep kissing, oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex, masturbation, mutual masturbation, role play, sexual fantasy, or use of sex toys (O’Malley et al, 2023). In this study, no demographic data was collected.…”

“…In this paper, we specifically discuss the dominant discourse that positions sexual activities as something that postpartum individuals should feel ready for (and may be expected to perform) by the 6-week mark (O’Malley et al, 2023). Constructed socio-sexual scripts, defined as ideas or behaviors surrounding sexuality that are created and promoted by society, culture, and history, continue to dominate how female or feminine sexualities are depicted, treated, explored, or interacted with in a variety of contexts (Ifeka et al, 1983).…”