Postpartum Pleasure

This piece explores the often-overlooked realities of sexual pleasure after childbirth, highlighting how cultural norms, medical assumptions, and postpartum pain shape the experiences of new parents. Despite longstanding myths—like the arbitrary “six-week rule” for resuming sex—research shows that most birthing parents do not feel ready for intercourse at that point, and many experience significant discomfort, hormonal changes, low desire, and difficulty achieving arousal or orgasm for months after giving birth. Preliminary findings from Ohnut’s survey reveal high rates of pain during sex, far greater ease with masturbation, and widespread frustration with postpartum check-ups that provide little guidance beyond assessing physical healing. The piece argues that postpartum pleasure deserves far more attention, resources, and validation, emphasizing that tools like Ohnut, open communication, and a more supportive healthcare approach can help birthing parents reclaim pleasure during this transitional period, rather than viewing childbirth as the end of a satisfying sexual life.