Practically one in three girls say their intercourse lives have gotten worse since having kids, survey finds
seventh April 2025 | Creator: Victoria Woollaston-Webber
Lovehoney has launched The Mama Sutra to open up the dialog round intercourse and motherhood
Practically a 3rd of ladies say their intercourse lives bought worse after having kids, however few really feel snug speaking about it.
That’s in response to new analysis from sexual wellness model Lovehoney, which discovered that 29% of mums report a decline of their intercourse lives postpartum, whereas almost half (49%) say they’re having much less intercourse altogether.
Among the many causes given have been low libido (25%), struggles with physique confidence (20%) and bodily restoration challenges (20%).
“Hormones have a huge effect on libido throughout being pregnant and after beginning,” sexual well being nurse and Lovehoney ambassador Sarah Mulindwa instructed mamabella. “Throughout being pregnant, rising oestrogen and progesterone ranges could make some individuals really feel additional aroused, whereas others expertise dips in need – each fully regular.”
After beginning, issues shift once more, she continued. “Oestrogen and testosterone ranges drop, which may result in issues like decrease libido, vaginal dryness, and common fatigue.
“On prime of that, prolactin, the hormone accountable for milk manufacturing, can suppress arousal, making it even tougher to really feel within the temper. Add in sleep deprivation, physique adjustments, and the psychological impression of parenting, and it’s no marvel many new mums wrestle with intimacy.”
But, regardless of intercourse being a key a part of many relationships, conversations round intimacy in motherhood stay uncommon.
Actually, the survey discovered that greater than 4,400 individuals within the UK Google “can you could have intercourse throughout being pregnant?” every month, highlighting how little info or dialogue there’s on the subject.
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Breaking the silence
In an try to interrupt the silence and make the entire topic much less taboo, Lovehoney has launched a brand new, free e-book known as The Mama Sutra.
Created with campaigner and broadcaster Anna Whitehouse (aka Mom Pukka), the information is designed to help mums and mums-to-be at each stage of their journey, with professional recommendation, instruments, and first-hand experiences.
“Folks don’t speak about intimacy as a mum sufficient – motherhood doesn’t erase your sexuality,” Whitehouse mentioned. “However between the exhaustion, physique adjustments, and low libido, intercourse can really feel like an afterthought, or worse, a supply of stress.
“There’s so many issues individuals by no means speak about that I want I’d recognized earlier than – your boobs changing into rock-hard, the scar tissue, the protecting feeling you get to your bump that may impression intimacy. Issues that I solely found once they occurred to me.”
On the flip aspect, 22% of these surveyed reported having higher intercourse after giving beginning, and 12% are having extra intercourse now than earlier than they’d kids.
“While you grow to be a mum, your priorities shift in so some ways – however your sexual wellness remains to be an vital a part of who you might be,” defined sexual well being nurse and Lovehoney ambassador Sarah Mulindwa.
“Open and trustworthy conversations about intercourse in motherhood assist to interrupt the stigma, reassure girls that their experiences are regular, and empower them to discover intimacy on their very own phrases.”
FURTHER READING: Lovehoney reveals the most important intercourse tendencies 2025
Self-love and libido
This extends to the significance of masturbation. We’ve not too long ago defined why masturbation is so good to your pores and skin, hair and common wellbeing and it may be an effective way to ease your self again into intercourse after having a child.
“Masturbation is an excellent method for brand new mums to reconnect with their our bodies at their very own tempo,” sexual well being nurse and Lovehoney ambassador Sarah Mulindwa instructed mamabella. “It releases feel-good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin, which assist with rest, stress reduction, and even bettering sleep.”
When requested about why she believes now’s the appropriate time to launch this marketing campaign, Mulindwa instructed mamabella: “Hormonal adjustments after childbirth have all the time affected libido and for generations, postpartum intercourse was a little bit of a taboo subject, girls have been anticipated to ‘bounce again’ with out a lot dialogue about what that really meant.
“Now, due to social media, sexual wellness manufacturers, and rising conversations round maternal well being, extra individuals are starting to share their actual experiences. We’re lastly acknowledging that postnatal intimacy is difficult and that there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ method.”
Lastly, it’s value noting that even in case you don’t really feel as much as it but, “libido isn’t gone ceaselessly – it simply wants time and persistence to return.”
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Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a ardour for empowering individuals to really feel lovely no matter their age, measurement, pores and skin sort and price range
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