E! News: How can new parents keep the spark alive while having realistic sexual expectations?
RAS: It’s so hard to find the energy to engage in intimacy when you have this little human depending on you. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself in the same way that you would with a friend going through a tough time. But the factor that’s impacting libido the most is fatigue. If you can prioritize getting more rest, it will naturally boost everything else. I also don’t want couples that have a newborn to put pressure on themselves.
E! News: How can new moms feel comfortable and connected with their bodies again when so much is changing?
RAS: There’s this misconception that once you have a baby, six weeks later, your OBGYN clears you to have sex again. But the body doesn’t say, “OK, the six weeks is here. I’m going back to how I was before.” The body can take up to a year to start to feel like it’s bouncing back. It’s normal if you don’t feel like having sex the first six months of having a baby or, for some, up to a year. Getting to know your body again will be a slow exploration process, but take your time in order to come back to what you want to do.
