After giving birth vaginally, should the woman wait four weeks or six weeks before having sex?

D.B.

Most women are glad to wait six weeks after having a baby to have sex -- they are sore and tired!

In general, a woman should wait until her bleeding has stopped before having sex. Usually this is somewhere around four to six weeks after delivery. Cessation of bleeding usually means the cervix has closed and the chance of introducing infection during sex is less. If a woman has had an episiotomy, those stitches need to heal before sex; this only takes a few weeks.

Most of the time, she may be sore the first time or so. She may be drier than usual, requiring the use of lubricants (this is especially true for a breastfeeding mom). Also, before having sex, she and her partner should make contraceptive plans -- a woman may ovulate before she even has her first period after having the baby!