any breastfeeders suffering dryness and therefore no sex?!!

[LoobyLou33]

OK so this is very much a TMI post, avoid if you're squeamish! Still what's t'internet for if it's not to talk about things you're too embarassed to broach in RL? (Hee hee, can you imagine the chat at mums and tots group, "yes, LO's crawling everywhere and he's enjoying his solids, 5 poos a day! And how's everyone's ladybits cos mine aren't working properly?!")

It feels like vaginal dryness is another side effect of BF they don't tell you about at NCT - I'm very pro breastfeeding but wish people were more honest about the challenges instead of pretending it's all perfect and not explaining some of the difficulties upfront!

Anyway...I had an EmCS so was expecting sex to be pretty easy but 6 weeks after birth it was extremely painful especially higher up (felt like the cervix had dropped or something). We left it a while - partly due to getting so little sleep and having no energy - but now DS1 is 7 months old. We tried again twice recently only to find it very painful and worse than the first time you have sex, as if everything is incredibly tight. It's hurt to pee the next day a bit too.

Then I read bf can be linked to vaginal dryness, which I must admit was already a slight issue before too but nothing a bit of ky couldn't handle. Now, even half a tube doesn't stop it being too sore to do the deed properly!

I just wanted to moan about it a bit hear from anyone else having the same issue, and also find out if there's anything better than ky jelly or whether we should put up with it and just do 'sex without the sex' IYSWIM until I stop bf (thinking around a year old).

please reassure me that when I do wean fully it will get better again! The other night it felt like I would never be able to enjoy sex again...not happy!

Well this is a topic I DID actually bring up at the bfing groups!! Only because I had no one else to ask!

Yes it certainly is linked and does get better, however it took maybe 1 year after weaning for me to 'properly' get wet again!

I also found that I couldn't wear contact lenses during bfing for the same reason, my eyes were far too dry.

The joys of bfing that no one actually warns you about!

Oh and astroglide was BY FAR the best lubricant on the Market. It certainly makes it glide and there is no stickiness afterwards either.

Yep - 8.5 months in and its still a problem for me. Haven't really found an answer although I found the lubricant I used when TTC was nicer than KY but can't remember name. Thanks for raising - didn't know if I was the only one!

I found this when feeding both DC, and got some hormone suppository tables. They were great and safe to use. But you need to find a good GP, as had to see two locums who told me I was imagining the problem. Finally saw nice middle aged lady GP who understood the issue and helped.

HTH

I think that they don't mention it because it doesn't happen for lots of women. I was drier, but found that sleep helped alot, if DH got up in the morning with the DC and let me snooze on a bit longer I was much more relaxed and ready for sex later in the day.

As for my eyes, well I have terribly dry eyes and if I had been told that bfing could have made them drier I probably would never have tried doing it. Pg and bfing both made them much better and it continued for a long while after bfing finished.

If dryness was an issue before bfing, I'd go and see a supportive GP, if you can.

Yes! DS is 11 months and I still have this problem
Sometimes there seems to be plenty of wetness but once DP is inside it feels very dry and almost 'burny'?
Looks like I'll be feeding for a while yet so we're just muddling along doing other activities...

I'm drier but lube solves it. If it hurts a lot maybe there are other things wrong? One of the mums in my NCT group has to be restitched and she found out because of painful sex. She had a tear and episiotomy.

Can you try again a few times to see if it stretches a bit? Not sure how the gp will react if you ask about it . Btw it's one of the fears I had with childbirth. That my ladybits aren't going to work again.

I experienced this when I was on the pill, so I think it must be, linked with the hormones somehow. I also couldn't wear contact lenses. Funnily enough not a problem while bf'ing.

YY had this problem right up until ds has recently went to 2 feeds a day (preparing for my return to work and him starting nursery). He is 11 months on new years eve. Last week was the first time since he was born that sex felt good. Relief!

I've been seein my dr about it for months and they are worse than useless.

Yes, this happened to me and I also had virtually no sex drive.

Got better after my periods came back, which for me was about a month after baby started solids.

This is happening to me too! I also a little "harder" inside.

I spoke to a sexual health nurse about it and she said it was sort of like the body trying to insure I don't get pregnant. She also said she could tell i was breastfeeding a lot when she did my pap smear.

It reassuring to hear that it get's better. My periods still haven't returned and DS is 10 months

Thanks everyone..busy over Christmas so haven't had time to post, but appreciate hearing other people's experiences and knowing it's a fairly common thing. tinsel yes it's similar with me - seems a bit burny once things are underway, rather than hurting from the very beginning. I'm due for a smear test so perhaps I can get the nurse to check me out at the same time. Shame some people haven't had any help from their gps...not sure if mine would be much help either tbh.

Oh well happy new year and here's to better sex in 2012 for everyone!!