# Ok, honestly, does your vagina feel different after you've given birth?



## Funny Face (Dec 7, 2006)

After dd (7 pounds) everything felt exactly the same as before. I had no problems and no noticeable changes.

I just had ds (8.5 pounds) 10 weeks ago and I'm really disappointed in how things seem to have healed up. I can't keep a tampon or diva cup in, my vaginal tone is weak and my orgasms are seriously weak. I'm afraid if I have another kiddo I'll lose all sexual enjoyment.

Did anyone else lose intensity in their orgasms and feel like their vagina was seriously altered by child birth?


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## saharasky (Dec 20, 2002)

Both the first and second times around I felt like my nerves had shifted and had to relearn how to orgasm. It was actually a pretty fun experiment for DH and I LOL. Kegels were life(sex)savers.


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## liliaceae (May 31, 2007)

Everything felt the same for me after I gave birth to my son.


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## sunkissedmumma67 (Jul 9, 2007)

I have had 3 babies and 2 were big babies. I have always felt the same after, never noticed any difference at all.


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## artgirl (May 17, 2002)

I've had three. I notice a difference. I'm hoping Kegels will help. It's depressing.


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## mommyfied (Jun 25, 2007)

my first one did a number on me. time really improved things along w/ kegels although it's discouraging if the don't work right away. you might have some degree of pelvic organ prolapse and if so there are other things you can do. there is a support thread here about it - search for pelvic organ prolapse. my second birth was much easier and I felt like I hadn't even given birth early on... I am just 5 weeks out now and have to remind myself it wasn't long ago. i'll never be like i was before kids but i have healed a lot since #1 and #2 didn't do anything to delay or worsen it. anyway - hopefully it will get better for you too... i remember feeling hopeless and thinking i was broken or doomed to get worse w/ every birth.


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## ~Boudicca~ (Sep 7, 2005)

No but it looks a little different!


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## loobop (Jan 28, 2005)

Um, yes. Two quick labors with 10 lbbaies with head circumferences off the charts! My dad and I have heads bigger than 99% of the country, so it runs in the family. It hurt so bad to go pee after DD (1st child), I ran a small bath everytime I needed to pee for the first week or so LOL. I feel like it took several months for my vagina to feel normal/ like it used to whatever. And now, more than 3 years later, when I take a long bath, sometimes water goes high up and only comes back down 10 or 20 minutes after I have already gotten dressed and put on dry underwear etc. its realy annoying and catches me by surprise.


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## heatherweh (Nov 29, 2007)

It felt um, tighter to me if that makes any sense. i think my OB may have taken the liberty of doing a "honeymoon stitch" which was not necessary since I have sort of a small canal and DH is kind of large. The other thing that might have contributed is a little blobby ridge of scar tissue at the base I had never noticed before- it could be from the episiotomy or from "skid marks" as they distastefully call them, but everything being pushed down.

We're working on some pereneal massage to break up adhesions before this birth.


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## Funny Face (Dec 7, 2006)

I had considered prolapse a possibility but my midwife said everything is where it should be and that to her my vaginal tone seems quite good. But to me I can tell that my birth canal is much larger and orgasms are just really weak.

I guess I didn't realize that things could be altered and cause problems even when nothing is really wrong. It's just frustrating.


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## Cheshire (Dec 14, 2004)

I've had two 10 pounders. It is different for a while. The first took longer to heal than the second. Do your kegels, a lot of them, and you'll start to feel improvement.

Best wishes.


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## OTMomma (Aug 12, 2003)

I think it was a good 6 months or more after each of my kids before things felt normal again- but they did go back to normal eventually.


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## jecombs (Mar 6, 2008)

My DD is now 20 mo. and it took almost a year for things to feel semi-normal again. My MW thought it had a lot to do with BFing and low levels of estrogen. Now that DD is only nursing 3-4 times a day and my estrogen is back up (a bit) thing actually feel better than they did pre-pregnancy. OP, I think you had an unusually quick recovery with your first child. Don't be alarmed if things take a little longer this time around. I actually read that most European countries think the post-partum recovery period is 1-2 yrs, as opposed to 6 weeks like in the US.


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## langdonslady (Dec 7, 2007)

I pushed out a 10 lb baby in an HBAC 15 months ago. And yes, I had "skid marks" and for several months after, I couldn't quite Kegel on one side. Some muscle response was lost. And it took it out of sex for me for a while. That, and the drying effects of exclusive breastfeeding.
I was worried, though I was still sooooo glad I had that wonderful birth instead of another hospital experience and probably repeat cesarean.

I even thought about getting a Kegel device. I may still, but not because it's "necessary". I had some faith that even nerve damage heals, because I knew that my facial nerves healed albeit many years later, after a really horrid wisdom extraction as a teen. But happily, here I am 15 months later, and I can honestly say, although the "tract" will never be exactly as it was (much like pregnancy enlarges breasts and darkens areolas), it is now healthy, healed, and good.

Full muscle action is back, sensation is good, intensity is good. I was worried for a while due to some "slackness" I couldn't seem to get rid of, but my DH swore up and down he wasn't feeling any lack of sensation, and it seems that the vagina is an amazingly flexible, complex organ, and I am none the worse for wear now. It took a while, but not too long in the scheme of things.
Hope this helps!
-Meg
DD 8 lbs section 2004
DS 10 lbs HBAC 2007


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moodyred01* 
After dd (7 pounds) everything felt exactly the same as before. I had no problems and no noticeable changes.

I just had ds (8.5 pounds) 10 weeks ago and I'm really disappointed in how things seem to have healed up. I can't keep a tampon or diva cup in, my vaginal tone is weak and my orgasms are seriously weak. I'm afraid if I have another kiddo I'll lose all sexual enjoyment.

Did anyone else lose intensity in their orgasms and feel like their vagina was seriously altered by child birth?

Only ten weeks out, I'd guess that hormones are playing a part in your sexual response.

Kegel for vaginal tone.


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## 63977 (Sep 14, 2006)

At my 6 week pp checkup, the midwive said you couldn't even tell a baby had come out. Sex feels the same. I actually wish I could have stretched a little so it would be more comfortable.


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## Funny Face (Dec 7, 2006)

Thanks ladies! Your responses really give me hope. I was feeling really down that my body might not ever be the same again (or somewhat the same).


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