Having a baby is an exciting time, full of lots of changes whether it is your first, second or third baby (or more). Each pregnancy is unique, but one thing is for sure, your body goes through many physical and hormonal changes each trimester, during the birth process and in the postpartum period. There are many shades of normal when it comes to your libido and feelings about sex during and after pregnancy.

During pregnancy: estrogen levels are very high. In fact, it is one reason that during parts of your pregnancy, you may feel “in the mood” and want to be intimate with your partner more often. Estrogen is a sex hormone responsible for your breast growth during pregnancy stimulating the ductal system to proliferate.

Postpartum: After you have your baby, the level of Estrogen drops and is the signal for milk to begin to increase. Milk transitions from colostrum to a mature milk supply. Lower levels of estrogen can cause vaginal dryness and a decreased sex drive. Nature is giving you time after having your baby for recovery.

Breastfeeding is further biologically protective from becoming pregnant right away. When following the baby's cues, breastfeeding is a natural form of birth control. Breastfeeding delays the return of ovulation and your period, naturally spacing pregnancies apart. (1) Practicing the Lactational Amenorrhea Method, babies will often be two years apart if not more as it naturally promotes child spacing.

During pregnancy: Progesterone rises during pregnancy. It helps establish the placenta. Progesterone stimulates the development of the lobules, the glands where milk is produced. It prevents contractions until the onset of labor. (2) The increase in progesterone is what makes some folks feel hotter during pregnancy and makes their hair grow and become thicker.

Postpartum: After birth, progesterone takes a dive, significantly decreasing. This allows prolactin, the hormone that signals milk to be made, to do its work. Progesterone helps promote more restful sleep and plays a role in your desire for sex. High estrogen and stress can lower your progesterone levels. Lower progesterone can affect your mood which makes everything harder when trying to take care of a newborn. (3)

During pregnancy: Known as the love hormone and the bonding hormone. Oxytocin increases late in pregnancy, beginning labor and triggers contractions.

Postpartum: Released during touch, skin-to-skin, when your baby sucks and from warmth oxytocin helps you bond with your baby. It helps you feel relaxed and signals the milk ejection reflex. For some people, just the thought of their baby or hearing their baby or someone else's baby cry will trigger a letdown. When you are being intimate with your partner, oxytocin is released, and milk may leak or spray. Talk about this beforehand so neither of you is caught off guard while in the moment.

During pregnancy:

Elevated levels of prolactin during pregnancy prepare the body for feeding the baby by making milk. Colostrum is produced early in pregnancy, but progesterone prevents the breasts from lactating until after birth.

Postpartum:

Prolactin levels stay high while progesterone drops after birth. This change starts lactation and continues to keep milk being made for the first few weeks. As your baby removes milk, prolactin tells the body to keep up production as your milk supply regulates.

Tips:

• Although having to wake in the middle of the night to feed your baby can be tiring, milk removal when prolactin is naturally higher between 2 am - 5 am is protective of your 24-hour milk supply.
• Go to bed earlier so you feel more rested. When you are always overtired, you will be less interested in intimacy and sex.