Changes in hormones After giving birth, your body's hormone levels need to readjust to their pre-pregnancy state. This readjustment can reduce your sex drive and sexual response. For instance, women who breastfeed have lower estrogen levels, which can lead to vaginal dryness.
Yep, it's normal, too. Believe it or not, in one 2018 study of 832 postpartum women, 43 percent reported vaginal dryness 6 months after giving birth, so if you experience it, you're far from alone. Indeed, postpartum vaginal dryness is a common condition.
Decreased Estrogen Postpartum & Increased Vaginal Dryness
Postpartum those hormones drop drastically and can stay low as long as you are breastfeeding but usually regulate around six months postpartum.
Postpartum vaginal dryness is common and normal, particularly for those who are nursing. Vaginal dryness results from low estrogen, and those who are nursing have lower levels of estrogen than those who are not nursing. It can make sex uncomfortable or painful and may cause some light bleeding.
Staying hydrated: Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day will help keep all your tissues lubricated, including those below the belt. Mucus is 90% water, so it will help the vagina stay lubricated. Lubricants: Short-acting water-based lubricants can be used to overcome the problem during sex.
Vaginal Dryness and Fertility
However, vaginal dryness does not really cause infertility. Unfortunately, it can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable and even painful at times. This could in turn make you dislike sex. If you're trying to have a baby naturally, this can be a serious problem.
There are many reasons why you may be experiencing vaginal dryness, but the main cause is changes in the levels of estrogen and other hormones in the body. Estrogen levels can change due to menopause, certain medicines, and childbirth. All of these changes affect the way your vagina gets wet during sex.
Good news—more than likely, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Every body is different and makes different amounts of natural lubrication. Some people just don't get that wet when they're turned on, and that's completely normal and ok.
Higher estrogen levels can increase vaginal wetness by causing the Bartholin glands to produce more fluid. People on hormone treatments, such as those taking hormone replacement therapy, may notice an increase in vaginal wetness. Some people use vaginal estrogen to increase vaginal wetness.
Generally, experiencing dryness in pregnancy means that you are dehydrated. Everything from not drinking enough water to higher blood volume can cause your skin and lips to dry out.
The cause is often low hormone levels related to menopause.
After and around the time of menopause, your body makes less estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that helps maintain the vagina's lubrication, elasticity, and thickness. Low levels of estrogen can cause thinning, drying, and inflammation of vaginal walls.
With stress on your mind, hormone levels will begin to shift—as cortisol rises, testosterone (essential for your libido) will dip. On top of that, your body won't be sending enough blood down there to increase moisture, so vaginal dryness and/or discomfort is more likely.
Vaginal dryness happens when the tissues in your vagina are dry, thin and not well-moisturized. This leads to discomfort, especially during sex. Vaginal dryness occurs at any age. It's most common in women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB) during or after menopause when estrogen levels decline.
If you're pregnant or have just had a baby and are breastfeeding, your hormone levels are also influenced. Levels of the hormone estrogen are also low. We know estrogen affects libido and a lack of it can also cause vaginal dryness.
If you're in your second or third trimester of pregnancy and you notice that sometimes your pregnant belly gets very hard, feels tight, and even causes mild discomfort, you're probably experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions.
“There is definitely some truth to as your belly grows so can your lips,” says Dr. Ross. “Swelling is a normal part of pregnancy and it happens in just about every part of your body including your lips.” She adds that increased blood flow throughout the body helps contribute to pregnancy glow.
"Sometimes you can smell yourself vaginally, especially toward the end of pregnancy," Hoover says. "It could be because you have more mucus then. Some people get worried about the odor and bring wet wipes wherever they go. But no one else can tell.
There's no set timeframe for experiencing pregnancy glow. However, you may be more likely to experience this glow during the height of changes in your body, especially during the second trimester. The glow of pregnancy — as well as its underlying causes — go away soon after you give birth.
Some pregnant women develop dark irregular patches on their face most commonly on the upper cheek, nose, lips, and forehead. This is called 'chloasma'. It is also sometimes known as 'melasma' or the 'mask of pregnancy'.
Once your baby drops, you might notice a lot of increased pressure in your pelvis. This may be a time when you develop a significant pregnancy “waddle” as you adjust. This is probably the same feeling as walking around with what feels like a bowling ball between your legs.
The pelvic floor muscles elongate during pregnancy and are stretched with birth. As a result, after birth “the muscles usually tighten up in response,” Mortifoglio says.
Some women's breast milk supply dries up in a few days. Others will still express a few drops of milk months later. Most women who have breastfed or pumped and begin to wean will see their milk supply drop in two to three weeks, though this can vary depending on your baby's age and the amount of milk you were making.
The pelvic floor muscles elongate during pregnancy and are stretched with birth. As a result, after birth “the muscles usually tighten up in response,” Mortifoglio says.
It's called re-lactation. It's possible for the female body to come back from “drying up” and produce milk again. In fact, many mothers of adopted children are able to pump and use several methods in order to stimulate their bodies to produce milk, even if they haven't given birth!