Life
Misinformation about the female body is nothing new, and for whatever reason the idea that of vaginal looseness is still a thing. Do you know fact from fiction on this particular topic? Learning some of the myths about loose vaginas after baby will help you maintain a realistic viewpoint about your body during this time. Because chances are, you'll be fine down there.
Although it may not sound like a big deal, these myths and misconceptions about looseness can play out in real, serious ways. Some women may spend a lot of time worrying about their post-baby vagina, how it will impact other areas of their life (i.e. sex). That's a lot to weigh on your mind when you're tasked with bringing new life into the world.
The truth is, yes, childbirth can indeed cause a vagina to stretch a bit. (How else would the baby get out?) But as noted in What To Expect, a whole host of factors, from your genetics to the size of your baby, influence just how much stretching your vagina will experience during this time. But in general, no one else will be able to tell whether a woman has experienced vaginal birth afterward (aside from trained medical professionals, but that's literally their job). Check out these myths and remember that change is not necessarily a bad thing.
Myth #1: Birth Will Destroy Your Vagina Forever
The effects of childbirth can vary greatly from one person to another. The birth and recovery experience is different for all women, according to What To Expect. One woman might experience a relatively fast delivery and recovery, whereas another might deal with severe perineum tears that stay tender for weeks. These factors can also impact your vagina and sex life later on. For the most part, though, the vagina can stretch to accommodate a baby and then pretty much return to normal without any serious complications.
Myth #2: Buying Creams Or Pills Will Fix The Issue
If you do any research about vaginal looseness, advertisements for products designed to fix this problem will crop up. Many of these ads appear as links in the comment section of articles, so of course they're super 100 percent legit. According to Medical Daily, products that claim to tighten a vagina are best viewed with skepticism. Without FDA approval or research backing, these products basically ask the user to act as a guinea pig. It goes without saying, but taking any creams or supplements designed to tighten things up down there is in no way necessary. Try kegels exercises instead, which are totally free.
Myth #3: Getting The Husband Stitch Is Crucial
OK, so it may be the stuff of urban legend. But as noted in Babble, there is the idea of the husband's stitch, or an episiotomy which is sewn back extremely tight. Getting sewn tighter is unnecessary, and based on the BS idea that childbirth destroys the vagina. You know, the very thing it was designed to handle.
Myth #4: Your Partner Will Notice A Change
Even if the vagina does relax a bit from childbirth, would a partner necessarily notice (or care)? According to the website for Men's Health, childbirth does not produce significant changes in the vagina's size. In time, it may feel the same as ever to a partner.
Myth #5: Stretching Is Always Permanent
Even if your area does feel a bit looser following childbirth, it isn't doomed to remain that way forever and ever. Simply doing kegel exercises can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, as noted in Baby Center. Like any muscles, the pelvic floor can be toned.
Myth #6: Tightness Matters Above All
Step back for a second and examine the thought process here. All of the advertisements and articles claiming to make your vagina "18 again" or "like a virgin" — what is the underlying assumption there? That the appearance of youth and virginity are paramount, despite your actual age and life experiences? That it's necessary to wipe any record of childbirth from your physical body? These are some seriously warped priorities.
Heal from childbirth at your own pace, and do what feels right for your body and situation. But also recognize that this fixation on bodies that remain unchanged forever is pretty crazy, and also impossible. It is OK to age, and change, and grow; in fact, it's inevitable. You have brought new life into the world, so who the hell is going to give you grief about some minor changes in vaginal tone?
Myth #7: Change Is Necessarily Bad
So what if the vaginal area is affected by childbirth? Bodies are never static; they're always changing in some way or another. Even if childbirth changes your vagina, it's unlikely to affect your sex life, according to the website for Woman's Day. Remember, different isn't necessarily bad.
