When you're nursing, there's nothing more frustrating than not being able to produce enough milk to satisfy your baby's hunger. If you've had trouble making milk, you've probably heard of at least a few of the countless home remedies you can use to get things going. You may have been advised that frequent feedings, power pumping, and fenugreek can help boost the amount of milk you produce, but can being intimate with your partner help you get your milk flowing? You may have wondered, if having sex postpartum increase your milk supply.
There's not much evidence out there that supports the idea that having sex has a direct impact on your milk supply, but it can definitely help. As Fit Pregnancy mentioned, practicing stress reduction techniques can be a natural way to increase your milk supply. And there's no better way to blow off your steam than to steam things up in the bedroom, right? Additionally, Having sex promotes the production of oxytocin — aka "the love hormone" —and decreases the production of cortisol, as Women's Health mentioned. This all works to help relieve stress and leave you in a more relaxed state.
If that wasn't a good enough reason to try getting busy with your partner tonight, having sex can help you enjoy a better night's sleep. According to Women's Health, sexual intercourse boosts your estrogen levels which can help enhance your REM sleep cycle and facilitate a deeper sleep.
All of that relaxation and deep sleep may sound great, but if you're experiencing sore nipples or engorged breasts, sex may be the furthest thing from your mind. If painful breasts is preventing you from enjoying intimacy, there are things you can do to help. As Very Well mentioned, wearing a supportive nursing bra or choosing positions that don't put pressure on your breasts can make you more comfortable during lovemaking.
Taking care of your new baby takes a lot of energy. Waking up for late night feedings and decoding cries is stressful enough without having to worry about how much milk you're producing. But having sex can help you forget about some of that stuff — at least for a while. And even if you doesn't increase the amount of milk you produce, it can at least help you get a good night's sleep.
