The Wait Time For Masturbating Post-Episiotomy

Although masturbation — and really, sex in general — may be far from a new mom's mind, at some point in the weeks following birth, you may begin to wonder about ways to get the job done that don't involve penetration. After all, your vagina and perineum are going to be sore for a while after giving birth, especially if an episiotomy was involved. So when considering how soon you can masturbate after an episiotomy, it's important to know that outer (or clitoral) stimulation is safest until your four to six week follow up with your doctor.

As you've heard, or will soon learn, most healthcare providers tell you to wait to resume intercourse until your four to six week follow up appointment, where a doctor can give you approval to start having sex again. According to Baby Center, this is primarily because your risk for pain and infection is high while you're still losing lochia or healing from various procedures. Baby Center added that if you've had an episiotomy, it's perfectly normal for it to take longer for you to feel like having sex again. In order to avoid aggravating the incision site from your episiotomy, even after the six weeks has passed, abstaining from intercourse or taking it very slow using safer, more enjoyable sex positions after birth are great route.

This doesn't mean, however, that you have to forget about intimacy or orgasm altogether during the six week waiting period. According to Trimester Talk, you can have an orgasm as soon as you feel healed, which is around a week for most. Unless you have some sort of medical complication or your doctor's advised otherwise, clitoral and external stimulation is an option around a week after birth for most women, episiotomy or not. As long as you are comfortable,100 percent in control, and not bothering the vagina, perineum, or anus, masturbation is a way you can enjoy yourself pretty quickly postpartum.