“All I ever heard was terrible warnings or jokes about childbirth ruining vaginas and stretching them out. I had several stitches and a lot of swelling; even after the six-week rest period, I found sex painful for several months, and the swelling meant it was anything but roomy. While everything was healing and my breasts were sensitive and full of milk, the sexual activities and ways of connecting with my partner changed, and it made us get creative. I had PPD and PPA and there were times I was not into anything sexual. But there were other times that I felt in overdrive. I just tried to ride it out and know that it was all temporary. Now the biggest factors are time and exhaustion. So it's gotta be a real good time for it to be worth sacrificing precious sleep! But even that's been a net positive. We might not have as many opportunities, but we make it count when we can, and it's lead to more communication, effort, and ultimately a more satisfying experience.” — Chelsea, 29