Healing, Connection and Sex After Giving Birth

Dec 7, 2025 | blog, Reproductive Health

Labor is one of the most stressful experiences a woman can go through. It affects her body, mind, and emotions all at once. With all that, and a newborn who needs constant feeding, changing, and soothing, the idea of sex is often the last thing on her mind. Adjusting to motherhood, recovering from childbirth, and dealing with exhaustion can make intimacy feel overwhelming or even impossible.

In general, for women who have delivered vaginally without complications, doctors recommend waiting about six weeks before resuming sexual intercourse. This allows the uterus to return to its normal size, bleeding to stop, and tissues to heal. Women who have experienced tears and required episiotomy stitches usually need more time for the wound to fully heal. The same is true for those who delivered through surgery. Engaging in sex before the body has healed can cause pain, reopen wounds, and increase the risk of infection. It is essential to wait until a healthcare professional confirms that recovery is progressing well and gives the green light.

Once the waiting period is over, it is important to approach sex gently and patiently. Even if sex has been a familiar part of the relationship for years, pregnancy and childbirth can bring many changes. Hormonal fluctuations in the postpartum period can lead to vaginal dryness, mood changes, fatigue, and body aches. Some women may also feel disconnected from their bodies or struggle with self-image, or even fall into a state of depression. Taking time, using lubrication if needed, and communicating openly with your partner can help make the experience more comfortable. Listening to your body and stopping if anything feels painful or uncomfortable is key. Consent and emotional safety are just as important as physical readiness. Sex is not something done to a woman, but something shared and enjoyed together. Both partners should feel ready and comfortable.

Sadly, the Me Too movement has highlighted deeply troubling stories of women being pressured, coerced, or even forced into sex soon after childbirth. This is never acceptable. Respect, empathy, and open communication should be the foundation of intimacy. A woman’s consent should always be enthusiastic and freely given, especially during such a vulnerable time.

Another important point to remember is contraception. It might seem unlikely to get pregnant right after giving birth, but it is still possible. Breastfeeding can delay the return of fertility, especially within the first six months, but it is not a guarantee. Ovulation can occur before a woman’s first postpartum period, which means pregnancy is still possible. To avoid an unplanned pregnancy, safe sex practices such as using condoms or other forms of contraception should be considered.

Sex after delivery is not something that should be rushed. Every woman’s recovery is different, and every couple moves at their own pace. With patience, communication, mutual respect, and care, intimacy can become a positive and healing part of life once again.

Writer:  Hosaena Gebru

Preparing for Childbirth: A Full-Body, Full-Mind Journey for Every Mother

Nov 30, 2025 | blog, Mental Health, Reproductive Health

Whether you are counting down the final weeks or just entering your third trimester, preparing for childbirth is a full-body and full-mind experience. It can be exciting, emotional, and at times overwhelming. With the right knowledge and intentional choices, you can approach labor feeling strong, grounded, and confident.

1. Preparing Your Body: What Every Mama Should Know

Stay Active

Gentle, pregnancy-safe movement such as walking, pelvic tilts, and prenatal yoga helps relax your muscles, strengthen your core, and improve your posture. Staying active can ease back pain, support circulation, and make common labor positions more comfortable when the time comes.

Practice Breathing and Relaxation

Controlled breathing and relaxation exercises help your body cope more effectively with contractions by lowering stress hormones. Deep belly breathing, guided meditation, stretching, and mindful relaxation all contribute to a calmer and more resilient labor experience.

Know Your Birth Plan

Discuss your preferences with your healthcare provider, including natural birth goals, pain-management options, mobility during labor, the role of your support person, and immediate postpartum care. Being informed and aligned with your care team can significantly reduce fear and build confidence.

2. Preparing Your Mind: Mental Readiness Matters

Learn, but Avoid Overload

Childbirth classes, trusted educational resources, and conversations with midwives or obstetric providers help you understand the stages of labor and potential interventions. Knowledge creates comfort, but try not to overwhelm yourself with too much information. Choose sources that feel supportive and balanced.

Use Positive Visualization

Visualizing your body working with you can shift your mindset in a powerful way. Many women find that affirmations, grounding exercises, or focusing on positive birth stories help them stay centered during contractions.

Prioritize Rest

Sleep and intentional rest are essential. Your body is preparing for one of the most physically demanding experiences it will ever go through, and proper rest supports both mental clarity and physical endurance.

3. Smart Nutrition for Natural Childbirth

Late-pregnancy nutrition can influence your digestion, energy levels, and overall sense of readiness.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed contains fiber and healthy fats, which can support digestion and ease constipation, a common experience in late pregnancy. Introduce it gradually and consume plenty of water.

Raspberry Leaf Tea

Raspberry leaf tea is traditionally used to tone the uterine muscles and support efficient contractions. Some women report shorter or smoother labor. However, research findings are mixed, and it is not suitable for everyone. Always check with your doctor or midwife before adding it to your routine, especially if you are high-risk.

Okra

Okra provides hydration, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support healthy digestion. Some cultural traditions suggest that okra may help soften the cervix or make labor easier. Scientific evidence is limited, but it remains a nutritious addition to your diet.

4. The Importance of Hydration

Proper hydration supports muscle function, energy levels, and overall comfort. Water, electrolyte drinks, coconut water, infused water, and broths are excellent ways to stay hydrated as labor approaches.

5. When to Be Cautious

Although the foods above are generally considered safe, it is important to avoid herbal supplements unless approved by your healthcare provider. Do not consume large or excessive amounts of any one food or tea. If you notice any unusual symptoms, discontinue use and consult your provider.

Final Thoughts

Preparing for childbirth involves both your body and your mind. Surround yourself with support, listen to the signals your body gives you, nourish yourself with intention, and trust your instincts. You are bringing life into the world, and that alone reflects strength and courage.

To all the girls, baby mamas, and strong women reading this: you have everything it takes.

 Writer: Hermon Israel

Pornography, Curiosity, and the Cost of Believing Illusions

Nov 23, 2025 | blog, Sexual Health

Dear younger me, 

You’re growing up in a world that is overflowing with information, so much that it’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t. A world that talks about sex without ever really talking about it. Everyone seems to know, yet no one explains. So let’s start here, with honesty. 

Sex is not shameful. It is not performance or conquest. It is an expression of connection, affection, and vulnerability. I know that when you first learned about it, it wasn’t through a conversation with someone who cared. You heard things from friends, saw things online, and slowly began forming ideas. The truth is, most of what you’ll see and most of what you’ll hear are far removed from reality. 

Real life doesn’t have scripted scenes, there is no director cutting to the perfect climax. Relationships are dynamic. They are made up of communication, comfort, awkwardness, trust, and care, all the things that make sex great. You’ll realize one day that sexuality isn’t about performance or a conquest. It’s something you grow into for yourself. It’s not about proving you’re experienced or confident or have a high body count; it’s about learning what makes you feel safe, seen, and respected. 

You’re human, curiosity doesn’t make you bad, but on the contrary, it’s what makes you a real being. But curiosity without guidance and principle can lead you into illusions. That’s what pornography is; that’s what casual sex can be. A beautifully packaged illusion. It’s not evil but empty, the kind of emptiness no one warns you about. It promises connection but leaves you hollow. It mimics intimacy but skips the parts that make intimacy matter. It’s like a fireplace screen saver; it looks real, yet when you reach out to feel the warmth of the logs, it isn’t there.

Here is the thing, though: you can always come back to the truth. To reality that invites presence. To the kind of relationships where you don’t have to pretend. Where both you and your partner are seen and valued, the kind where you don’t use someone, and you don’t feel used or compared.

You can learn that real sexual health begins long before any of the physical acts. It starts with self-respect. With understanding your body, your emotions, and your boundaries. It’s about realizing your worth doesn’t depend on experience or feeling instant gratification.It’s about self-governance, and when you meet someone who treats you with gentleness and care, you’ll understand how different a real connection feels. It’s calm, not chaotic; it’s steady, not just thrilling, and it’s built on trust, not tension and momentary passion.

One day you’ll come to see this. You’ll see that sexual health isn’t just about protecting yourself from disease; it’s about how you see yourself and others. That’s what self-love truly is.

With care and clarity, 

Your Older Self

Writer: Kidus Solomon

 

 

Empowering Youth Through Comprehensive Sexual Health Education

Nov 16, 2025 | blog, Sexual Health

In today’s rapidly evolving world, knowledge is power. For young people, understanding sexual health is not merely empowering, it is protective. Yet in Ethiopia, as in many other countries, sexual health education remains a sensitive and often avoided topic within schools. This silence carries significant consequences. Without structured education and open discussion, young people are left vulnerable to misinformation, early pregnancy, and preventable diseases.

Sexual health education encompasses far more than the biological aspects of reproduction. It equips young people with accurate information, instills healthy values, and develops essential life skills that enable them to make informed, responsible decisions. Evidence demonstrates that comprehensive sexual education helps reduce risky behaviors, delays early sexual activity, and promotes mutual respect and consent. In a nation where over 70% of the population is under the age of 30, this education is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Ethiopia continues to face challenges such as teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and rising HIV infections among youth. Providing students with reliable knowledge is therefore critical to addressing these issues effectively.

Cultural norms in Ethiopia often render discussions about sex taboo. Many parents and educators may feel uncomfortable addressing these topics, fearing that open dialogue might encourage sexual activity. However, extensive research contradicts this concern, showing that comprehensive sexual education does not accelerate sexual initiation. Instead, it fosters awareness, confidence, and respect for one’s own body and the boundaries of others.

Schools play a pivotal role in this process. Beyond academic instruction, they serve as environments where young people shape their identities and worldviews. By integrating sexual and reproductive health education into school curricula, educators can bridge the gap between cultural expectations and the realities that young people face. Key areas of focus should include puberty and bodily changes, consent and personal boundaries, prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), menstrual health and hygiene, gender equality, and mental and emotional well-being.

At Letena Ethiopia, we recognize that education is the cornerstone of empowerment. By promoting honest, inclusive conversations about sexual health and supporting schools, parents, and communities, we can break cycles of misinformation and fear. In doing so, we cultivate a generation that is not only informed but also compassionate, responsible, and equipped to navigate the challenges of adulthood with confidence.

Writer: Hermon Israel 

 

Mental Health and Sexual Health: New Findings on Stress, Depression, and Libido

Nov 9, 2025 | blog, Mental Health, Sexual Health

In recent years, our understanding of the connection between mental health and sexual health has deepened, revealing just how intertwined the brain, body, and desire truly are. In both men and women, changes in mood, anxiety levels, and stress hormones can profoundly affect sexual desire, performance, and satisfaction. Far from being two separate aspects of health, mental well-being and sexual functioning now appear to influence each other significantly.

One of the strongest findings emerging from current studies is the role of chronic stress. When the body is in persistent “fight or flight” mode, the brain is easily distracted by surrounding stimuli, making the person unable to be present during sex, making them enjoy it much less especially in women. Cortisol, the stress hormone, although with less intensity, contributes moderately to the suppression of arousal and consequent reduction of libido, and less overall interest in sex. Having a positive mental state and subjective assessment of one’s health is associated with better sexual performance.

Depression, too, is proving to be more than a mental state of low motivation and mood. It has been proven to affect sexual function either in sexual desire, satisfaction or performance. In 2022, an analysis of 12 studies showed that over 60% of men and 80% of women with major depressive disorder report sexual impairment. Scientists point to lower dopamine and serotonin levels, two neurotransmitters essential to both pleasure and emotional regulation, as the most likely cause for this. Other common symptoms that occur with depression have also been shown to affect sexual function, including lack of exercise and substance use, such as smoking. This situation is further worsened by the fact that many of the common medications for the treatment of depression have been shown to negatively affect libido and sexual pleasure. 

The interrelation of depression and sexual dysfunction is evident in that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a common treatment for some mental disorders, also is effective in treating some types of sexual dysfunction. This indicates some common mechanism, if not origin, for the disorders. New findings offer hope, showing that treating mental health, even through small exercises of mindfulness, restores sexual function naturally. In fact, mindfulness not only restores sexual function but also improves the experience.

Evidence also suggests that positive sexual health indicators are associated with lower depression and anxiety, higher quality of life, and greater life satisfaction among men and women. 

This is more than enough evidence to suggest that the mental and sexual health of an individual are interconnected and depend on each other. They are both central pillars of overall health and well-being. The growing self-care movement should not treat them as separate concerns in the care of a person. A mentally well person is more likely to have a more fulfilling sex life. A person with a fulfilling sex life is more likely to have good mental health. And a person with both is more likely to have a better overall well-being. 

 Writer : Dr. Hosaena Gebru

 

Fertility Planning: Why Men’s Health Also Matters for a Healthy Pregnancy

Nov 2, 2025 | blog, Reproductive Health Fact Sheet

When we talk about fertility and pregnancy, most of the attention tends to fall on women, including what they eat, how old they are, or how healthy their bodies are. However, research is becoming increasingly clear on one important point: men’s health plays an equally vital role in fertility and in the long-term health of the baby.

Fertility planning is the process of preparing the body and lifestyle for conception. For men, this involves much more than just sperm count. Sperm quality, which includes how well sperm move, their shape, and the integrity of their DNA, has a major influence on whether conception occurs easily and whether the resulting pregnancy is healthy.

Lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, lack of exercise, and exposure to environmental toxins can all damage sperm cells. This not only reduces fertility but also affects the genetic information passed on to the baby. Studies have shown that men who smoke or experience high levels of stress tend to have greater sperm DNA fragmentation, which means tiny breaks in the DNA strands. These breaks can increase the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, or developmental disorders in the fetus. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), up to 15 percent of male infertility cases are linked to lifestyle factors such as smoking and poor diet.

Age is another important factor. While women’s fertility declines more sharply with age, men’s sperm quality also tends to decrease after the age of 40. Research published in Nature and JAMA Psychiatry has linked advanced paternal age with a slightly higher risk of conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia in children, although the overall risk remains relatively low.

Nutrition plays a powerful role in reducing many of these risks. A balanced diet rich in antioxidants, found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, helps protect sperm from oxidative stress, which is a type of cellular damage caused by free radicals in the body. Nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and selenium are especially important for maintaining healthy sperm function. Regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting enough sleep all help regulate hormones and support sperm production.

Fertility planning is therefore not just a woman’s responsibility. It is a shared commitment between partners to give their future child the best possible start in life. For men, making small but meaningful changes several months before conception, such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, eating a nutrient-rich diet, and managing stress, can significantly improve fertility outcomes and positively influence the lifelong health of their child.

 Writer: Bezawit Elias

 

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