The Ab System belly wrap from bellies inc. is great to put your body back in order, whether you’ve had a C-section or vaginal delivery

The Labor and Delivery + Postpartum Recovery Kit from Frida is great. The company also makes a lot of other helpful postpartum gear.

Private Packs are also excellent for postpartum care. These reusable hot & cold packs help relax muscles & combat swelling as well as reduce inflammation and pain.

If sex becomes painful during or after pregnancy, using OhNut may help you have sex without discomfort. The majority of folks have pelvic pain for at least a year after pregnancy, regardless of C-section or vaginal delivery.

Most people have urinary issues before and after pregnancy. ONDRwear washable leakproof underwear were designed by a urologist to help keep you covered while you’re healing and before physical therapy work kicks in.

Speaking of physical therapy, if kegels are part of your routine, the kGoal is a fun way to get your exercises in!

For PT work, we appreciate the Intimate Rose dilator set and massage wand. I recommend the vibrating one even if you don’t intend to use it. Vibration helps break up scar tissue and bring blood flow to an area. You don’t have to turn on the vibration if you don’t want to, but it can make your homework more fun.

Last but not least, lube. Especially afterwards. All your hormones shift and make for a lot of sensitive tissue and dryness. We love Slippery Stuff, Good Clean Love, and Uberlube.

Most importantly, listen to your body, and be gentle with yourself.

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Our greatest concern for the feasibility of online sessions was with regard to couples. In our sessions with couples, we have figured out some great workarounds. One of our favorite new techniques is to have each partner participate from separate devices in separate parts of a home. Interestingly, we are finding that couples are doing a better job of turn-taking in conversations during these video therapy sessions!

This article in Vice by Caitlin Flynn outlines more ideas for continuing to ensure you’re getting the most out of your video therapy sessions.

Looking for some support?

If you would like some support for your relationship, or your sex life, feel free to reach out to us. LIIST has an outstanding team of therapists. We specialize in helping individuals, couples and relationships navigate difficult times.

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Kelly Mullen-McWilliams

Want to know more about sexuality throughout pregnancy? Check out this article written by Dr. Torrisi for DelCoNews, this one about sex while trying to conceive,  and these tips for post-partum sex.

Whether before, during, or after pregnancy, a check-up with a pelvic physical therapist is essential and often not discussed. The majority of OBGYNs know little about pelvic floor dysfunctions so be informed and self-advocate for full post-partum care! You can find a pelvic physical therapist near you by searching here.

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– Difficulties with pain after pregnancy? This new partnership is for you!

– Experiencing IBS or IC symptoms that prevent you from having sex with your partner? This new partnership is for you!

– Extremely painful periods? This new partnership is for you!

– Erectile dysfunction or Premature ejaculation difficulties? This new partnership is for you!

– Peeing during workouts? This new partnership is for you!

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Question: What types of clients do you work with most often?

Answer: Interestingly, for the whole time I’ve been in practice, half of my clients are couples and half of them are individuals. About half identify as female and half identify as male, with trans men and trans women included. Many of my clients are exploring gender identity as well as sexual orientation. The majority of the couples I’m working with fall in to three general categories: couples 55+ who have decided to call it quits on their dull or nonexistent sex lives, couples who are around the time of having their first children and are experiencing new sexual difficulties, and couples who are struggling together through a chronic illness such as Multiple Sclerosis or Breast Cancer and are seeking to maintain their intimate connections. The majority of individuals I work with are struggling with low sexual desire, sexual pain, sexual compulsivity, and erectile dysfunction.

Question: What’s your favorite type of client?

Answer: I honestly enjoy working with all of my clients. As a therapist in private practice, I have the ability to work with a vast array of clients on many different issues, so I never get bored. As a social worker, one of my favorite therapeutic skills is integrating health care services for my clients, so I happily spend the extra time working with clients who require the coordination with other professionals such as gynecologists, oncologists, acupuncturists, physical therapists, pelvic physical therapists, urologists, nutritionists, health coaches, primary physicians, couples therapists, individual therapists, psychiatrists, chiropractors, attorneys, etc. (pointer: my Long Island favorites in their respective fields can be found on my website).

Question: Why do some people like to be hurt during sex?

Answer: If you think of sex as the adult version of the playground, then you can start to see that sex can be fun, it can be freeing, it can be bonding, and it can be playful. Within the realm of a playground, anything is allowed to happen so long as it is safe, sane and consensual. If someone wants to be the alligator in the moat while others are knights attempting to break in to the castle, then go for it! Play is how we learn the boundaries of ourselves and each other, it is where we can transcend into other realms in a safe way. There are tremendous avenues for both physical and emotional pain that isn’t safe, sane or consensual which is why communication is essential. As a sex therapist, I am always assisting clients in enhancing their communication of their thoughts, feelings, wants and needs in order to improve both their physical and emotional intimacy.

Question: If I’m being intimate with someone and I’m okay with what’s happening and then we keep going and I don’t want to go anymore, am I allowed to say no?

Answer: Absolutely, positively, without a doubt—Yes! No, for real, means NO! This latest post using the example of tea explains it all—to the T.

Question: If a girl has sex with more than 5 people, does that make her a slut?

Answer: As a professor in my PhD program at Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies has said, a slut is someone who has sex with one more person than the person doing the judging. No one is a slut. If you find empowerment in using the word slut to define your sexuality, then use it. If you aren’t fond of the word slut, then don’t ever allow someone’s ill-understood words to tarnish your self-worth! Your sexuality is yours—as is your sexual pleasure.

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