This is a common myth and fuels a lot of women’s fears when it comes to sexual relationships and childbirth. Despite the myths, sex and childbirth DO NOT have a lasting impact on the tension of your vagina. With a little help from OZiva, let’s find out why!
If you are sexually active or expecting a child (or if you are thinking of both), one of the things that you might have experienced or are worried about experiencing is a weakening of the muscles around your vagina. If you have felt this, do not worry! You might be concerned that the more you have sex, the more your vagina stretches.
Yes, your vagina is changing, but sex does not have a lasting effect on its tightness. Your vaginal elasticity is constant and you can take steps to strengthen your pelvic muscles (the muscles around the vagina) for optimal vaginal health.
Sex & Childbirth can Alter Your Vagina A Bit
If you find yourself sexually aroused, then the muscles of your vagina relax and allow for penetration your partner. These muscles relax slowly, but after sex, your vagina returns to its usual shape and tension.
Similar to how your mouth opens to fit the shape of food or yawn, the vagina opens before, during and after sex. The hymen, or the thin membrane inside the vagina, can stretch slightly if you are having penetrative sex for the first time. This may make your vagina feel slightly more open.
But if you are thinking “It is not my first time, so why does my vagina feel loose?” No two bodies are the same, and as such no two sexual experiences are the same! Some reasons for the “loose” feeling:
- If you have sex with a new partner, it can feel different!
- Your body could have changed over time due to age or illness
- Trying a new sexual position can change how the vagina feels
After childbirth, the muscles around your vagina stretch to accommodate delivery. This stretched shape takes some time to reduce and perhaps your vagina will not feel the same for a bit.
These changes are usually more noticeable in women in their 30s.
Treatments for this “Looseness”
So now you’ve realised this looseness is fixable, be aware that there are exercises you can do to keep your vagina tight!
- Do some kegel exercises. Do 2-3 sets of 10 kegels around 3 months a day, and it will take around 6 months to notice a difference. You can use a mobile app to track your kegels.
- Try out pelvic floor exercises as well, such as heel slides or marches. These pelvic floor muscles support the vagina.
- Poses like the Happy Baby Pose or breathing like Diaphragmatic breathing can also help improve the relationship between your diaphragm and the pelvic floor
Other Ways to Improve Vaginal Health
Use contraception in the form of condoms if you are sexually active! If you do not have a steady sexual partner, then condoms protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, and help you avoid the risks of pregnancy.
While oral contraceptives are also an option if you have a steady sexual partner, birth control pills can affect the pH balance of some women’s vagina and sometimes result in vaginal dryness and itchiness. Keep that in mind while choosing a contraceptive.
Along with kegels and using contraceptives, if you want to generally improve your vaginal health, you can add OZiva Plant Based HerComfort to your lifestyle. OZiva HerComfort is designed to soothe women’s intimate health issues like abnormal vaginal discharge and discomfort in the vaginal areas.
It contains extracts of Fennel Seed, Licorice Root and Neem to fight against vaginal irritation, infection and discharge. It soothes and heals the skin around the vagina and surrounding outer vaginal area.
Watch the video below to understand why this myth doesn’t make sense!
Does Frequent Sex and Childbirth Loosen the Vagina?
Last modified: October 28, 2022
